The Missionaries of Charity traces its origins to Mother Teresa who started the order and on October 7, 1950, the Vatican granted it formal recognition.
Newsroom (09/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) The Missionaries of Charity, the renowned congregation founded by Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, commemorated their 75th anniversary on October 7, 2025, with solemn ceremonies that underscored their enduring commitment to the world’s most vulnerable. From the bustling streets of Kolkata to the war-ravaged enclaves of Gaza, the sisters’ work continues to embody a fearless dedication to service, even as global conflicts test the limits of human resilience.
A Legacy Rooted in Humility
The celebrations began at the Mother House in Kolkata, the spiritual cradle of the order, where Archbishop Elias Franck presided over a thanksgiving Mass in the chapel. Attendees included political dignitaries, religious leaders, and the poor themselves—described by Sister Mary Joseph, the congregation’s superior general, as their “esteemed guests.”
“We thank God for His blessings over the past 75 years that have helped the congregation sustain itself amid challenges,” Sister Joseph said during the gathering. “No matter what the challenges, we will carry forward with our work. This is the work of God, and therefore it will continue.”
The congregation traces its origins to October 7, 1950, when the Vatican granted formal recognition. Mother Teresa, born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje in 1910, arrived in India in 1929 and later adopted Indian citizenship. Renouncing her Loretto habit for a simple blue-bordered sari, she immersed herself in the slums of Kolkata, serving the “most neglected” as she called them. Today, more than 5,000 nuns operate 754 homes across 139 countries, perpetuating her vision of boundless compassion.
Archbishop Franck, in his homily, praised the sisters for upholding their founder’s legacy: “Members of the congregation continue the legacy of their founder, who devoted her life to the most neglected.” The event culminated with the unveiling of a statue of Mother Teresa by Derek O’Brien, a parliamentarian and leader of the Trinamool Congress party.
Steadfast in the Shadows of War: Gaza’s Holy Family Parish
Nowhere is the congregation’s resolve more poignant than in Gaza, where sisters from the Missionaries of Charity have chosen to remain amid an intensifying Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) siege. On August 26, 2025, Christian clergy and nuns at Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City publicly affirmed their decision to stay in their compounds, prioritizing care for those unable to flee the violence. This includes the elderly, the sick, and families lacking the resources for evacuation—a stark reality in a city now encircled by IDF forces following an ultimatum issued on October 1.
The Jerusalem Post reported on October 2 that these religious leaders, explicitly including the Missionaries of Charity at Holy Family Parish, have rejected personal safety to fulfill their pastoral duties. Amid bombed-out buildings and mounting civilian casualties, the nuns provide shelter, medical aid, and spiritual solace to hundreds sheltering in the church compound. “We know they are living in great difficulties, yet they have chosen to stay to care for mentally challenged patients under their care,” Sister Joseph told UCA News on October 9, echoing the congregation’s global prayers for their sisters in peril.
A nun speaking anonymously to UCA News reinforced this commitment: “The nuns are not looking for ways to escape conflict zones, but instead continue to care for the poor under their care.” Father Dominic Gomes, chancellor of the Kolkata Archdiocese, lauded their bravery: “Amid conflict, violence, and war, they carry forward Mother Teresa’s mission of compassion without boundaries.”
Echoes of Service Worldwide
The anniversary resonated far beyond India. In Ukraine, sisters endure similar hardships, tending to refugees and the wounded. In Pakistan’s Lahore chapter—established by Mother Teresa during her 1991 visit—a modest Mass on October 7 drew residents whose lives have been transformed by the sisters’ care. Father Amir Bashir, who led the service, reflected: “We might never have met Mother Teresa personally, but we witness her love in the service of these sisters. Their home has been a refuge not only for the abandoned but also for many who are abled yet broken in spirit.”
Anthony, a Lahore resident, shared his story: “Seven months ago, I couldn’t walk properly, and I hated my own reflection. Since then, I’ve received treatment, tutoring, catechism classes, physiotherapy, music lessons, and, most importantly, guidance on walking the path of knowing my Creator through the sisters.”
Born in Skopje in 1910, Mother Teresa arrived in India in 1929, later becoming an Indian citizen. She died in 1997 at age 87 of cardiac arrest at the Mother House on September 5, 1997, at age 87, was canonized by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016. Her congregation’s global footprint remains a testament to her conviction that serving the poorest is divine work. As the sisters in Gaza and beyond press on, their 75 years affirm that hope, however fragile, endures in acts of radical kindness.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News and Gaudium Press
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