Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, a native Albanian, completed the novitiate of the Sisters of Loreto in Darjeeling in 1931, high in the Himilayan foothills. From its cool air, she descended into Calcutta ready to teach at St. Mary's School in Entally.

She took the name Sr. Teresa at her first vows, honoring St. Therese and her passion for the missions. A gifted teacher, Sr. Teresa became the headmistress not long after taking her final vows in 1937. The Loreto nuns were enclosed, but often sent their charges to serve the poor in the neighboring slums such as Moti Jihl.

Famine, war and religious violence created horrendous suffering in the 1940's in Calcutta. On August 16, 1946, Muslims rioted against Hindus. 5000 died, and another 15,000 were wounded. Sr. Teresa went on her annual retreat two weeks later.

On the train back from Darjeeling on September 10, she heard the call from Jesus to live among and serve the poorest of the poor. She was certain this new "call within a call" was the will of God. But, as a professed nun, she would need permission to follow it.

Her spiritual director, Fr. Celeste Van Exem, S.J., requested that she speak to no one about her new calling while he consulted the local archbishop.

Archbishop Ferdinand Perier was aghast. He knew the Loreto sisters needed Sr. Teresa. And what might befall a lone nun on the streets? He decreed a year of waiting, through 1947. Disappointed, but firm in conviction, Sr. Teresa obeyed.

Early in 1948, Archbishop Perier directed Sr. Teresa to request a release from her vows from the Mother General of Loreto. Teresa wanted to request only exclaustration, the ability to leave the convent to serve the poor. The archbishop insisted that she request secularization, a renunciation of her vows. Fr. Van Exem protested, to no avail.

Despite the wording change, Mother Gertrude Kennedy instructed Sr. Teresa to ask Rome for an indult of exclaustration! Again, Perier insisted that Sr. Teresa request secularization instead. Reluctantly, she complied.

The papal nuncio was in Delhi when the request was received. As conditions in Calcutta were so bad, he granted one year of exclaustration, without sending it to Rome, where the requested secularization request would be rubber-stamped. She would report directly to Archbishop Perier, who was now fully convinced that her calling was from God based on her unwavering obedience.

Finally free to love Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor, Sr. Teresa began the lonely task of serving, unaware that God's providence would include thousands of nuns who would follow her quiet, prayerful example.