10 Mother Teresa Quotes That Remind Us Of Her Enduring Legacy

Mother Teresa, the Catholic nun who made it her life’s mission to care for the sick and the poor, is set to be canonized by Pope Francis on September 4.

Canonization is the final step in the Albanian-born Catholic nun’s path towards sainthood, after which she will be officially remembered and celebrated as a saint by Catholics around the world. 

Even before her death in 1997, people called Mother Teresa a “living saint”  because of her humanitarian work. She founded a religious congregation called the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkota in 1950, which now has nuns, brothers, and lay volunteers working in poor neighborhoods in 87 countries. 

Although her legacy isn’t without its critics   some have accused her charity of misusing funds, providing inadequate care, and forcing conversions to Catholicism Mother Teresa’s fame endures among the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. Her sainthood campaign was fast-tracked by Saint John Paul II  and she was beatified, or declared blessed and able to intercede with God on her petitioners’ behalf , in 2003.

Mother Teresa’s canonization will take place in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, but celebrations will continue over the next several months  in Mother Teresa’s adopted hometown of Kolkata, India, where her fans will be holding a Mass of thanksgiving inside an indoor sports stadium, installing a life-sized statue, and hosting an international film festival. 

In honor of this soon-to-be-saint, here are 10 quotes that speak of Mother Teresa’s desire to change the world and care for the less fortunate.