updated April 23, 2026
A few years ago I went to Peoria, Illinois, for training for a new job. I had never been there before so one afternoon I did some exploring.
I came across this magnificent church
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Who was Mother Teresa?
Catholic nun and missionary Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, the current capital of the Republic of Macedonia. She was baptized as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. Her father died suddenly and under mysterious circumstances when she was only 8 years old. Her mother taught her to care about all people, especially the destitute, although they were far from well-off themselves.
She felt a call to religious life as a young girl, and after becoming a nun, Sister Teresa first worked as a teacher. Later, she felt a second call, this time to work among the poor and sick in Calcutta, India. Now known as Mother Teresa, it took a year to get permission to leave the convent for the slums of Calcutta.
With some of her former students, she founded the Missionaries of Charity. Their projects included founding a leper colony, an orphanage, a nursing home, a family clinic, and mobile health clinics. She also opened Gift of Love, a home to care for persons with HIV/AIDS.
For her work, Mother Teresa was awarded many honors and awards, including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her work “in bringing help to suffering humanity.”
Despite her acclaim, Mother Teresa remained modest and humble. After her death, some of her private writings became public, revealing she often doubted her faith and felt lost and alone. Although people criticized her for this, others see it as a reflection of true faith in God, remaining devout even when she didn’t feel certain, something many of us can understand.
She died in September 1997 and was beatified in October 2003. In December 2015, Pope Francis recognized a second miracle attributed to Mother Teresa, clearing the way for her to be canonized as a saint in 2016. (source biography.com)
CALCUTTA
Why a statue of Mother Teresa in Peoria?
I was curious why this church in Illinois had a statue of Mother Teresa. I learned Mother Teresa visited Peoria twice because nuns from the Missionaries of Charity worked there at St. Mary’s. On one occasion, she spoke to a group of women saying,
“I am a poor woman that prays.”
Mother Teresa
A local artist, Lonnie Stewart, travelled to India to sketch Mother Teresa, then completed the 6-foot-tall statue of her, unveiling it at the church in 1998.
God has not called us to be successful, but to be helpful.”
Mother Teresa
Watch Mother Teresa on Amazon
The inspirational portrayal of Mother Teresa, a simple nun who became one of the most significant personalities of the 20th Century.
Armed with a faith that could move mountains, Mother Teresa followed her calling to help the poor, the lepers, the dying, and the abandoned children in the slums of Calcutta, challenging many authorities – including the church – along the way.
(There are affiliate links in this post for you and for this blog to earn a commission from sales at no extra cost to you. )
Mother Teresa”Anyway” Quotes Wall Art- “Do It Anyway”-
8x 10″ Vintage Art Wall Print-Ready to Frame. Distressed Inspirational Home, Studio & Office Décor. Perfect Life Quotes for Peace & Good Will.
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Thanks for sharing this visit with Mother Teresa with me. If you go to Peoria IL, be sure you visit the Cathedral
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