Compassion
“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”

—Mother Teresa


Mother Teresa was born on August 27, 1910 and trained to become a nun starting at age 18. After finishing her training, she took her vows and became Sister Teresa. From 1931 to 1948, she taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, becoming Mother Teresa in 1937 after taking her Final Procession of Vows. However, her life changed when she was on a train ride to her annual retreat in 1946. During the ride, Mother Teresa said she received a calling from God to "serve him among the poorest of the poor."

With permission from the Catholic Church, Mother Teresa began her own order, The Missionaries of Charity, to serve the poorest people in Calcutta. At first, she taught school in the street. Eventually, she opened shelters to help the dying, lepers and orphans. In 1979, Mother Teresa was given the Nobel Peace Prize. When she received the Nobel Prize, she was dressed in the same trademark sari she wore in the streets and convinced the committee to cancel a dinner in her honor, using the money instead to "feed 400 poor children for a year in India." Her description of the mission of The Missionaries of Charity when accepting the peace prize was: "to care for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone."

Mother Teresa passed away on September 5, 1997 after a lifetime of service and love to the "poorest of the poor."

Compassion. Pass It On!

This billboard about Compassion features Mother Teresa (1910-1997); Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India.

Pass It On®

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Your Comments
Jenna Herritt from Kent state APRIL 14, 2020
Pretty good message. I like it.

Anonymous from Indiana APRIL 13, 2018
I love this, I think it's just so impressive and I really feel like I can relate to it.

Scott from Los Angeles, CA AUGUST 20, 2017
Mother Teresa ran a charnel house and celebrated suffering. She refused modern medicine and let people die. She is no example of "values."

Sarah from Thunder Bay MAY 29, 2017
I think that Mother Teresa showed many ways of compassion. Now she's us there with some of the people maybe she couldn't save. <3

JUL EN Y from Marseille ,le turfu DECEMBER 15, 2016
So good for me

Shawna from Phoenix NOVEMBER 13, 2016
This billboard wen tup close to my house when we were quite literally looking for a sign that we should adopt! This sealed the deal and our adopted children from Kazakhstan have been in our family for 12 years!

rosie from uk SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
love it

i ant telling you my name from or where i live SEPTEMBER 8, 2016
shes amazing

Alonzo from Oakland , CA SEPTEMBER 6, 2016
You are now a Saint! pray for us Mother Theresa that we are able to show the same love and compassion you showed to all.

Riley marsh from Nz AUGUST 30, 2016
She is a legend

Riley from Australia AUGUST 30, 2016
Love it

Anonymous AUGUST 30, 2016
Amazing

Carl from NZ AUGUST 7, 2016
wow this one is really inspiring

rosie from nz MARCH 31, 2016
i look up to mother Teresa a lot she was a good one

Mervyn from U.k. MARCH 3, 2016
I am grown-up. I cannot think of anything that I have done to ease the pain of the poor

Annabeth from Jackson OCTOBER 1, 2015
Mother Teresa has done the things that many people don't have the courage to do.

NULL from NULL APRIL 15, 2015
The Man

ram from but SEPTEMBER 11, 2013
what a person

Teresa Sanchez from Wahpeton, N.D AUGUST 28, 2013
I always looked up to Mother Teresa. She is a inspiration to us all.

Dr. Ramesh from Charlotte, NC JULY 27, 2013
I am happy to see Mother Teresa in picture today after I had seen her in flesh and worked with her in the Mother's House in Calcutta. She was a great human with unflinching love for the humanity. Even during the peak of my scientific career not a day passed thinking of her and the yeomen services she rendered for the cause of the humanity. Love you Mother

kristina from class MAY 22, 2013
aaaayyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REPRESENT SHE WAS BORN IN MACEDONIA!!!!!!!!! :)

Sam Hriemate from Gr Noida, India APRIL 5, 2013
Mother Teresa was one the most inspiring woman in the world. She lived, expressed, and do what she believed. I wish her inspiring messages will continue ruling the world.

Jake from South Dakota MARCH 27, 2013
That is true.

Pam J. from Dewitt MARCH 26, 2013
I think she was an amazing woman, and I wish she was still alive.

micheal from parking lot DECEMBER 5, 2012
I still love her for helping everyone she did! THANKS YOU MOTHER TERESA!

Courtney Thomas from Indianapolis MARCH 22, 2012
I think that Mother Teresea did a very powerful thing. Only if there was still somebody like her now.

Sue K. from Ontario Canada AUGUST 20, 2011
What a wonderful, unselfish, humane woman she was!! She should be nominated for sainthood. Does anyone know how to start the process?

Mike Everhart from Atlanta GA U.S.A. AUGUST 19, 2011
I honor you, because of the lifetime of despair, poverty, death and cruelty you witnessed, you were still able to believe in a loving God, and your beliefs never wavered. I wish I were more like you. To never question God when faced with such injustice is true Faith. A quality I lack, I wish you were her to teach me! Thank you for making the world a better place in which to live.

Santo from India FEBRUARY 15, 2011
I Love you Mother Teresa! I hope to live a life like you.

DC from FLORIDA FEBRUARY 9, 2011
AMAZING! I THINK SHE IS SOOOOOOO WONDERFUL!

Angel G. from USA FEBRUARY 7, 2011
This is a wonderful thing.

Philip S from California JANUARY 4, 2011
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Naveen.jollu from india hyderabad AUGUST 30, 2010
She is a wonderful person. Mother Teresa life is totally sacrificed for the poor people...

Marie H. from Bowerston, Ohio JULY 8, 2010
What a woman! Dedicated her life to helping others. She is beyond sainthood. Now to continue her mission. Let's all jump in and be there for those in need-let's keep this legacy going.

Pam J. from Philadelphia FEBRUARY 4, 2010
I would like to have a soul just like her when I grow up.

Augustina O. from Azare Bauchi, Nigeria JANUARY 26, 2010
She's my role model. Every time I read about what she did when she was alive, I feel like being like her. I almost cry while reading about her. And my question is where is the Mother Teresa of our own time?

Dele U. from Lagos, Nigeria SEPTEMBER 29, 2009
We are called to a life of service to Humanity, I reckon that's the basis for Love. We must all strive in our own little way to be like Mother Teresa, by doing little act of kindness and showing love, for in doing this little things that we really attain greatness.

Jason H. from Fort Wayne, IN AUGUST 4, 2009
What an outstanding "educational" website. Over the past four months I was noticing the words "Leadership - pass it on" on a billboard. I finally looked up the website and WOW!!! This will mark my 14th year in education and I have yet to find anything on the internet as useful. GREAT JOB!! Thank you.

Vidia C. from Brewster, NY JULY 8, 2009
Love, caring and compassion is what life is all about... and Mother Teresa lived it everyday with all her charity work!

Travis D. from Oregon, AMERICA MAY 19, 2009
What a classy lady!

Sarah C. from Ontario, Ottawa MARCH 24, 2009
Mother Teresa was a truly great person, she has cared for the world and has left the world all the hope to continue her mission in life. She has taught me so much by me reading about her life, and i hope we all can help continue her mission.

Karanm from Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA AUGUST 4, 2008
Mother Teresa is the greatest helper that ever existed in India. We have learned so much from her that we will follow her principles in life and whatever we can do, we will always do for others.

Nakhone K. from Los Angeles, California USA DECEMBER 6, 2007
Compassion...to suffer...joyful participation in the sorrows of the world...Bhuddist's Proverb.

Krissy Y. from Mcminnville, Oregon USA DECEMBER 1, 2007
Compassion is such a deep word and Mother Teresa was pretty deep so I think it fits her well.

Abbie from Oregon, USA NOVEMBER 29, 2007
Compassion is truly a very special quality that any person should have. It makes your life more caring and you learn the real meaning of life!

Christine Q. from Fresno, California USA NOVEMBER 20, 2007
Mother Theresa is my idol. She IS the word LOVE.

Melanie H. from California, USA NOVEMBER 18, 2007
I am not Catholic, but I feel that Mother Teresa was a true saint and a role model for us all.

Caleb M. from McMinnville, Oregon USA NOVEMBER 15, 2007
This woman has seriously touched my heart. I will love her just as I will love my children.

Caleb M. from McMinnville, Oregon USA NOVEMBER 8, 2007
oh my, what a woman! Very inspiring.

Megan S. from McMinnville, Oregon USA NOVEMBER 7, 2007
I love Mother Teresa, she did so much to help to others when NO ONE else would. Please everyone use her as an example, of what is right and what NEEDS to be done. May you be blessed Mother Teresa, just as you have blessed us.

Abhishek M. from India OCTOBER 20, 2007
This web site consists of very enlightening proverbs which should be read by all. I hope the precious thoughts of Mother Teresa reach every corner of the World.

Tess T. SEPTEMBER 30, 2007
One of my favorite qoutes from Mother Teresa is, "Kind words are simple and easy to speak yet they last forever" What an amazing role model to the world. I'm so glad I was named after her 51 years ago.

Pratik A. from Kathmandu, Nepal SEPTEMBER 12, 2007
lifting up the Passion..

Marie S. from Fort Drum, NY JULY 13, 2007
Compassion and such humility. In her own words, "I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much." Just seeing her face makes me trust in compassion.

Robin M from Washington, DC JUNE 18, 2007
The greatest gift of all... compassion!

Mike P from Edmonton, Alberta JUNE 10, 2007
I read every one of these and I cried - not for them but for myself. Today I become a better person.

Rowland Y.G. from Jos, Nigeria MAY 15, 2007
The life and services offered by Mother Teresa to humanity has taught me the lessons of living a life of love and compassion to those who are in need.

PaolaF from OCCHC MARCH 23, 2007
I love it. It is truly a great gift to possess true charity and be compassionate.


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