Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ex 17:8-13
In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.
Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,
"Pick out certain men,and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle.
I will be standing on top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hand."
So Joshua did as Moses told him:
he engaged Amalek in battle
after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.
As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,
Israel had the better of the fight,
but when he let his hands rest,
Amalek had the better of the fight.
Moses’ hands, however, grew tired;
so they put a rock in place for him to sit on.
Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,
one on one side and one on the other,
so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people
with the edge of the sword.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The LORD will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Reading II
2 Tm 3:14-4:2
Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
Gospel
Lk 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, "There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.'"
The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
In Rememberance...
Please take a moment to remember Fr John Venegoni - he passed away this week at the age of 62.
Rev. John Louis Venegoni, 62, of Belleville, Ill., formerly of Pinckneyville, Ill., and Herrin, Ill., born April 4, 1945, in Herrin, Ill., died Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007, at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Mo. Father Venegoni was ordained a priest on June 3, 1995, by the Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory.
He served at St. Peter's Cathedral, Belleville, Ill., and St. Bruno Parish, Pinckneyville, Ill., before being named pastor of St. Teresa Parish and St. Luke Parish in Belleville, Ill. Father John also served as dean of the South Deanery of the Diocese of Belleville and as vicar for deacons.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben L. and Minnie M., nee Sartore, Venegoni. He is survived by numerous cousins, other relatives, and friends.Memorials may be made either to the School Endowment Funds for St. Bruno Parish, Pinckneyville, Ill., St. Teresa Parish, Belleville, Ill., or Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Herrin, Ill., or to the Father John Venegoni Charitable Trust Fund. Condolences may be expressed online at http://www.rennerfh.com/.
The Rite of Christian Burial will begin with the Reception of the Body at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007, at St. Teresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church, Belleville, Ill., by the Very Rev. John T. Myler, with visitation following until 5 p.m.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007, at St. Teresa Catholic Church with the Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton presiding, Monsignor James A. Buerster as Principal Celebrant, and fellow priests concelebrating.
Visitation will also be held from 8 to 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 15, 2007, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Herrin, Ill. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 15, 2007, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Herrin, Ill., with the Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton as Principal Celebrant, the Rev. Monsignor Kenneth J. Schaefer as homilist, and fellow priests concelebrating. Interment will be in San Carlo Catholic Cemetery, Herrin, Ill.
GEORGE RENNER & SONS FUNERAL HOME, Belleville, Ill.
Published in the Belleville News-Democrat from 10/12/2007 - 10/13/2007.
"Every time a member of the community of faith dies we are reminded to live our lives of faith each day with the awareness that it could be our last day. We are strengthened by the words of Christ Himself, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (Jn. 11:25-26) Please remember Father Venegoni in your prayers." (Fr. Kenneth York - Chancellor)
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace
Amen.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Readings for Sunday, October 14, 2007
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Kgs 5:14-17
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of Elisha, the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant. "
Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;"
and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: "If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD."
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:i
n the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Reading II
2 Tm 2:8-13
Beloved:Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
Gospel
Lk 17:11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."
Reading 1
2 Kgs 5:14-17
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of Elisha, the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean of his leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said,
"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth
except in Israel.
Please accept a gift from your servant. "
Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;"
and despite Naaman's urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: "If you will not accept,
please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth,
for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice
to any other god except to the LORD."
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R. (cf. 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:i
n the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands:
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Reading II
2 Tm 2:8-13
Beloved:Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
Gospel
Lk 17:11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Let's talk about sex...
Sorry for the title!
As someone in the "church biz" (thank you Fr. Dominic...) I get lots of questions on sex... What "is" sex?, how far can I go before the Church considers it "sex"?, am I going to hell for having sex?
There is no easy answer! In Catholic moral tradition we often have to look at the 'grey area' -
This makes it so important to develop your spirituality, you conscience, and your prayer life! If you ever need to talk, please stop by, email, call, leave an anonymous note and I will help you look for the answers.
In the meanwhile - here is a great article from Busted Halo.
*IMPORTANT* The internet can be a wonderful tool for learning about your faith. However, don't believe everything you read! Not everyone that tells you "this is Roman Catholic teaching" is giving you the correct information... If something doesn't sound right or you would like to know more about it - please ask! That why I'm here!
The websites to the right - the Vatican, the Diocese, and the USCCB are great starts on your search...
Can anyone name the group that put out the song "Let's talk about sex?" pictured?
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
To whom do I pray?
This is a helpful reflection from Creighton University's website - they have fabulous resources including daily and weekly reflections. Right now you can still join in on their online retreat...
www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/
To Whom Do I Pray?
www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/
To Whom Do I Pray?
This may sound like an odd question, but it is an important one. This tip is simply an encouragement to consider to whom I'm praying and to experiment with different types of praying.
The classic definition of prayer reminds us that there are four types of prayer: praise, thanksgiving, petition, and contrition. When we think of the times we turn to God, this is a pretty good definition. Yet, as we grow in our relationship with God, we probably would nuance the lines between these four types of prayer. If prayer is relationship, then we can talk about a whole variety of types of prayer that are the stuff of ordinary relationships. I can imagine a type of prayer that is simply sharing with God what has gone on in my day. I can spend time just listening to God's love for me in the powerful or tender words of one of the prophets. Or, at difficult times, I might turn to God to express anger, doubt, confusion or fear.
To make this all the more wonderful, I can turn to different Persons when I pray to God. Depending upon the feeling or movement within me, and the grace I desire, I can turn to God very differently. God's creation of the world; the Incarnation; the life, death, resurrection and gift of the Spirit - these mysteries give us access to great depth and texture in our relationship with God.
The public prayer of the Church is almost always addressed to God, the Father. The prayer concludes: "we ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever."
When we pray, in our ongoing relationship with God, we can pray however we like. At times I will turn to God, the Creator. Though God has no gender, I might join Jesus in calling God, "Father" or with the more affectionate, "Abba." I can just as easily use the feminine images of God. At other times, I will turn to Jesus. He is God, become flesh. He is how God is, as a human being. All I know about Jesus now, I can draw from his life. Jesus the Lord, still has holes in his hands and feet and side. He still is comfortable with prostitutes and sinners. He still allows himself to be recognized in the breaking of bread. And, at times, it is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus, I will turn to.
It is important to remember that we have gender. Those of us who are women and those of us who are men may relate to the persons of God differently. How I relate to the Creator can be different for me as a man or as a woman. My love and affection for Jesus will differ. And my experience of the gathering Spirit might be different.
It is good to ask, "to whom am I praying to at this moment?" It can be quite wonderful to experiment with being in relationship with each of the persons of God. If this is new or uncomfortable, just jump in with the request for a grace: "Dear Jesus, I want to talk with you, as a man. To say I'm sorry, to ask for help, to learn from you about how to love. Please guide me, show me, draw me." "Dear God of all creation, show me how to be with you, as woman. Touch and release the feelings and movements within me that connect with and flow from your own creative love."
The classic definition of prayer reminds us that there are four types of prayer: praise, thanksgiving, petition, and contrition. When we think of the times we turn to God, this is a pretty good definition. Yet, as we grow in our relationship with God, we probably would nuance the lines between these four types of prayer. If prayer is relationship, then we can talk about a whole variety of types of prayer that are the stuff of ordinary relationships. I can imagine a type of prayer that is simply sharing with God what has gone on in my day. I can spend time just listening to God's love for me in the powerful or tender words of one of the prophets. Or, at difficult times, I might turn to God to express anger, doubt, confusion or fear.
To make this all the more wonderful, I can turn to different Persons when I pray to God. Depending upon the feeling or movement within me, and the grace I desire, I can turn to God very differently. God's creation of the world; the Incarnation; the life, death, resurrection and gift of the Spirit - these mysteries give us access to great depth and texture in our relationship with God.
The public prayer of the Church is almost always addressed to God, the Father. The prayer concludes: "we ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever."
When we pray, in our ongoing relationship with God, we can pray however we like. At times I will turn to God, the Creator. Though God has no gender, I might join Jesus in calling God, "Father" or with the more affectionate, "Abba." I can just as easily use the feminine images of God. At other times, I will turn to Jesus. He is God, become flesh. He is how God is, as a human being. All I know about Jesus now, I can draw from his life. Jesus the Lord, still has holes in his hands and feet and side. He still is comfortable with prostitutes and sinners. He still allows himself to be recognized in the breaking of bread. And, at times, it is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus, I will turn to.
It is important to remember that we have gender. Those of us who are women and those of us who are men may relate to the persons of God differently. How I relate to the Creator can be different for me as a man or as a woman. My love and affection for Jesus will differ. And my experience of the gathering Spirit might be different.
It is good to ask, "to whom am I praying to at this moment?" It can be quite wonderful to experiment with being in relationship with each of the persons of God. If this is new or uncomfortable, just jump in with the request for a grace: "Dear Jesus, I want to talk with you, as a man. To say I'm sorry, to ask for help, to learn from you about how to love. Please guide me, show me, draw me." "Dear God of all creation, show me how to be with you, as woman. Touch and release the feelings and movements within me that connect with and flow from your own creative love."
Monday, September 10, 2007
Fall Information
Hi everyone!
I hope that you are settling into the new school year well! Please let us in Campus Ministry know if we can help you out as the school year progresses.
We have a few events coming up that we wanted to let you know about!
Mass: Our next Mass is Sunday the 16th – 8 PM Circuit Riders (in the Chapel)
With Ice Cream cake following…
Youth Day Celebration: September 22 and 23 (formerly World Youth Day)
Help is needed with the interactive areas again. We will help Jr and Sr High school students play interactive games. Times 11 – 6 Sat and Sun (you may also choose to stay and help out all day, if you’d like…) This years keynoters are Chris Padgett and Sarah Bauer - Shrine Youth Ministry - for more info... Food provided and a free t shirt for helping out. This also counts for service hours…
Retreat weekend: October 5 – 6
We will be heading to the High Ropes Course in Belleville for an overnight retreat. We will leave around 6pm on Friday and get back sometime around 3 on Saturday.
$15 per person – includes food and the ropes… bring a sleeping bag and/or inflatable mattress! Scholarships are available if needed – talk to Tim – x 6962
This Fall:
Trivia Night
Bonfire – October 30
Trip to the zoo – November 11
Wicked at the Fox – December 20
Thanksgiving Dinner at St Luke’s in Belleville – help feed those in need
CU @ MU – Youth Day at McKendree
Also upcoming:
Spring Break trip to the Gulf Coast
May Spiritual Formation trip to Taize, France
Informational meeting – Monday September 17, Circuit Riders at 8 pm
And don’t forget Newman Nights every Tuesday night…
8:30 in Circuit Riders.
Peace,
Erin Hammond
Catholic Campus Minister
X6418
erhammond@mckendree.edu (find me on Facebook, too - under McKendree Newman)
I hope that you are settling into the new school year well! Please let us in Campus Ministry know if we can help you out as the school year progresses.
We have a few events coming up that we wanted to let you know about!
Mass: Our next Mass is Sunday the 16th – 8 PM Circuit Riders (in the Chapel)
With Ice Cream cake following…
Youth Day Celebration: September 22 and 23 (formerly World Youth Day)
Help is needed with the interactive areas again. We will help Jr and Sr High school students play interactive games. Times 11 – 6 Sat and Sun (you may also choose to stay and help out all day, if you’d like…) This years keynoters are Chris Padgett and Sarah Bauer - Shrine Youth Ministry - for more info... Food provided and a free t shirt for helping out. This also counts for service hours…
Retreat weekend: October 5 – 6
We will be heading to the High Ropes Course in Belleville for an overnight retreat. We will leave around 6pm on Friday and get back sometime around 3 on Saturday.
$15 per person – includes food and the ropes… bring a sleeping bag and/or inflatable mattress! Scholarships are available if needed – talk to Tim – x 6962
This Fall:
Trivia Night
Bonfire – October 30
Trip to the zoo – November 11
Wicked at the Fox – December 20
Thanksgiving Dinner at St Luke’s in Belleville – help feed those in need
CU @ MU – Youth Day at McKendree
Also upcoming:
Spring Break trip to the Gulf Coast
May Spiritual Formation trip to Taize, France
Informational meeting – Monday September 17, Circuit Riders at 8 pm
And don’t forget Newman Nights every Tuesday night…
8:30 in Circuit Riders.
Peace,
Erin Hammond
Catholic Campus Minister
X6418
erhammond@mckendree.edu (find me on Facebook, too - under McKendree Newman)
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Mother Teresa
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint.
September 5, 2007
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
(1910-1997)
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
(1910-1997)
Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the tiny woman recognized throughout the world for her work among the poorest of the poor, was beatified October 19, 2003. Among those present were hundreds of Missionaries of Charity, the Order she founded in 1950 as a diocesan religious community. Today the congregation also includes contemplative sisters and brothers and an order of priests.
Speaking in a strained, weary voice at the beatification Mass, Pope John Paul II declared her blessed, prompting waves of applause before the 300,000 pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. In his homily, read by an aide for the aging pope, the Holy Father called Mother Teresa “one of the most relevant personalities of our age” and “an icon of the Good Samaritan.” Her life, he said, was “a bold proclamation of the gospel.”
Mother Teresa's beatification, just over six years after her death, was part of an expedited process put into effect by Pope John Paul II. Like so many others around the world, he found her love for the Eucharist, for prayer and for the poor a model for all to emulate.
Born to Albanian parents in what is now Skopje, Macedonia (then part of the Ottoman Empire), Gonxha (Agnes) Bojaxhiu was the youngest of the three children who survived. For a time, the family lived comfortably, and her father's construction business thrived. But life changed overnight following his unexpected death.
During her years in public school Agnes participated in a Catholic sodality and showed a strong interest in the foreign missions. At age 18 she entered the Loreto Sisters of Dublin. It was 1928 when she said goodbye to her mother for the final time and made her way to a new land and a new life. The following year she was sent to the Loreto novitiate in Darjeeling, India. There she chose the name Teresa and prepared for a life of service. She was assigned to a high school for girls in Calcutta, where she taught history and geography to the daughters of the wealthy. But she could not escape the realities around her—the poverty, the suffering, the overwhelming numbers of destitute people.
In 1946, while riding a train to Darjeeling to make a retreat, Sister Teresa heard what she later explained as “a call within a call. The message was clear. I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them.” She also heard a call to give up her life with the Sisters of Loreto and, instead, to “follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor.”
After receiving permission to leave Loreto, establish a new religious community and undertake her new work, she took a nursing course for several months. She returned to Calcutta, where she lived in the slums and opened a school for poor children. Dressed in a white sari and sandals (the ordinary dress of an Indian woman) she soon began getting to know her neighbors—especially the poor and sick—and getting to know their needs through visits.
The work was exhausting, but she was not alone for long. Volunteers who came to join her in the work, some of them former students, became the core of the Missionaries of Charity. Other helped by donating food, clothing, supplies, the use of buildings. In 1952 the city of Calcutta gave Mother Teresa a former hostel, which became a home for the dying and the destitute. As the Order expanded, services were also offered to orphans, abandoned children, alcoholics, the aging and street people.
For the next four decades Mother Teresa worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor. Her love knew no bounds. Nor did her energy, as she crisscrossed the globe pleading for support and inviting others to see the face of Jesus in the poorest of the poor. In 1979 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. On September 5, 1997, God called her home.
Speaking in a strained, weary voice at the beatification Mass, Pope John Paul II declared her blessed, prompting waves of applause before the 300,000 pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. In his homily, read by an aide for the aging pope, the Holy Father called Mother Teresa “one of the most relevant personalities of our age” and “an icon of the Good Samaritan.” Her life, he said, was “a bold proclamation of the gospel.”
Mother Teresa's beatification, just over six years after her death, was part of an expedited process put into effect by Pope John Paul II. Like so many others around the world, he found her love for the Eucharist, for prayer and for the poor a model for all to emulate.
Born to Albanian parents in what is now Skopje, Macedonia (then part of the Ottoman Empire), Gonxha (Agnes) Bojaxhiu was the youngest of the three children who survived. For a time, the family lived comfortably, and her father's construction business thrived. But life changed overnight following his unexpected death.
During her years in public school Agnes participated in a Catholic sodality and showed a strong interest in the foreign missions. At age 18 she entered the Loreto Sisters of Dublin. It was 1928 when she said goodbye to her mother for the final time and made her way to a new land and a new life. The following year she was sent to the Loreto novitiate in Darjeeling, India. There she chose the name Teresa and prepared for a life of service. She was assigned to a high school for girls in Calcutta, where she taught history and geography to the daughters of the wealthy. But she could not escape the realities around her—the poverty, the suffering, the overwhelming numbers of destitute people.
In 1946, while riding a train to Darjeeling to make a retreat, Sister Teresa heard what she later explained as “a call within a call. The message was clear. I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them.” She also heard a call to give up her life with the Sisters of Loreto and, instead, to “follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor.”
After receiving permission to leave Loreto, establish a new religious community and undertake her new work, she took a nursing course for several months. She returned to Calcutta, where she lived in the slums and opened a school for poor children. Dressed in a white sari and sandals (the ordinary dress of an Indian woman) she soon began getting to know her neighbors—especially the poor and sick—and getting to know their needs through visits.
The work was exhausting, but she was not alone for long. Volunteers who came to join her in the work, some of them former students, became the core of the Missionaries of Charity. Other helped by donating food, clothing, supplies, the use of buildings. In 1952 the city of Calcutta gave Mother Teresa a former hostel, which became a home for the dying and the destitute. As the Order expanded, services were also offered to orphans, abandoned children, alcoholics, the aging and street people.
For the next four decades Mother Teresa worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor. Her love knew no bounds. Nor did her energy, as she crisscrossed the globe pleading for support and inviting others to see the face of Jesus in the poorest of the poor. In 1979 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. On September 5, 1997, God called her home.
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