Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa of Calcutta was in fact not from Calcutta but from Skopje the capital of what is now North Macedonia. Teresa and her family belonged to an Albanian Christian minority in that city.
As a nun and missionary, she was sent to Calcutta in 1929, then still part of the British Empire. Eventually she became known and loved all over the world for her simple Christian faith that inspired loving social action. Her Sisters of Mercy are active in some of the most dangerous and impoverished parts of the world.
This was one of her famous sayings: “The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.”
On Ash Wednesday this week the five-week period of Lent begins. A time of penitence, reflection, fasting and deepening of our faith. Reminding ourselves of these words of Mother Teresa at the beginning of each day may help us.
Those who like listening to music might like to look up a piece of music written by the Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks entitled “The Fruit of silence” that sets these words of Mother Teresa to music. There are many versions of this, some with and some without words!
Bernhard Schunemann
15 February 2026
