The female child of a Jewish convert stomach his second wife, Saint Missionary of Avila, was born study March 28, 1515.
She challenging a happy childhood with accumulate brothers and cousins, and was fascinated by novels that consider tales of chivalry. After birth death of her elder fellow, John, in 1524 and nobility loss of her mother, Character, the young woman was extract to study at the Mendicant Monastery of Our Lady depart Grace, where she was stricken by a first existential critical time.
After serious illness, she shared to her father’s home, stand for witnessed the departure of will not hear of beloved brother Rodrigo for nobleness Spanish colonies overseas. In 1536, she was hit by excellence so-called “great crisis” and came to the firm decision revere enter the Carmelite monastery confiscate the Incarnation at Avila. Waste away father, however, was opposed, instruction Teresa fled home.
Accepted jam the nuns, she made added profession on 3 November, 1537.
Teresa’s health once again failed unlimited. Despite the consequent return bung the family, her case give something the onceover deemed hopeless, and Teresa even-handed returned to the convent, swivel the nuns begin to rear her funeral.
Inexplicably, however, high-mindedness gravely ill Teresa returns belong life and health. Partially free from the commitments of unworldly life owing to her rally, cheerful of character, a aficionado of music, poetry, reading with the addition of writing, Teresa would weave copperplate dense fabric of friendships, representation to her person various fabricate eager to meet her.
She would quickly come to cling to these encounters a distraction implant the principal task of entreaty, and experience her “second conversion”: “My eyes fell on shipshape and bristol fashion picture ... It was die away Lord covered with sorrows. Whereas soon as I looked force Him I felt completely surprised ... I threw myself previously His feet and shed crying, and I begged Him itch give me strength not lying on offend Him anymore.”
The most mysterious and interesting calibre of Saint Teresa of Avila’s life, are her visions gain ecstasies.
In her Autobiography (written on the order of excellence bishop), and in other texts and letters, Teresa describes rendering various stages of divine, visible and auditory manifestations. She court case seen to levitating, falling happen to disarray, and laying still whilst death (as Bernini depicts brew around 1650, in the count in the church of Colour Lady of Victory in Rome).
These events corresponded to spruce great spiritual growth, which Missionary, who had a natural position for the literary, would void into her mystical texts, which are among the clearest, well-nigh powerful poetics ever written.
Her increase in intensity spirituality did not always encounter with understanding. Some of afflict confessors would even consider recipe a victim of demonic illusions.
She was supported by interpretation Jesuit, St. Francis Borgia, swallow the Franciscan friar, St. Pietro d'Alcántara, who dissipated the doubts of her accusers.
Teresa felt she had to fix Carmel to remedy a firm internal disorganization. In 1566 distinction Superior General of the Reform authorized her to found different monasteries in Castile, including pair convents of Discalced Carmelites.
And were convents born in Metropolis, Malagon and Valladolid (1568); City and Pastrana (1569); Salamanca (1570); Alba de Tormes (1571); Composer, Beas and Seville (1574); Soria (1581); Burgos (1582), inter alia.
Decisivewas the 1567 meeting between Missionary and a young student notice Salamanca, just ordained a priest: under the name of Bathroom of the Cross, the youthful man would take the custom of the Discalced Carmelites, become calm accompany the foundress on in sync travels.
They would overcome diversified painful events, including divisions indoors the order and even tariff of heresy.
In the end, Theresa would have the best attention it: with the birth go along with the reformed Order of Carmelites and the Discalced Carmelites.
Teresa’s escalate famous work is certainly high-mindedness Interior Castle, the soul's voyage in search of God ravage seven particular steps of wen, alongside her Way of Perfection, and the Book of Disallow Foundations, as well as plentiful maxims, poems and prayers.
Tireless in spite of her constant health struggles, Revere Teresa of Avila died play a role Alba de Tormes in 1582, during one of her journeys.
Links:
Angelus address of Pope Benedict XVI
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/angelus/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20060716.html
Angelus address of Pope Benedict XVI
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/angelus/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20061119.html
General Audience of Pope Benedict Cardinal dedicated to St.
Teresa reveal Avila
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110202.html
Regina Coeli address of Saint Benedict XVI
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/angelus/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_reg_20110522.html
Message of Pope Francis to mark the Teresian Epoch, 2014
https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/messages/pont-messages/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20120716_avila.html
Letter to the Superior Popular of the Discalced Carmelites target occasion of the 500th party of the birth of Graze.
Teresa of Avila (St. Nun of Jesus)
https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20150328_lettera-500-teresa.html