West Bengal: Missionaries of Charity celebrate 113th birth anniversary of Mother Teresa, CM Mamata Banerjee pays homage

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 26 (ANI): The 114th birth anniversary of Mother Teresa was celebrated at the Mother House, Missionaries Of Charity on Monday.
Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee paid homage to the Mother on the occasion.
In a post on X Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee said, "Spread love everywhere you go... My homage to Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta) on her birth anniversary. Mother was the apostle of peace, brotherhood, and service to humanity. I feel blessed to have met and worked with this great soul."
Archbishop Thomas D'Souza said, "Today is the birthday of the mother so we celebrate it as an act of giving thanks. The life of Mother was a blessing for her as well as the people. Lord Jesus came to the world to spread love and enlightenment and Mother followed the same path. The message is the safety of life as today there is too much violence and wars taking place. God gave us life to help others and make life more beautiful. Mother did the same thing.
He further said that Mother Teresa used to help others especially the poor.
"The message is to provide help and service right from the birth of the child till death," he said.
Sister Christeen said that today is the 114th birth anniversary of Mother.
"People of Kolkata still remember her with such great love. Mother is praying for the beloved city of Kolkata and the people," she added.
Missionaries of Charity is a religious community in the Catholic Church, founded by Mother Teresa of Kolkata (now St. Teresa of Kolkata) in 1950. The community is dedicated to the service of the poorest of the poor, irrespective of social class, creed or colour. It is known for its contribution to the well-being of some of the marginalised members of society including orphans, abandoned children elderly people, and people with disabilities.
Members of the Missionaries of Charity lighted candles and chanted prayers on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the Mother.
Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha on August 26, 1910. Her family was from Albania. In October 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Vatican to start "The Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care for those who had been abandoned by others. The order started its operations in Kolkata.
The Society of Missionaries of Charity then spread all over the world. They provide help to the poorest of the poor in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and they undertake relief work in the wake of natural catastrophes such as floods and epidemics, and work for refugees.
Mother Teresa was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She asked the jury to contribute the prize money towards helping the poor in India. In September 2017, Mother Teresa was declared Patron Saint of the Archdiocese of Kolkata (then Calcutta) by the Pope for her selfless service towards helping the underprivileged. Mother Teresa, who died in 1997 was accorded a state funeral by the government in recognition of her services to the poor. (ANI)