1. She was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Albania, to a financially comfortable
family – they lived in one of the two houses they owned. Her father
died when she was 8 years old, which ended her family’s financial
security.
2. Although she lived to be 87 years old, she never saw her mother or sister again after the day she left for Ireland.
3. After a year learning English in Ireland, Agnes transferred to the Sisters of Loreto convent in Darjeeling, India.
4. Teresa began teaching history and geography in Calcutta at St. Mary’s, a high school for the daughters of the wealthy. She remained there for 15 years and enjoyed the work, but was distressed by the poverty she saw all around her.
5. In 1946, Teresa traveled to Darjeeling for a retreat. It was on that journey that she realized what her true calling was: “I heard the call to give up all and follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor.”