The Missionaries of Charity in Bangladesh welcomed 50 transgender people in its Home of Compassion to mark the 25th death anniversary of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
“We called on the Hjiras (transgender people) because they are a neglected group in society in Bangladesh,” Sister Bondita, the Home’s superior, told AsiaNews.
The missionary sister said Saint Mother Teresa “showed her love and compassion to all those who are neglected and unloved. It is the same sign of love that we also want to show.”
The Missionaries of Charity, founded by Saint Mother Teresa in 1950, have over 4,500 nuns in more than 130 countries around the world.
There are an estimated 1.6 million to 4.8 million members of the LGBTQI community in Bangladesh, which has a total population of more than 160 million people.
“We have been overwhelmed by the love, respect, and support of the Sisters of Mother Teresa,” said transgender Hor Ram.
Hor Ram said the LGBTQI community is “not well received in society, but the Sisters called on us; they were kind and showed love to us, winning our hearts.”
The Catholic Church celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta on Sept. 5.
Mother Teresa died on Sept. 5, 1997, at the age of 87, and was beatified by Pope John Paul II just 6 years later. She was canonized by Pope Francis in 2016.
The United Nations has declared Sept. 5 of every year as the International Day of Charity in memory of Mother Teresa.