Mother Theresa, 1982. Mother Teresa (August 26, 1910 - September 5, 1997) was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. In 1950 she founded the Missionaries of Charity. At the time of her death, the Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 sisters and an associated brotherhood of 300 members operating 610 missions in 123 countries. The congregation manages homes for people dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis; soup kitchens; dispensaries and mobile clinics; children's- and family-counselling programmes; orphanages, and schools. Members, who take vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, also profess a fourth vow: to give "wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor". She received a number of honors, including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. She was canonized in 2016, and the anniversary of her death (September 5) is her feast day. A controversial figure during her life and after her death, Teresa was admired by many for her charitable work. She was praised and criticized for her opposition to abortion, and criticized for poor conditions in her houses for the dying.