St. Theresa of Avila, Spain, 1555

Born 1515

Died 1582

Feastday October 15

Doctor of the Church. Her original name was Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, and her chosen name as a nun was Theresa of Jesus. She came of a well-to-do noble family. She entered the Carmelite order (possibly in 1536). Much later she underwent (c.1555) a “second conversion,” after which she experienced mystic visions. One confessor was so sure that the visions were from the devil that her told her to make an obscene gesture called the fig every time she had a vision of Jesus. She cringed but did as she was ordered, all the time apologizing to Jesus. Fortunately, Jesus didn't seem upset but told her that she was right to obey her confessor. In her autobiography she would say, “I am more afraid of those who are terrified of the devil than I am of the devil himself.” The devil was not to be feared but fought by talking more about God. She saw angels, cherubim, bright lights, Jesus, and many other visions, but had few people in whom to confide at first, afraid she would be called ‘crazy.’ Later on, after she became regarded as a saint, she came to dislike the special attention showered on her, and especially disliked people looking upon her and talking about her, as a saint. Theresa's visions were between her and God, yet, because she was unable to conceal her “raptures,” it was impossible for her to conceal her spiritual experiences from the world. Although people came to know about her visions, Theresa had no interest in sharing them with the world. She felt no pride, no greatness because of them. To her, her visions were not the point of her spirituality. Her contact with the spiritual world made her better prepared to work in the “real” material world. She had entertained a desire to found a house of reformed Carmelites (the Discalced, or Barefoot, Carmelites, living in strict observance of the rule) long before she had the opportunity in 1562 to found the Convent of St. Joseph in Ávila. Other foundations were made, and in the busy years that followed she travelled much to the various houses. She also founded convents of friars, having as her collaborator another great mystic, St. John of the Cross. Theresa combined intense practicality with the most rarefied spirituality. She was an excellent and tireless manager, waging a long and ultimately successful struggle with other branches of the clergy to have the Discalced Carmelites separated from the older order and eventually founding 17 convents. The reawakening of religious fervour that she brought about in Spain was astonishing. Soon after her death the movement spread beyond Spain and across Christendom, having a profound effect on the Counter Reformation. She brought mysticism and its fruits to the common person. She was canonized in 1622.

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