Mother Teresa Takes Her First Vows

Agnes who had taken the name "Teresa" took her first vows on May 24, 1931. She served as a teacher at the Loreto convent for many years. In 1937, she took her Solemn vows, and committed herself to her vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for life.16 In doing so, Agnes became "Mother Teresa". Mother Teresa explained the reaction of one of the slum children whom she served.

" He asked whether I would be coming back to them, because he had heard that I was going to become "Mother" He began to cry, and through his tears, he said, "Oh don't become Mother!" I held him to me and asked him, "What is the matter? Do not worry, I will be back, I will always be your Ma." 17

In 1944 she was appointed head mistress of the school. Every Sunday she went to visit the poor in the slum areas of Calcutta. 18 She was reminded of her mission by her mother who wrote;

"Dear Child, Do not forget that you went to India for the sake of the poor. 19 Do you remember our File? She was covered in sores, but what caused her far more suffering was the knowledge that she was all alone in the world. We did what we could for her but the worst thing was not the sores but the fact that her family had forgotten her."20