October 15
Saints of the Day...and Events
 

St. Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582, Theresa of Avila; The Roving Nun; Teresa of Jesus; Teresa de Avila
    The Mystical visionary and writer, first woman Doctor of the Church with a great sense of humor who reformed the Carmelites, the Church and the world. A contemplative Carmelite who founded several monasteries and traveled all over Spain.
    Body incorrupt at Avila. Her heart and right arm incorrupt are at Alba, in Salamanca, the heart shows signs of Transverberation (piercing of the heart), and is displayed, too
    St. John of the Cross was her collaborator

    Teresa lived in an age of exploration as well as political, social and religious upheaval. It was the 16th century, a time of turmoil and reform. Her life began with the culmination of the Protestant Reformation, and ended shortly after the Council of Trent.

     One of the reasons why the Protestant Reformation had made such headway was that many members of Catholic religious orders had been setting bad example rather than good example. So Catholic reformers now had to jack up, first of all, the ideals and practice of men and women religious. Teresa began by establishing a stricter life in her own Carmelite monastery in Avila. After that, she set up, all in all, about a dozen convents in which poverty was really poverty and prayer was really prayer. No half-measures. She also established two reformed monasteries of Carmelite men, and then let the Spanish Carmelite mystic, St. John of the Cross, take over the men's reform from there. This more austere branch of the Carmelites, men and women alike, was called the “Discalced Carmelites” because the members wore open sandals rather than shoes.
     St. John of the Cross was her spiritual director and intimate collaborator.

Born 28 March 1515 as Teresa Sanchez Cepeda Davila y Ahumada, at Avila, Castile, Spain

Died 4 October 1582 at Alba de Tormes in the arms of her secretary and close friend Blessed Anne of Saint Bartholomew; body incorrupt; relics preserved at Alba; her heart shows signs of Transverberation (piercing of the heart), and is displayed, too

Beatified 24 April 1614 by Pope Paul V - Canonized 12 March 1622 by Pope Gregory XV

Images Gallery of images of Saint Teresa [4 images]

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Books [16 titles]
Religious Items [1 holy card, 5 medals, 1 statue]

Additional Information
    http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintt01.htm
    http://www.stthomasirondequoit.com/SaintsAlive/id743.htm

    http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1169
 

Works

Interior Castle
Letters

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Readings from Saint Teresa of Avila:

- God, deliver me from sullen saints.
- Oh my Lord! How true it is that whoever works for you is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love you if we understand its value.
- There is no such thing as bad weather. All weather is good because it is God's.
- There is more value in a little study of humility and in a single act of it than in all the knowledge in the world.
- We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to look upon Him present within us.
- Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid. All things pass away. God never changes. Patience obtains everything. God alone is enough.
- Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end.
- Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one.
- You ought to make every effort to free yourselves even from venial sin, and to do what is most perfect.
- Oh, my Lord! How true it is that whoever works for you is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love you if we understand its value.

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If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us. He is a true friend. And I clearly see that is we expect to please him and receive an abundance of his graces, God desires that these graces must come to us from the hands of Christ, through his most sacred humanity, in which God takes delight.

All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding his life we find that he is the best example.

What more do we desire from such a good friend at our side? Unlike our friends in the world, he will never abandon us when we are troubled or distressed. Blessed is the one who truly loves him and always keeps him near.

Whenever we think of Christ we should recall the love that led him to bestow on us so many graces and favors, and also the great love God showed in giving us in Christ a pledge of his love; for love calls for love in return. Let us strive to keep this always before our eyes and to rouse ourselves to love him. For is at some time the Lord should grant us the grace of impressing his love on our hearts, all will become easy for us and we shall accomplish great things quickly and without effort.

 

Blessed Victoria Strata, 1562-1617
An Italian married woman with 6 children founder of the Blue Nuns