My Story with Saint Teresa

In December 1982, Monica Mosmondor was born in the Canberra Hospital, 3 months premature. Weighing only 500grams. The doctors said she was going to be Blind, Deaf or Brain Damaged. Spending 6 months in the humidity bed, the doctors didn't think she was going to survive the night.

Monica coming from a Croatian background, had lots of love and support, and received special prayers to her. It was a difficult and stressful time for her parents, Vlad and Lilian to go through. Her family came in contact with Fr Ante Gabric, and donated clothes for the poor to be sent back to India with him. Fr Ante Gabric then told Mother Teresa about Monica and to pray for her and her family.

Bellow is a signed note from Saint Teresa, written in Croatian to Monica and her mother Lilian. It reads, "God bless you both" Mother Teresa. With Mother Teresa's prayers the family feel it had made a big impact in their lives at that time.

On the 4th September 2016, Mother Teresa had become a saint in Rome, with the help of Pope Francis. It is one historical event to see a great person like Mother Teresa becoming a Saint. She is one truly special woman. Saint Teresa is a Saint for everyone, someone who is real, with true compassion to god, and for others.

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Mother Teresa and Croatians

The name of Mother Teresa (1910-1997, Albanian, born in Skopje in Macedonia), Nobel prize winner for peace 1979, is deeply related to Croatia. The Croatian Jesuits had a great role in her spiritual development. Indeed, Fr. Franjo Jambrekovic, a Croatian Jesuit and parish priest at Skopje, had a profound influence on Mother Teresa during her childhood. As her spiritual Father, he fostered her vocation. She continued to carry on correspondence with him when she lived in India. She also nurtured a deep friendship with Fr. Ante Gabric in India, and talked to him in Croatian.

Mother Teresa (August 26, 1910 – September 5, 1997), born Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun with Indian citizenship] who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta), India in 1950. For over 45 years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion, first throughout India and then in other countries.

Father Ante Garbric and Monica Shanahan (Mosmondor). Yarralumla, Canberra 1986.