Darjeeling remembers St Teresa of Calcutta on her 110th birth anniversary

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 26 August 2020 | Darjeeling: Along with the rest of the world, the Queen of the Hills commemorated the 110th birth anniversary of St Teresa of Calcutta popular as Mother Teresa. Darjeeling occupied a special place and was a turning point in the life of the Saint. 

"We had Mass (prayer service) in the Houses in Darjeeling, Tukdah, Tindharia, Kalimpong, Siliguri and Sikkim on Wednesday to commemorate her birth anniversary" stated Sister Marjelle of the Missionaries of Charity. 

Agnes, who later became Saint Teresa of Calcutta had arrived in India in 1929. She had then joined the Loreto novitiate in Darjeeling. 

She took her first religious vows as a Nun on May 24, 1931 in Darjeeling and made her final profession as a Loreto nun on 24 May 1937 in Kolkata, and hereafter was called Mother Teresa. While in Darjeeling she used to teach at St Teresa's school under the Loreto Convent. The school was founded in 1921. 

On 10 September 1946, on a train journey from Calcutta to Darjeeling during annual retreat in between Siliguri and Darjeeling, Mother Teresa received what she termed the "call within a call," which prompted her to start the Missionaries of Charity. Thus she had stepped out of the Loreto Convent in Darjeeling into the slums of Kolkata. She was canonized on September 4, 2016 as St Teresa of Calcutta. 

The Cathedral of Immaculate Conception located at the Loreto Convent in Darjeeling also houses an Oratory (a place of worship) in her name. On December 3, 2016, Darjeeling had named a road after St Teresa of Calcutta. The road connecting Gandhi Road to Dr. Zakir Hussain Road (TV Tower) has been named the "Saint (Mother) Teresa Road." The Missionaries of Charity House of Darjeeling is located on this street. 

"People of her stature cannot be confined to any religion, color, caste or creed. She was a world citizen. She inspired people to become better human beings, to love and serve others. Let us strive hard to continue her legacy" stated Reverend Stephen Lepcha, Bishop, Roman Catholic Diocese of Darjeeling. 

(Courtesy & source- Millenium Post- http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/darjeeling-remembers-st-teresa-of-calcutta-on-her-110th-birth-anniversary-416599)