If I ever became a Saint – I will surely be one of “darkness” I will continually be absent from Heaven – to light the light of those in darkness on earth – -Mother Teresa of Calcutta
St. Teresa of Calcutta, known as Mother Teresa, is an Albanian who came to India on January 6, 1928, who joined the Loretto Convent as a religious sister in Ireland. Her aim and mission was to dedicate herself entirely to God through serving the poor of India. Mother made her perpetual religious profession in 1937 and worked at St. Mary's School as a Geography and Catechism teacher, later became the principal. During this time, she witnessed the extreme poverty of the poor and destitutes, living outside the school's walls. It was unimaginable for her, “Man created in the image and likeness of God can die like an animal on the streets”. The suffering she witnessed, were due to events like the Second World War, the Bengal famine, and Hindu-Muslim riots, Partisan of India & Pakistan etc. all these sufferings moved her deeply. She prayed, "Lord, do something for these sufferers," so also people of Calcutta waited in anticipation for answer to their prayer for all these painful and heart-rending situations.
Call within the call
On 10th September 1946, while mother was travelling to Darjeeling for the annual retreat, she received a “Call within the Call” to leave Loretto Convent, be in street to serve Him in the poorest of the poor …. Jesus called out to her, “I thirst” and Jesus asked her “Wouldst thou not help?” Mother said, “How can I? I have been and am happy, here as a Loreto Nun- to leave that what I love and expose myself to new labors and sufferings which will be great to be a laughingstock of so many”. but Jesus continued to ask her, “Will you refuse me”, Mother tried to persuade Our Lord that I would try to become a very fervent holy Loreto Nun, a Victim here in this vocation “I want Indian Missionary Sisters of Charity – who would be My fire of love amongst the very poor – the sick – the dying – the little street children. The poor I want you to bring to me – and the sisters that would offer their lives as victims of my love – would bring these souls to Me. You are, I know that the most uncapable person, weak and sinful, but just because you are that I want to use you for my Glory! Wilt thou refuse? “
Preparation to seek out Jesus in the poor
Mother left Loreto with the blessing and permission of the lawful authority and went to Patna in the year 1948 on 17th August to get trained herself, to take care of the suffering people of the streets. Then she returned to Calcutta to stay temporarily with the little sisters of the Poor. Mother started to do God’s work among the poorest in the slums on 21st December 1948.
Mother prayed: - Of own my free will, dear Jesus, I shall follow You wherever You shall go, in search of souls, at any cost to myself and out of pure love of You.
Knowing that the principal of St. Mary's was working among the poorest of the poor, on 19th of March 1949 one of her students joined Mother to be with her and to help in her mission. One by one, her classroom students joined her in this mission. There were twelve of them, including Mother Teresa, forming a pious union. On October 7, 1950, the "Society of the Missionaries of Charity" became a diocesan congregation.
They were ever willing to make any sacrifice and any humiliation for the sake of Jesus and His poorest of the poor.
Mother taught them to pray:
Each sigh, each look, each act of mine
Shall be an act of Love Divine,
And everything that I shall do
Shall be dear Lord, for love of You.
Take this my heart and keep it true.
A fountain sealed, to all but You.
What is there that I would not do today?
O Lord my God for the love of Jesus.
Nirmal Hriday home for he sick and dying destitute
Mother Teresa and the sisters began working on the streets, caring for the sick and the destitute. Recognizing the need for a place to provide proper care, Mother Teresa approached the Municipality to secure accommodation for the suffering people of the street they served. The Kali Temple’s Inn was offered to them, and Mother was happy to establish a home for them. This home was named Nirmal Hriday, which means "Pure Heart."
The home was blessed on August 22, 1952, and is known as Mother Teresa’s “first love”. The Missionaries of Charity, as a committed religious, profess the three evangelical counsels (vows). The aim of the society is to quench the infinite thirst of Jesus Christ on the Cross for love of souls by the profession of the evangelical counsels and a fourth vow of wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor according to the constitution. They dedicated themselves to hard labour, working tirelessly for the salvation and sanctification of the poorest of the poor.
Mother Teresa was very convinced unless you recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread that’s in the Holy Eucharist you cannot recognize Him in the broken bodies of the poorest of the poor.
Journey of Missionaries of Charity to Airoli
Although the congregation was initially diocesan, Mother Teresa obtained permission to establish convents in other states. Maharashtra was one of the first to welcome the Missionaries of Charity. The community began with Amravati, followed by Santacruz, Vile Parle, and Byculla. The Missionaries of Charity brothers, originally in Vakola, later moved to Borivali and Kharghar.
Mother Teresa was aware of the formation of Navi Mumbai and was eager to establish a convent there. Initially, a temporary convent was set up in Kalwa. CIDCO of Navi-Mumbai offered Mother two acres of land on lease to establish a permanent convent, as well as a home for the sick and the dying, abandoned children, and destitute individuals who were picked up from the streets or wherever they were found. The building was constructed and gifted to Missionaries of Charity by Budhrani Trust.
From the very beginning, the utmost thought of St. Teresa of Kolkata was, "How can a man, created in the image and likeness of God, die like an animal on the streets?" One person she picked up from the street told mother before his death, "Mother, I lived like an animal on the street, but now I am going to die as an angel, wanted, loved, and cared for." Mother Teresa's mission was to bring these people back to God in peace and love thus work for their salvation and sanctification. Make their lives and our lives something beautiful for God.
Prem Daan, Airoli
Mother Teresa visited Airoli twice: first to receive the land from CIDCO and then to inaugurate Prem Daan on January 7, 1992. She humbly and joyfully accepted the building constructed by the Budhrani Trust. Since there was no parish in Airoli, Mother offered part of the building for Eucharistic celebrations and other parish activities for almost 10 years. Year by year this community grew and eventually became two parishes: the Latin rite Church - St. Theresa of Child Jesus and the Syro-Malabar Church - St. Joseph. Mother was delighted to see these two parishes established.
In Prem Daan, we sisters gather the lame, the blind, the crippled, the incurables, and any person who is abandoned by all and left alone to suffer and die. We became the hand and heart of God to restore the dignity to every human being irrespective of caste, creed or colour “Knowing each of them as the child of God and letting them know they are precious to God and to us. It is beautiful to think so many brothers and sisters of goodwill became the providence of God as well as the hand and heart of God caring and serving them whole heartedly and freely. We are grateful to God for all that they do the help and the assistance we receive. God be praised for His greater love and His providence.
In our missionary apostolate, we sisters also visit families - in our visits to the Catholic families; we sisters encourage true devotion to the Sacred heart, family Rosary, consecration of the family to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate heart of Mary. We sister take part in the parish activities of St. Theresa of Child Jesus Church, Airoli, Our Lady of Forsaken Church, Ghansoli, and St. Joseph Church, Airoli on Sundays.
The present statistics of our home, Prem Daan - 2024:
Our home at Prem Daan in Airoli, admitted its first sick and the dying person on January 5, 1992. Since then, we have cared for 3,016 individuals. Among them, 485 have gone home to God, while the rest have been discharged, leaving 154 currently in our care.
We did have a Nirmala Shishu Bhavan – for children abandoned as well as sick and the dying.
The children's ward admitted its first inmate on January 20, 1992. Over the years, we cared for 307 children, 30 of whom have gone home to God. Even though it was a most beautiful work due to many reasons it was not possible to carry on this work; on August 23, 2010, we closed the children’s ward with 50 children in our care. The children with disabilities were transferred to Byculla and Aurangabad, while the sick, malnourished, and some children with one living parent were returned to their families.
By our dedicated life and work we shall keep the light of Jesus burning and We will allow Jesus
In the life of Charity
In the truth of Humility
In the life of Sanctity
to shine in us and through us, and thus bring a multitude of our poor to God, for the glory of the Church and the greater glory of God.
