Missionaries of Charity mark 75 years of service
October 2025 - KCO Staff
Kolkata, Oct 7, 2025: The Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata stood bathed in reverence and quiet joy on October 7 as the congregation founded by Saint Teresa of Calcutta celebrated its 75th Foundation Day.
A documentary titled “Mother Teresa – Prophet of Compassion” was screened at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata on the night of October 7, the congregation’s 75th foundation day.
Produced by senior journalist and author Anto Akkara, the 53-minute film offers a portrait of Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
At the platinum jubilee, the international congregation recommitted to their charism of “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.”
The day’s commemorations began with Mass in the tomb chapel, attended by sisters, volunteers, and friends of the congregation. Prayers were offered for peace, interfaith harmony, and the suffering poor across the globe. A short documentary on the congregation’s global outreach was screened, followed by testimonies from longtime collaborators.
Sister Mary Joseph, the congregation’s superior general, in her address, said: “We do not celebrate ourselves today, but the grace of God that has sustained this mission for 75 years. Mother taught us that holiness is not a luxury-it is a simple duty of love. We renew that duty today.”
A highlight of the celebration was the unveiling of a newly installed statue of Mother Teresa, mounted on the side wall of the Mother House facing AJC Bose Road.
Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien unveiled the statue on behalf of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had to rush to North Bengal to assist the victims of cloud burst and landslides.
The statue depicts Mother Teresa bending forward with open arms to receive a girl child running toward her-a tableau of welcome, humility, and maternal love. The composition captures the essence of Mother’s mission: to embrace the abandoned and unloved with the heart of Christ.
The function was attended by civic and religious dignitaries. Many onlookers paused in prayer to witness the roadside event.
O’Brien hailed the Missionaries of Charity Sisters calling them “our champion women” - 5,766 of them along with 390 Brothers and several hundreds of collaborators and volunteers spread out in 138 countries. “For 75 years, they have served not just the poor, but the conscience of our city. Mother Teresa’s legacy is not just in homes and hospices-it’s in every act of quiet compassion that this city has learned to offer,” he said.
Media veteran and longtime friend of the congregation, Sunil Lucas who anchored the street side event reflected: “The Missionaries of Charity are Kolkata’s soul. In a world of noise, they are the quiet answer of love.”
The celebration also echoed with historical memory. On this day in 1950, the congregation was formally recognized as a diocesan religious community.
At that first profession Mass held at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary, Italian Salesian Father Attilio Colussi, then parish priest, preached the homily to the inaugural group of 12 Sisters.
Fr Colussi remained a spiritual companion to the Missionaries of Charity for decades, offering retreats and guidance until his death in 1988. (Courtsey: mattersindia.com)
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