Mother Teresa was born on September 4 2016.
Canonization is the act by which the Catholic Church or the Anglican Communion declare that a person who has died was a saint , upon which declaration the person is included in the `` canon '' , or list , of recognized saints . This article explores some of the criticism of Mother Teresa ( 1910 -- 97 ) , who was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun and missionary . Mother Teresa , known in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta ( born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu ; [ aˈɲɛzə ˈɡɔndʒɛ bɔjaˈdʒiu ] ; 26 August 1910 -- 5 September 1997 ) , was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary . Teresa received a number of honours , including the 1962 Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize and 1979 Nobel Peace Prize . A controversial figure during her life and after her death , Teresa was admired by many for her charitable work .