Saint Mother Teresa, born as Anjezë Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, came from an Albanian Catholic family. From a young age, as a student, she felt a calling to dedicate her life to God and serving others. In 1928, she joined the Loreto Sisters in Ireland, beginning her journey of spiritual education and service. The following year, she went to India, where she spent the next 20 years teaching in a school run by the order. However, faced with the immense poverty and suffering of the people of Kolkata, she decided in 1948 to leave the comfort of convent life to dedicate herself to direct work with the most needy on the city's streets.
In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order aimed at caring for the sick, poor, dying, and abandoned. Their mission soon became renowned for its profound dedication to those who were marginalized and forgotten. For her tireless efforts and the impact she had on millions of lives, Mother Teresa received numerous accolades, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Her death on September 5, 1997, marked the end of an extraordinary life, but her legacy continues through the thousands of sisters who still serve in the Missionaries of Charity worldwide.
The central message of Mother Teresa's life was her unwavering belief that God loves us with a tender and unconditional love. From this profound conviction grew her work: through the community she founded, she sought to bring God's love to everyone, especially the most vulnerable, through tangible acts of compassion, care, and assistance. Her approach was deeply rooted in faith but also in the practical, daily care of those on the margins of society.
Mother Teresa has been named the patron saint of the University Department of Nursing due to her immense dedication to serving the sick, poor, and dying. Through her work with the Missionaries of Charity, she provided not only physical care but also spiritual comfort to the most vulnerable, often under extremely challenging conditions. Her life embodies the values of compassion, empathy, and humility, which are at the heart of the nursing profession. Her way of serving people, regardless of their background or social status, perfectly reflects the spirit of nursing, whose primary mission is to care for patients with love, attention, and dignity.