Quote of the day, 27 September: St. Paul VI

The thought that the Virgin of Avila could be esteemed a Doctor never ceased to exist in the Church. Suffice it to mention the opinion of the theologians of Salamanca who, since there was a controversy on the subject, wrote openly in 1657: “Now our blessed Mother Teresa has the halo of a doctor and the Church receives and approves her singular doctrine . . . as coming from heaven”. So with the great desire that the holiness and doctrine of such a great woman may be of greater use to all, it seemed good to us that we can attribute to her the cult of doctor of the Church which until now has been attributed only to holy men.

And this happened today, with the help of God and with the approval of the whole Church. In fact, in Saint Peter’s Basilica, with the participation of legions of faithful from all nations and above all from Spain, in the presence of many Cardinals and Sacred Prelates of the Roman Curia and of the Catholic Church, who ratify all the decrees, who adhere to the requests of the members of the Discalced Carmelite Order and who willingly and graciously hear the wishes of the other supplicants, during the divine sacrifice we pronounced these words: “WITH TRUE KNOWLEDGE AND THOUGHTFUL DECISION AND FOR THE FULLNESS OF OUR APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY WE DECLARE SAINT TERESA OF JESUS, VIRGIN OF AVILA, DOCTOR OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH”.

Saint Paul VI

Multiformis Sapientia Dei (excerpts)
Apostolic Letter proclaiming St. Teresa of Avila a Doctor of the Church
27 September 1970

St. Teresa of Jesus, Doctor of the Church, Convento de la Concepción del Carmen, Valladolid. Image credit: Ángel Cantero, Iglesia en Valladolid / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

Translation from the Italian text is the blogger’s own work product.

Featured Image: Pope Saint Paul VI on the papal throne with right hand raised in blessing, circa 1963. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

#ApostolicLetter #DoctorOfTheChurch #letter #MultiformisSapientiaDei #papalDocuments #PaulVI #PaulVIDocuments #QOTD #quotation #quote #Quotes #SantaTeresaDeJesús #StPaulVI #StTeresaOfAvila #Teresa

Quote of the day, 18 March: Benedict XVI

BENEDICT XVI
ON THE BEATIFICATION OF THE SERVANT OF GOD SISTER ELIA OF ST. CLEMENT

We, accepting the request of Our Brother Francesco Cacucci, Archbishop of Bari-Bitonto, along with that of many other Brothers in the Episcopate and numerous faithful, and having received the judgment of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, by Our Apostolic Authority, grant that the Venerable Servant of God, Sister Elia of St. Clement, virgin of the Order of Discalced Carmelites of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, who consecrated her contemplative life to Christ in loving service to the Church, shall henceforth be called Blessed.

Her feast may be celebrated in the designated places and according to the norms of law each year on May 29.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter’s, on March 14, 2006, in the first year of Our Pontificate.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Apostolic Letter, 14 March 2006

Note: Blessed Elia of St. Clement was born in Bari, Italy, on January 17, 1901, the third daughter of Giuseppe Fracasso and Pasqua Cianci. She was baptized four days later by her uncle, Fr. Carlo Fracasso, and given the name Teodora.

In 1914, under the guidance of Fr. Pietro Fiorillo, O.P., her spiritual director, she entered the Dominican Third Order as a novice on April 20, 1914, taking the name Agnese. Despite her young age, she was granted a special dispensation to make her profession on May 14, 1915.

In 1917, her new confessor, Fr. Sergio Di Gioia, S.J., discerned that God was calling her to Carmel. She entered the Carmel of St. Joseph in Bari on April 8, 1920, and received the habit on November 24, 1920, taking the name Sister Elia of St. Clement. She made her first vows on December 4, 1921, and professed solemn vows on February 11, 1925.

Her short yet radiant life came to an end at noon on December 25, 1927, when she died of meningitis.

She was beatified on March 18, 2006, in a solemn ceremony. The Discalced Carmelite Order observes her optional memorial on May 29.

Translation from the Italian text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: Blessed Elia of St. Clement holds her profession cross in this photo from the Carmel of St. Joseph in Bari, Italy. Image credit: Discalced Carmelites

🌹 Blessed Elia of St. Clement entrusted her life completely to Christ, even in suffering. What aspect of her Carmelite vocation speaks to you most—her contemplative love, her hidden holiness, or her unwavering surrender to God’s will?

💬 Share your reflections in the comments!

#ApostolicLetter #Bari #beatification #BlessedEliaOfStClement #PopeBenedictXVI