Missionaries of Charity facts for kids

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Missionaries of Charity
Congregatio Missionariarum a Caritate

Abbreviation	M.C.
Formation	7 October 1950; 75 years ago (1950-10-07)
Founder	Mother Teresa
Type	Religious institute Religious congregation
Headquarters	54/a Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road, Kolkata, India
Membership	5,750 members as of 2023
Superior general	Sr. Mary Joseph, MC
Remarks	Motto: "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you did it to Me* Mt 25

Sisters belonging to the Missionaries of Charity in their traditional white sari with blue border

The Missionaries of Charity (which in Latin is Congregatio Missionariarum a Caritate) is a Catholic religious group for women. It was started in 1950 by Mother Teresa. As of 2023, there were 5,750 sisters in this group. Members use the initials "M.C." after their names.

These sisters make special promises, called vows. They promise to live simply (poverty), to dedicate their lives to God and service (chastity), and to follow their leaders (obedience). They also make a fourth promise: to give "wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor." This means they help people who need it most, with all their heart and without asking for anything in return.

The Missionaries of Charity help many different people. This includes people who had to leave their homes (refugees), people seeking a new life, those with mental health challenges, sick children, and children who have been left alone. They also care for people affected by Hansen's disease, people living with serious illnesses, and elderly people. They run schools for children who live on the streets and provide free meals. They offer these services to anyone, no matter their religion or background.

How Did It All Begin?
Growing Around the World
Becoming a Sister
- What Sisters Own
Images for kids
See also

How Did It All Begin?

The Missionaries of Charity's main house (headquarters) in Kolkata

On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa and a small group of her former students officially became a Catholic organization. They received permission from the Diocese of Calcutta (now Kolkata) to begin their special mission. Mother Teresa wanted them to care for "the hungry, the homeless, and those with disabilities." She also wanted them to help people who felt alone and forgotten by society.

The group started with just 12 members in Calcutta. By 2023, it had grown to 5,750 members. They served in 139 countries and ran 760 homes. About 244 of these homes were in India. The sisters manage homes for children without parents, homes for people with serious illnesses, and many other charity centers worldwide. They help refugees, people who are blind, disabled, elderly, and those facing challenges. They also assist people affected by natural disasters, diseases, and hunger across Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, Europe, and Australia. In Kolkata alone, they have 19 homes. These include places for women, orphaned children, and homes for people who are dying. They also run a school for street children and a center for people with Hansen's disease.

In 1963, Brother Andrew, working with Mother Teresa, started a similar group for men called the Missionary Brothers of Charity in Australia.

Growing Around the World

In 1965, Pope Paul VI gave Mother Teresa permission to expand her group to other countries. The Missionaries of Charity quickly grew. New homes opened all over the world. The first house outside India was in Venezuela. Soon after, they opened homes in Rome and Tanzania, and then in many other places.

Later, other groups joined the Missionaries of Charity family. In 1979, a branch for brothers who focus on prayer was added. In 1984, Mother Teresa and Father Joseph Langford started a group for priests, called the Missionaries of Charity Fathers. These priests live a very simple life, just like the sisters. They do not have televisions or radios. They do not smoke or drink alcohol and often ask for food. They visit their families every five years but do not take yearly vacations. Many other people, both Catholic and non-Catholic, also help as volunteers. They are known as Co-Workers of Mother Teresa.

The first home for the Missionaries of Charity in the United States opened in the South Bronx, New York. By 2019, they had centers there for both active and prayer-focused sisters. Their work in the US stretched from Quebec to Washington, D.C., with 108 sisters. Their first mission in a rural area of the United States was in 1982. It was in a very poor, former coal mining region of Kentucky, where they continue to serve today.

By 1996, the organization was running 517 missions in over 100 countries.

In 1990, Mother Teresa wanted to step down as the head of the Missionaries. However, the sisters voted for her to stay on as their leader, called the Superior General. On March 13, 1997, six months before Mother Teresa passed away, Sister Mary Nirmala Joshi was chosen as the new Superior General. In April 2009, Sister Mary Prema was elected to take Sister Nirmala's place. In April 2022, Sister Mary Joseph was elected as the current Superior General. Sister Mary Christie was chosen as the assistant Superior General.

Princess Diana, who was a close friend of Mother Teresa, once wrote that she found "the direction I've been searching for all these years" through her.

The Missionaries of Charity sisters faced many challenges during the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak. They continued to give out food and help poor people who were affected by the pandemic.

Becoming a Sister

It takes nine years to become a full Missionary of Charity sister. First, there is a short "come-and-see" period to learn more. If a candidate seems suitable, they enter a stage called Aspirancy. Here, they learn English (the community's main language) and study religious topics.

Next is Postulancy. During this time, they learn about the Scripture, the rules of the Society, Church history, and theology. If they are still a good fit, they begin the Novitiate. This is the start of their religious life. Novices wear white cotton habits with a belt and white saris without the blue stripes. In the first year, they study religion more deeply and learn about life as a Missionary of Charity. The second year focuses on practical training for their mission work.

After two years, they make temporary promises (vows) for one year. These promises are renewed each year for five years. They also receive a metal crucifix and a sari with three blue stripes. These stripes represent their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In their sixth year, they travel to Rome, Kolkata, or Washington D.C. for "Tertianship." This is a time for more advanced religious study. At the end of this period, they make their final promises, dedicating their lives completely to the Missionaries of Charity.

What Sisters Own

A sister owns very few things. These include three saris (one to wear, one to wash, one to mend), two or three cotton habits, a belt, a pair of sandals, a crucifix, and a rosary. They also have a plate, a set of cutlery, a cloth napkin, a canvas bag, and a prayer book. In cold countries, sisters may own a cardigan and other items suited to the local weather, like a coat, scarf, and closed shoes.

Images for kids

Missionaries of Charity in Tirana, Albania.
Missionaries of Charity wearing the traditional Sari during a religious procession in the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Perpetua.
Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam meeting with sisters from the Mother Teresa Mission of Charity at Athens on 27 April 2007. These sisters are engaged in running old age homes in Greece.
Chinese vice president Chen Chien-jen and his wife are greeted by Sr. Mary Prema Pierick, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity (5 September 2016).
Indian president Pratibha Devisingh Patil distributed sweets and blankets to the old and needy persons of the Nirmal Hriday Home for the Destitutes in New Delhi on 19 December 2007.
The first lady of the USA Laura Bush interacting with a child on her visit to the Mother Teresa Light of Life Home (Jeevan Jyothi) for disabled children in New Delhi on 2 March 2006.
Indian pime minister Manmohan Singh meeting nuns from the Missionaries of Charity at a reception for the Indian community hosted by the Indian high commissioner, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 26 May 2011. Gursharan Kaur, the Indian minister for external affairs, S.M. Krishna, and Indian high commissioner K.V. Bhagirath are also seen.
President of India Pratibha Patil meeting the representatives of Missionaries for Charities from India, at Damascus, Syria, on 28 November 2010.
First Lady of the USA Laura Bush interacting with disabled children on her visit to Mother Teresa Light of Life Home (Jeevan Jyothi) for disabled children in New Delhi on 2 March 2006.