Saint Teresa of Ávila was born on March 28, 1515, and died on 15 October 15, 1582. Saint Theresa of Avila is also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, was a Carmelite nun and prominent Spanish mystic, religious reformer, and, since 1970, a Doctor of the Catholic church, one of only thirty-seven. Saint Thersa of Avila became the central figure of a movement of monastic renewal, reforming the Carmelite Order. They became the Discalced Carmelites, which she founded with Saint John of the Cross. In 1622, Teresa was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. On 27 September 27 1970, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Teresa the first female Doctor of the Church. Nas there ever been a more impactful saint?
Saint Teresa of Avila Biography
Saint Teresa of Avila was born on March 28, 1515. Her birthplace was either Ávila or Gotarrendura, but her name says she was born in Avila. Teresa’s mother brought her up as a dedicated Christian. She was enchanted by accounts of the lives of the saints, and she ran away from home at age seven to seek martyrdom in the fight against the Moors. When Teresa was fourteen years old, her mother died, leaving her sad. She embraced a deeper devotion to the Virgin Mary as her spiritual mother.
After finishing school, she initially did not want to join a religious order. She became ill, to the point of death, and experienced, during her illness, visions of Christ. She covered, after spending a year in bed, and attributed her recovery to the intercession of St. Joseph. After that, she joined a religious order.
Over time, Teresa found herself increasingly at odds with the spiritual malaise in her convent of the Incarnation. Among the 150 nuns living there, the observance of the cloister, designed to strengthen prayer, became so lax that it appeared to lose its purpose. In March 1563, after Saint Teresa of Avila had moved to the new convent house, she received papal sanction for her primary principles of absolute poverty and renunciation of ownership of property, which she proceeded to formulate into a “constitution.”
In 1567, Teresa received a patent to establish further houses of the new order. As part of the original patent, Teresa was given permission to set up two houses for men who wished to adopt the reforms. She convinced two Carmelite friars, John of the Cross and Anthony of Jesus, to help with this. They founded the first monastery of Discalced Carmelite brothers in November 1568.
During the last three years of her life, Teresa founded convents in northern Andalusia (1580), Palencia (1580), Soria (1581), Burgos, and Granada (1582). Seventeen convents in all, all but one founded by her, and as many men’s monasteries, were owed to her reforms over twenty years. She died in 1582.
In 1622, forty years after her death, she was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. The Cortes exalted her to the patroness of Spain in 1627. She was made a Doctor of the church by Pope Paul VI on 27 September 1970, along with Catherine of Siena, making them the first women to be awarded that honor.
Saint Teresa of Avila wrote thirty-three books in her lifetime, all of which have been translated into English. She was a prolific author, so it is not surprising that she was declared a Doctor of the church. Her most noteworthy book is The Way of Perfection. The book has been reprinted in four versions.
Conclusion
Saint Teresa of Avila was a great saint and a Doctor of the Catholic church. She was Spanish, so her more than thirty books needed to be translated into English. The Way of Perfection is her most famous book and is very demanding. That is not surprising from someone who is so pious and has visions of Christ.
