There is a LIGHT in this world. A healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometime lose sight of this force when there is suffering, and too much pain. Then suddenly, the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways. (These are the words of Richard Attenborough)
A life not lived for others is not a life.
Allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.
Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius.
God made the world for the delight of human beings-- if we could see His goodness everywhere, His concern for us, His awareness of our needs: the phone call we've waited for, the ride we are offered, the letter in the mail, just the little things He does for us throughout the day. As we remember and notice His love for us, we just begin to fall in love with Him because He is so busy with us -- you just can't resist Him. I believe there's no such thing as luck in life, it's God's love, it's His.
Good works are links that form a chain of love.
Mother Teresa did not allow her name or image to be associated to any fundraising endeavors, or solicitation of donations for any charitable work however praiseworthy. Mother Teresa relied solely on God's Providence through the spontaneous free will offerings of generous donors for her works among the poorest of the poor. Mother Teresa reserved the right to use her name, words and image exclusively to the Missionaries of Charity (MCs) at the sole discretion of our Superior General. We, the Missionaries of Charity and the Mother Teresa Center (a non-profit organization established and directed by us to oversee Mother Teresa's intellectual property rights) continue to uphold her explicit wishes in this regard. Please see below Mother Teresa’s 1984 public statement regarding the use of her name and the statement of Sr. M. Nirmala MC, Mother Teresa’s successor, regarding the patrimony of the Missionaries of Charity.
Inasmuch as I have been made aware of persons and entities that have sought to use my name for various purposes without my consent, I feel that it is necessary and appropriate to issue this statement with regard to the use of my name after my death.
Although I make no judgments about those persons and entities, and indeed, I would hope that most, if not all, have had laudable intentions, it has happened quite often that the use of my name, even when it has involved the solicitation of funds for worthy charitable purposes, has conflicted with my religious beliefs and those of my Order. I have, therefore, strived to prevent the use of my name in those instances.
I am the Foundress and Superior of an International Religious Order known as the Missionaries of Charity. The Order was approved and instituted in Calcutta, India in 1950 and in 1965 became a Society of Pontifical Rite. I am sometimes referred to as Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
"As long as you did it to one of these My least brethren, you did it to Me."
54A A.J.C. Bose Road Calcutta 700016 India
To Whom It May Concern:
This is to inform you that the Society of the Missionaries of Charity, the Roman Catholic religious congregation of Sisters founded by Mother (Mary) Teresa (Bojaxhiu), M.C., in the Archdiocese of Calcutta on 7 October 1950, constitutes the legal heir of the same Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who died in Calcutta on 5 September 1997. Mother Teresa is also known as Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta as of 19 October 2003, or Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
The patrimony of the Missionaries of Charity includes all rights over Mother Teresa's life, works, words, name, image and voice. These rights are protected by national and international copyright and other intellectual property laws and laws which protect the rights of public figures.
Many organizations and individuals worldwide are using Mother Teresa’s name and/or image without authorization from the Missionaries of Charity. Some of these individuals or organizations use Mother Teresa’s name with the aim of honoring her legacy. However, it has been brought to our attention that various organizations are using the name, words and image of Mother Teresa as well as the photos of the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity and their centers to claim or simulate their connection with Mother Teresa and/or their association or affiliation with us, the Missionaries of Charity for fundraising or other lucrative purposes.
Donations made to these organizations do not support the work of the Missionaries of Charity, the congregation Mother Teresa founded.Please be advised that the following organizations (and other organizations not listed here) which are using Mother Teresa’s name, image, and/or words, and which may claim some affiliation with Mother Teresa and the work she began or act as representatives of her congregation, are not endorsed by or associated with the Missionaires of Charity or Mother Teresa Center in any way.
MOTHER TERESA CHARITABLE TRUST – MTCT and its branches and subsidiaries (Tamil Nadu and other parts of India)
MOTHER TERESA FORUM and its subsidiaries (Tamil Nadu and other parts of India)
MOTHER TERESA FOUNDATION (A unit of Mother Teresa Charitable Trust, Tamil Nadu, India)
MOTHER TERESA GLOBAL FOUNDATION (Kerala, India)
MOTHER TERESA CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION – MTCF, (UK), and its subsidiaries:
Mutter Teresa Kinderhilfe (Austria), Nadační fond dětí Matky Terezy (Czech Republic), Mutter Teresa Kinderhilfswerk e. V. (Germany), L’Association Mère Teresa pour les Enfants (France), Mother Teresa Children (Hong Kong), L’Associazione Devoti Madre Teresa per i Bambini – Onlus – AMT, (Italy), Moeder Teresa Children's Foundation (Netherlands), Fundacja Dzieci Matki Teresy (Poland)
MOEDER TERESA STICHTING ULFT (Nederlands)
MOTHER THERESA MEDICAL EDUCATIONAL AND WELFARE TRUST (Vellore, Tamil Nadum, India)
MOTHER TERESA MEMORIAL CHARITABLE SOCIETY (Kerala, India)
MOTHER TERESA CHARITY TRUST
MOTHER TERESA ORPHANAGE (Vempalle, Andhra Pradesh, India)
MOTHER THERISA SEVA DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY (Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India)
MOTHER TERESA EDUCATIONAL TRUST (Patna, Bihar, India)
MOTHER TERESA TEACHER’S TRAINING INSTITUTE - D.ED. (Gulbarga, Karnataka, India),
ST. MOTHER TERESA BAHUDESHIYA SHIKSHAN SANSTHA TRUST (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India)
THE KOSOVA HUMANITARIAN AND CHARITABLE SOCIETY “MOTHER TERESA”
(KHCS "Mother Teresa"), also known as MOTHER TERESA SOCIETY (Kosovo)
Mother Teresa of Calcutta Medical Center (San Fernando City, Philippines)
This list is not comprehensive; however, this is the list of the most prominent and well-known or widely (self-propagated) organizations that bear Mother Teresa’s name and are, in no way, affiliated with the Missionaries of Charity.
Please also be advised that some of these organizations were misappropriating funds intended for the support of Mother Teresa's organization and their work.
