Mother Teresa's 102nd birth anniversary celebrated

(August 27, 2012) The 102 birth anniversary of Blessed Mother Teresa was celebrated in the eastern Indian city on Sunday, with the head of the state government joining hundreds of Kolkatans to pay tribute to the ‘Saint of the Gutter’, as the saintly nun was endearingly called. “I respectfully bow my head to pay my love and gratitude to the great soul. She lived a life of dedication, devotion and loving care to serve the poor and terminally ill who have no support to look for,” said West Bengal state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “Let us strive to put smiles on the faces of the poor and needy people of the country. That will be the most befitting tribute to Mother Teresa," Mamata added. At the Mother House, the global headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity order that Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata found in 1950, nuns and other faithful congregated at a Mass and commemoration in her remembrance. Prayers were also held at churches all over the city. Sister Prema, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, urged all to follow the teachings of Mother Teresa in spreading the message of love and compassion, particularly in families and welcoming all that God has sent to us, especially children who are not born yet. Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910, of Albanian parents in Skopje, in what Macedonia today. Upon joining the Loreto nuns she assumed the religious name of Teresa and came to India as a missionary in 1929. Mother Teresa received several national and international awards for her works of mercy, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She died on September 5, 1997 at the age of 87. The Catholic Church recognized her holiness by bestowing on her the title Blessed in October, 2003.