It has been brought to our attention that various organizations are using the name, words and image of Mother Teresa as well as the photos of the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity and their centers to claim or simulate their connection with Mother Teresa and their association or affiliation with us, the Missionaries of Charity for their own financial gain or other ambitious purposes.
We do wish to inform you that Mother Teresa never wished her name or image to be used in connection with any fundraising endeavors or solicitation of donations for any charitable work however praiseworthy, not even the works of her own religious order. Mother Teresa lived a life of simplicity and humility and for her own works of charity among the poorest of the poor, relied solely on God's Providence through the spontaneous free will offerings of generous donors. Mother Teresa reserved the right to use her name, words and image exclusively to the Missionaries of Charity (the religious order she founded), at the sole discretion of our Superior General. We, the Missionaries of Charity and the Mother Teresa Center (a non-profit organization established and directed to oversee Mother Teresa's intellectual property rights) continue to uphold her explicit wishes in this regard.
In spite of the efforts of Mother Teresa (during her lifetime) and of the Missionaries of Charity (after her death) many organisations continue misleading the public through their websites and social media platforms and therefore it is our duty to warn you to beware of sending donations to these organisations which falsely claim to be associated or affiliated with Mother Teresa or the Missionaries of Charity.