Quote of the day, 25 November: Blessed Anne of Jesus

“You have entered an Order so holy and perfect, that by keeping its rules and constitutions faithfully, one will go directly from her deathbed to her home in heaven.”

Blessed Anne of Jesus

The powerful intercession of Anne of Jesus and Anne of St. Bartholomew were to work… prodigies near their holy relics. A spiritual daughter of Madame Louise of France—a Carmelite of St. Denis, Madame de Chamboran—imbibed the fire of divine charity and the strength of martyrdom.

Led to the scaffold several years later, she made her confession: “I am a child of the Catholic Church.” After these words, adorned with the blood of martyrdom, she went to join in heaven the daughter of St. Louis.

Animated with the same heroism, the Carmelites of Compiègne went to the scaffold singing hymns, and radiant as angels, they gathered the palm of martyrdom. Happy virgins! With their Sisters of St. Denis, they bequeathed to the Carmel of France an eternal title of glory: first among all the daughters of St. Teresa, they shed their blood for Jesus Christ.

And if, during the tortures of the Revolution, all the daughters of St. Teresa in France proved themselves angels of virtue before the world, one need not be astonished. Anne of Jesus and Anne of St. Bartholomew were interceding with God for this Carmel, which they have so deeply imbued with the spirit of the holy Foundress.

Marcel Bouix, S.J.

Preface, Autobiography of the Blessed Mother Anne of Saint Bartholomew

Anne of St. Bartholomew, M; Bouix, M 1917,  Autobiography of the Blessed Mother Anne of Saint Bartholomew, inseparable companion of Saint Teresa, and foundress of the Carmels of Pontoise, Tours and Antwerp, translated from the French by Michael, M A, H. S. Collins Printing Co., Saint Louis.

Featured image: This painting features a trio of foundresses: Anne of Jesus, Teresa of Avila, and Anne of St. Bartholomew. This image graces Stella Maris Church in Haifa, Israel. Image credit: Adobe Stock (Stock photo)

#blessedAnneOfJesus #blessedAnneOfStBartholomew2 #frenchRevolution #intercession #martyrsOfCompiegne

25 November: Blessed Anne of Jesus Lobera Torres

November 25
BLESSED ANNE OF JESUS LOBERA TORRES
Virgin

Optional Memorial

Anna Lobera Torres was born at Medina Del Campo (Valladolid, Spain) on 25 November 1545. She was received in 1570 into the frrst monastery of the Discalced Carmelites at Avila by St. Teresa herself, and later accompanied her to Salamanca and Beas. It was in returning to Granada to found a monastery, that she obtained from St. John of the Cross a commentary on the Spiritual Canticle, which he dedicated to her. After several migrations and misfortunes, in 1604, together with Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew, she founded monasteries in France and Belgium. She died in Brussels after a few years of great interior and physical suffering, on 4 March 1621. She was beatified by Pope Francis on 29 September 2024.

From the Common of Virgins, or of Holy Women (religious)

Office of Readings

Second Reading

From the prologue of The Spiritual Canticle by St. John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

(The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, Washington DC, 2017, pp. 469-471)

The abundant love of mystical intelligence

These stanzas, Reverend Mother [Anne of Jesus], were obviously composed with a certain burning love of God. The wisdom and charity of God is so vast, as the Book of Wisdom states, that it reaches from end to end, and the soul informed and moved by it bears in some way this very abundance and impulsiveness in her words. As a result, I do not plan to expound these stanzas in all its breadth and fullness that the fruitful spirit of love conveys to them. It would be foolish to think that expressions of love arising from mystical understanding, like these stanzas, are fully explainable.

The Spirit of the Lord, who abides in us and aids our weakness, as St Paul says, pleads for us with unspeakable groanings in order to manifest what we can neither fully understand nor comprehend. Since these stanzas, then, were composed in a love flowing from abundant mystical understanding, I cannot explain them adequately, nor is it my intention to do so. I only wish to shed some general light on them, since Your Reverence has desired this of me.

It is better to explain the utterances of love in their broadest sense so that each one may derive profit from them according to the mode and capacity of one’s own spirit, rather than narrow them down to a meaning unadaptable to every palate. As a result, though we give some explanation of these stanzas, there is no reason to be bound by this explanation.

For mystical wisdom, which comes through love and is the subject of these stanzas, need not be understood distinctly in order to cause love and affection in the soul, for it is given according to the mode of faith through which we love God without understanding Him. I will then be very brief, although I do intend to give a lengthier explanation when necessary and the occasion arises for a discussion of some matters concerning prayer and its effects.

Since these stanzas refer to many of the effects of prayer, I ought to treat of at least some of these effects. Yet, passing over the more common effects, I will briefly deal with the more extraordinary ones that take place in those who with God’s help have passed beyond the stage of beginners. I do this for two reasons: first, because there are many writings for beginners; second, because I am addressing Your Reverence, at your request.

And our Lord has favored you and led you beyond the state of beginners into the depths of his divine love. I hope that, although some scholastic theology is used here in reference to the soul’s interior converse with God, it will not prove vain to speak in such a manner to the pure of spirit.

Even though Your Reverence lacks training in scholastic theology, through which the divine truths are understood, you are not wanting in mystical theology, which is known through love and by which these truths are not only known but at the same time enjoyed.

Responsory

Cf. Romans 8:26–27, 28

℟ The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought: * The Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words; and God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit.
℣ We know that all things work together for good for those who love God. * The Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words; and God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit.

Prayer

O God, who gave Blessed Anne of Jesus
the grace of knowing the mystery of Your Love,
revealed in Christ Jesus, your Son;
grant us, we pray, through her intercession,
that, loving you faithfully and above all things,
we may always be in communion
with you and our brothers and sisters.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

We are grateful to our Discalced Carmelite Friars for providing the English texts of liturgical offices published after the 1993 edition of the Carmelite Proper—Liturgy of the Hours.

#annaLoberaTorres #blessedAnneOfJesus #discalcedCarmelite #nun #optionalMemorial #virgin

Quote of the day, 26 April: Pope Francis & Blessed Anne of Jesus

These stanzas, Reverend Mother, were obviously composed with a certain burning love of God.

Saint John of the Cross to Blessed Anne of Jesus
Prologue to the Spiritual Canticle

The history of the Belgian Church is rich in examples of holiness. Let us consider Saint Gudula, the patron saint of this country (650–712 ca.), Saint Guy of Anderlecht, the pilgrim and friend of the poor (+1012), Saint Damien de Veuster, better known as Damien of Molokai, the apostle to the lepers (1840-1889), and the many Belgian missionaries who have proclaimed the Gospel in various parts of the world over the centuries, sometimes to the point of sacrificing their lives.

The witness of a Carmelite nun has also blossomed in this fertile land: Anne of Jesus, Anna de Lobera, whose Beatification we celebrate today. In the Church of her time, this woman was among the protagonists of a great reform movement. She followed in the footsteps of a “giant of the spirit”, Teresa of Avila, and helped spread her ideals throughout Spain, France, here, in Brussels, and in what was then called the Spanish Netherlands.

In a time marked by painful scandals, within and outside of the Christian community, she and her companions brought many people back to the faith through their simple lives of poverty, prayer, work, and charity. Some have called their foundation in this city a “spiritual magnet”.

She intentionally left no writings to posterity. Instead, she committed herself to putting into practice what she had learned (cf. 1 Cor 15:3), and by her way of life she helped lift up the Church at a time of great difficulty.

Let us then gratefully welcome the example she has given us of “feminine styles of holiness” (cf. Gaudete et Exsultate, 12), gentle but strong. Her testimony, together with those of so many brothers and sisters who have gone before us, our friends and fellow pilgrims, is not far from us: it is near us, indeed it is entrusted to us so that we may also make it our own, renewing our commitment to walk together in the footsteps of the Lord.

Pope Francis

Homily, Mass of Beatification of Anne of Jesus
Brussels, 29 September 2024

John of the Cross, St. 1991, The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, Revised Edition, translated from the Spanish by Kavanaugh, K and Rodriguez, O with revisions and introductions by Kavanaugh, K, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Pope Francis passing through a jubilant crowd in St. Peter’s Square minutes before his Inaugural Mass, 19 March 2013 [Inizio Del Ministero Petrino Del Vescovo Di Roma]. Photo by Jeffrey Bruno (Some rights reserved).

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
Is my life quietly bearing witness—or am I waiting to say something before I live it?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#beatification #BlessedAnneOfJesus #Brussels #founder #homily #PopeFrancis #StJohnOfTheCross

Quote of the day, 23 April: Sr. María José, ocd

Francis, a Pope Close to Carmel

Published 21 April 2025 by Sister María José, o.c.d.
Teresa, de la rueca a la pluma blog, Carmel of Puzol

This Easter Monday, Pope Francis has departed for the Father’s house. His death saddens us, yet it also fills us with hope—the hope that comes from knowing that someone who spent his life serving the Church has now encountered the merciful face of God.

From this corner of Carmel, we wish to remember him with special gratitude. Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis showed heartfelt affection toward our family. He accompanied us with profound words, with simple gestures, and with a closeness we will not forget.

In 2015, on the occasion of the Fifth Centenary of the Birth of Saint Teresa of Jesus, he wrote two letters: one to the Order and another to the bishop of Ávila. In them, he recalled how the Saint, after her encounter with Christ, began to live “another life” and became a tireless communicator of the Gospel. He said that she did not want to be a “spectator” in a world that was burning, but gave herself—out of her littleness—to follow and live the Gospel radically. “This missionary and ecclesial dimension,” he wrote, “has always distinguished the Discalced Carmelite men and women.”

He also affirmed—beautifully and truthfully—that it would be wonderful to have Teresa before us and ask her so many things. But, he added, her witness continues to encourage us to enter into God, in order to go out and serve our brothers and sisters.

Years later, on the 50th anniversary of Teresa’s being declared a Doctor of the Church, he wrote about her again. He called her “an exceptional woman” and recalled that her flame still shines in this world, so in need of courageous witnesses.

Little Thérèse was also very present in his pontificate. He had a deep devotion to her. In 2023, he published an apostolic exhortation on her “little way” of confidence in God’s merciful love. “It is trust,” he wrote, that “enables us to put into God’s hands what he alone can accomplish.”

Exactly one year ago, in April 2024, he met with a group of Discalced Carmelite nuns who were preparing to draft new Constitutions. He spoke to them with tenderness and clarity: “The contemplative vocation is not about tending embers, but rather about fanning into flame a fire that can continue to burn.”

His final great gesture toward the Order was the beatification of Mother Anne of Jesus in Brussels on 29 September. There, he recalled how, in the midst of difficult times, her simple life—marked by prayer and charity—drew many to the faith.

Throughout these years, Pope Francis carried the saints of Carmel in his heart. And he taught us, as they did, to trust, to serve, and to walk with simplicity.

Today, we bid him farewell with deep gratitude. And we pray that he now hears the words he longed to hear:

“Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord” (Mt 25:21).

http://delaruecaalapluma.com/2025/04/21/francisco-un-papa-cercano-al-carmelo/

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

Featured image: Screenshot from Vatican Media livestream of Pope Francis’s visit to the Discalced Carmelite nuns in Madagascar on Saturday, 7 September 2019. One of the sisters is shown kissing the Holy Father’s hand. Used for editorial and educational purposes only. © Vatican Media. All rights reserved.

#BlessedAnneOfJesus #death #DiscalcedCarmelites #nuns #PopeFrancis #StTeresaOfAvila #StThérèseOfLisieux

Discover how Blessed Anne of Jesus brought St. Teresa’s Carmelite reform to France & Belgium. Listen now to our podcast episode! #BlessedAnneofJesus

http://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/11/25/s2ep35anne/

Quote of the day, 25 November: Blessed Anne of Jesus

To my Mother Beatriz of the Conception, Prioress of the Carmelites, Brussels

May Your Reverence be with God, my beloved Mother. Believe me, we are truly bound to one another, for on days when I do not speak with Your Reverence, I feel as though I cannot live. Thus, I look for something to write to you about and begin without the usual formalities, so as to fill more paper than I otherwise would.

My dear daughter, may your Father God give you glory. Now I feel what it must be like to be without my Beatriz. Even though I have the hope of seeing and serving you, the pain I feel is so great that I cannot express even a tenth of it. May His Majesty forgive me for this, and may He not allow Your Reverence to feel such suffering, for it would be exhausting for you.

I have been preoccupied with the matters of this house, but Madame de Roisin is now attending to them. If Our Lord permits no further obstacles (and there have already been many), it will be certain that we will place the Blessed Sacrament here on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul.

I long to see my Mother and thank God that there is an eternity where we will rejoice together. May His mercy grant this to me, as I am already certain it will for Your Reverence, if you continue to care for your health. That is most important—giving yourself to prayer. It is through prayer that I now find my sustenance, as everything else fails me. These days, we are praying much for peace in Holland.

Tell me if Toribio is there. Please commend me to your sister, whom I hold in heartfelt affection, and to my granddaughters—may God guard them for me. I also commend Your Reverence to His grace and always pray that He may protect all my daughters. Those here send their regards to Your Reverence, as do I to our friends and to Juan de Torres. I wish to know how his wife is doing. I was deeply moved by how ill she was, and we have entrusted her to His Majesty.

From Mons, January 16, 1608,
Your daughter and true servant,
Ana de Jesús, more yours than mine.

Blessed Anne of Jesus

Letter 17 to Beatriz de la Concepción

Note: On February 7, 1608, Blessed Anne of Jesus officially established the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Mons, Belgium. This milestone marked the expansion of St. Teresa of Avila’s reform into the Low Countries. The foundation faced notable delays due to Madame de Roisin, a noblewoman who had offered her home, the Hôtel de Roisin, as the community’s residence. However, Madame de Roisin did not vacate the property until December 1609, creating significant obstacles for the fledgling community. Despite these challenges, Anne’s perseverance prevailed, and the monastery became an important center of Carmelite spirituality, rooted in prayer and contemplation.

de Jesús, A & Torres Sánchez, C 1995, Ana de Jesús Cartas (1590–1621): Religiosidad y vida cotidiana en la clausura femenina del Siglo de Oro, 1st edn, Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca. Available at: https://archive.org/details/anadejesuscartas0000anad [Accessed 24 November 2024].

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

Featured image: This painting of Blessed Anne of Jesus comes from the Carmel of Pontoise, France. Image credit: © Ministère de la Culture (France), Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographic.

#BlessedAnneOfJesus #difficulties #foundation #friendship #monasticLife #Mons #prayer

25 November: Blessed Anne of Jesus Lobera Torres

November 25
BLESSED ANNE OF JESUS LOBERA TORRES
Virgin

Optional Memorial

Anna Lobera Torres was born at Medina Del Campo (Valladolid, Spain) on 25 November 1545. She was received in 1570 into the frrst monastery of the Discalced Carmelites at Avila by St. Teresa herself, and later accompanied her to Salamanca and Beas. It was in returning to Granada to found a monastery, that she obtained from St. John of the Cross a commentary on the Spiritual Canticle, which he dedicated to her. After several migrations and misfortunes, in 1604, together with Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew, she founded monasteries in France and Belgium. She died in Brussels after a few years of great interior and physical suffering, on 4 March 1621. She was beatified by Pope Francis on 29 September 2024.

From the Common of Virgins, or of Holy Women (religious)

Office of Readings

Second Reading

From the prologue of The Spiritual Canticle by St. John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

(The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, Washington DC, 2017, pp. 469-471)

The abundant love of mystical intelligence

These stanzas, Reverend Mother [Anne of Jesus], were obviously composed with a certain burning love of God. The wisdom and charity of God is so vast, as the Book of Wisdom states, that it reaches from end to end, and the soul informed and moved by it bears in some way this very abundance and impulsiveness in her words. As a result, I do not plan to expound these stanzas in all its breadth and fullness that the fruitful spirit of love conveys to them. It would be foolish to think that expressions of love arising from mystical understanding, like these stanzas, are fully explainable.

The Spirit of the Lord, who abides in us and aids our weakness, as St Paul says, pleads for us with unspeakable groanings in order to manifest what we can neither fully understand nor comprehend. Since these stanzas, then, were composed in a love flowing from abundant mystical understanding, I cannot explain them adequately, nor is it my intention to do so. I only wish to shed some general light on them, since Your Reverence has desired this of me.

It is better to explain the utterances of love in their broadest sense so that each one may derive profit from them according to the mode and capacity of one’s own spirit, rather than narrow them down to a meaning unadaptable to every palate. As a result, though we give some explanation of these stanzas, there is no reason to be bound by this explanation.

For mystical wisdom, which comes through love and is the subject of these stanzas, need not be understood distinctly in order to cause love and affection in the soul, for it is given according to the mode of faith through which we love God without understanding Him. I will then be very brief, although I do intend to give a lengthier explanation when necessary and the occasion arises for a discussion of some matters concerning prayer and its effects.

Since these stanzas refer to many of the effects of prayer, I ought to treat of at least some of these effects. Yet, passing over the more common effects, I will briefly deal with the more extraordinary ones that take place in those who with God’s help have passed beyond the stage of beginners. I do this for two reasons: first, because there are many writings for beginners; second, because I am addressing Your Reverence, at your request.

And our Lord has favored you and led you beyond the state of beginners into the depths of his divine love. I hope that, although some scholastic theology is used here in reference to the soul’s interior converse with God, it will not prove vain to speak in such a manner to the pure of spirit.

Even though Your Reverence lacks training in scholastic theology, through which the divine truths are understood, you are not wanting in mystical theology, which is known through love and by which these truths are not only known but at the same time enjoyed.

Responsory

Cf. Romans 8:26–27, 28

R./ The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought: * The Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words; and God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit.
V./ We know that all things work together for good for those who love God. * The Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words; and God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit.

Prayer

O God, who gave Blessed Anne of Jesus
the grace of knowing the mystery of Your Love,
revealed in Christ Jesus, your Son;
grant us, we pray, through her intercession,
that, loving you faithfully and above all things,
we may always be in communion
with you and our brothers and sisters.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

We are grateful to our Discalced Carmelite Friars for providing the English texts of liturgical offices published after the 1993 edition of the Carmelite Proper — Liturgy of the Hours.

#AnnaLoberaTorres #BlessedAnneOfJesus #DiscalcedCarmelite #nun #optionalMemorial #virgin

Quote of the day, 24 November: Blessed Anne of Jesus

To the Reverend Father Fray Diego de Guevara, of the Order of St. Augustine, in Salamanca:

May the Holy Spirit, through His grace, strengthen Your Reverence, my lord and Father.

If Your Reverence could see how poorly they treat our good God in these lands, what is suffered there would seem like nothing. We do not consider what pertains to His Majesty, for if we truly felt it, we would forget ourselves and cease to notice whether people approve or disapprove of us.

I would desire that they would treat me with all the contempt and scorn they reserved for the One whom they neither knew nor wanted to know, and that we pay no attention to anything except what brings us closer to His Majesty, who was considered worse than Barabbas—and still is.

These days I no longer have the strength to remain where such public offenses are committed, and I long for the hour of my return there [to Salamanca]. My only desire is to first leave the governance of our Order to these convents, for through divine mercy God is greatly served in them.

I have given much thanks to His Majesty for placing my Father Fray Basilio de León in the Chair of Theology [Cátedra de Prima]. May Your Reverence remind him of his intention to print the book of our Holy Mother in Latin.

Oh, how it would console me if Your Reverence could see her heart [the relic of St. Teresa’s heart preserved in the conventual church in Alba de Tormes], which endured such great afflictions to please our Lord! With that, she persevered, for there is no balm like suffering for the love of God.

May Your Reverence always commend me to His Majesty, for I am much in need of it. I ask the same of our Father Maestro Antolínez, who now enjoys his peace. The same will be true, I hope, of the Señor Maestro Curiel, though I do not know if he will let him rest. I am not writing to him until I have a resolution on what Father Fray Íñigo de Brizuela is negotiating.

I ask Your Reverence to pass along my regards to him and to accept those of the Mother Subprioress, along with her prayers and those of all. Without Your Reverence, I cannot forget to offer my own prayers for all, both living and deceased, whom I hold in particular affection.

May God enkindle His love in our souls, and with it, may Your Reverence remain, as I humbly pray.

In Brussels, July 4, 1609
Ana de Jesús

P.S. Since I am commanded to send something of mine, I send this baby Jesus.

Blessed Anne of Jesus

Letter 25 to Father Diego de Guevara, O.S.A.

Note: Fray Diego de Guevara (1567–1633), a Spanish Augustinian friar and spiritual writer, maintained a significant connection with the Carmelites, particularly through his relationship with Blessed Anne of Jesus. His extensive correspondence with her reflects a deep spiritual and intellectual engagement, offering guidance and theological discourse. Notably, Guevara authored the Deposición original acerca de la vida, virtudes y milagros de Santa Teresa de Jesús, providing key insights into St. Teresa of Avila’s sanctity. As prior of several prominent convents, including Salamanca, Guevara played an influential role in the spiritual life of his era and engaged closely with Carmelite reformers.

de Jesús, A & Torres Sánchez, C 1995, Ana de Jesús Cartas (1590–1621): Religiosidad y vida cotidiana en la clausura femenina del Siglo de Oro, 1st edn, Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca. Available at: https://archive.org/details/anadejesuscartas0000anad [Accessed 23 November 2024].

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

Featured image: The Infant Jesus of Beaune, “the Little King of Grace”, is one of the four main miraculous “Infant Jesus” statues. This is a painted, articulated wooden statuette, 58 cm. in height, dressed in sumptuous garments. It was presented to Venerable Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament for Christmas 1643 by Baron de Renty, Normand Gaston, in gratitude for their spiritual friendship. Image credit: melina1965 / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

#BlessedAnneOfJesus #Brussels #ChristTheKing #DiscalcedCarmelites #love #nuns #relic #Salamanca #StTeresaOfAvila

All Carmelite Saints & Souls: Descendants of the Hermits

All of us who wear this holy habit of Carmel are called to prayer and contemplation. This explains our origin; we are the descendants of those who felt this call, of those holy fathers on Mount Carmel who in such great solitude and contempt for the world sought this treasure, this precious pearl of contemplation that we are speaking about.

Saint Teresa of Avila
The Interior Castle, V, 1

Introduction

Every November 14 and 15, Carmelites worldwide unite to celebrate the feast of All Carmelite Saints and the Commemoration of All Carmelite Souls. The saints and souls of Carmel are more than individual examples of holiness; they are descendants of the holy hermits of Mount Carmel, whose vocation to prayer, poverty, and humility remains the heart of the Carmelite identity.

The Call to Prayer and Contemplation

The Carmelite vocation is deeply rooted in prayer and contemplation, tracing its origins to the 13th-century hermits of Mount Carmel. These early Carmelites sought God in solitude and silence, dedicating their lives to finding the “precious pearl of contemplation.” For them, poverty and humility were not just disciplines but pathways to a profound encounter with the living God.

The saints of Carmel, honored on November 14, embody this calling. Their lives remind us that holiness is not reserved for the extraordinary but is accessible to those who seek God with humility, trust, and devotion. The feast of All Carmelite Saints calls us to emulate their example as we journey toward union with God.

The Hidden Saints of Carmel

The feast of All Carmelite Saints celebrates the countless members of the Order who, though not formally recognized as saints, lived faithfully in allegiance to Jesus Christ. Blessed Anne of Jesus, one of the early companions of St. Teresa of Avila and a foundress of Carmel in France, encouraged the first novices in Pontoise with this powerful statement:

“You have entered an Order so holy and perfect, that by keeping its rules and constitutions faithfully, one will go directly from her deathbed to her home in heaven.”

These hidden saints are proof that holiness does not require extraordinary works but simple faithfulness to one’s vocation, trust in God, and dedication to prayer and penance.

St. Thérèse and the Path of Trust

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church, provided a definitive teaching on God’s mercy that resonates deeply on these feasts. She believed holiness was accessible to all, not through great deeds but through trust and love. As she once reassured Sr. Marie of the Trinity:

“Yes! God is so good. He will know how He can come and get you. But despite this, try to be faithful, so that He does not wait in vain for your love.”

Thérèse’s confidence in God’s mercy extended even to difficult conversations. When confronted by Sr. Marie Fébronie, who considered her teachings on trust presumptuous, Thérèse lovingly replied:

“If you look for the justice of God, you will get it. The soul will receive from God exactly what it desires.”

This teaching highlights a key point: God is more Father than Judge. Thérèse’s “Little Way” invites all of us to approach God with childlike trust, confident in His infinite, merciful love.

Prayer, Penance, and the Communion of Saints

November 15, the Commemoration of All Carmelite Souls, invites us to exercise fraternal charity by praying for our deceased brothers and sisters. In the communion of saints, we are bound together across time and space.

As the Carmelite breviary reminds us:

“The love of Christ and the service of the Blessed Virgin Mary have brought us together in a single family.”

Our prayers for all the departed of the Carmelite family reflect this familial bond, uniting us with those who are being prepared to see God face to face. This call to solidarity is a cornerstone of Carmelite spirituality.

The Path of Poverty, Humility, and Trust

The holy hermits of Mount Carmel modeled a way of life that remains the heart of the Carmelite vocation. Their lives of poverty and humility led them to the ultimate treasure: the enjoyment of God. For Carmelites today, this path continues to inspire.

As Blessed Anne of Jesus said, faithfulness to the Carmelite Rule and Constitutions can lead directly to heaven. And St. Thérèse, echoing this confidence, reminds us that trust in God’s mercy transforms our journey into one of love.

Her words, “Trust, and nothing but trust, must lead us to love,” are an enduring reminder of the simplicity and beauty of the Carmelite way.

Conclusion

The liturgies for the feast of All Carmelite Saints and the commemoration of All Carmelite Souls are a time to reflect on the interconnectedness of the Carmelite family and the timeless call to holiness. From the hermits of Mount Carmel to the hidden saints and souls we commemorate in our day and age, the Carmelite legacy invites all of us to embrace a life of prayer, humility, and trust.

To explore these themes further, discover the YouTube episode embedded below, where we reflect on how prayer, penance, and trust define the Carmelite path to union with God.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B86sy0OS2z0

Teresa of Avila, St. 1985, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, translated from the Spanish by Kavanaugh, K; Rodriguez, O, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Thérèse of Lisieux, S & Clarke, J 1988, General Correspondence: Letters of Saint Therese of Lisieux: Volume 2 1890-1897. Centenary ed., Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington DC.

Featured image: Carmelites are constantly reminded that we are descendants of hermits who also were killed in hatred of the faith on Mount Carmel in 1291. The Martyrdom of the Carmelites is a wall painting executed in 1517 by Jörg Ratgeb (German, c. 1480–1526) in the Carmelite Cloister of Frankfurt, Germany. Photo credit: Web Gallery of Art (Public Domain).

#AllCarmeliteSaints #AllCarmeliteSouls #BlessedAnneOfJesus #Carmelite #DiscalcedCarmelite #love #prayer #StTeresaOfAvila #StThereseOfLisieux

I saw three Carmelites dressed in their mantles and long veils. It appeared to me they were coming for our mother, but what I did understand clearly was that they came from heaven. In the depths of my heart, I cried out: “Oh! how happy I would be if I could see the face of one of these Carmelites!” Then, as though my prayer were heard by her, the tallest of the saints advanced toward me; immediately I fell to my knees. Oh! what happiness! The Carmelite raised her veil or rather she raised it and covered me with it. Without the least hesitation, I recognized Venerable Anne of Jesus, Foundress of Carmel in France.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Manuscript B, folios 1v-2v
Letter to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart (excerpt)
8 September 1896

As we celebrate St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s feast day, we also reflect on the recent beatification of Blessed Anne of Jesus, a key figure in expanding the Carmelite reform. Anne’s leadership established Carmels across France, including Dijon, where St. Elizabeth of the Trinity would later flourish.

In a dream in 1897, Anne appeared to Thérèse, offering reassurance about her Little Way—the simple, yet profound path of trust and love. This dream affirmed Thérèse’s spiritual path during a time of great physical and emotional suffering.

Anne of Jesus also had a lasting influence on other great Carmelites, including the Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne and Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified, who entered Carmel at Pau. Their spiritual lineage traces back to the foundational work of Anne, whose legacy continues to inspire today.

Meanwhile, Thérèse’s influence as a Doctor of the Church, recognized by St. John Paul II in 1997, affirms the depth of her teachings. As the Pope wrote in his Apostolic Letter Divini Amoris Scientia, Thérèse’s Little Way embodies a profound understanding of the Gospel, making her a guide for all those who seek God’s face.

Listen to the episode “Anne and Thérèse: A Living Legacy” embedded below to discover more about their intertwined lives and how their spiritual legacies continue to shape the Church today.

https://youtu.be/Ykk-xrQv5Lw?si=nC2ogsKc5A3KLEiA

Thérèse & Foley, M 2005, Story of a Soul: The autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Study edn, translated from the French by Clarke, J, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: On the left, this detail of a portrait of Venerable Anne of Jesus is a treasured 17th c. painting at the Carmel of Pontoise, France. Found in the online database of the French Ministry of Culture, this portrait of Venerable Anne is a reduced and simplified copy of a painting kept in the Carmel of the Incarnation in Clamart, France. It is based on an engraving by the famous Antwerp artist Hieronymus Wierix (1553–1619). [Photo credit: © Ministère de la Culture (France), Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie, diffusion RMN-GP]. On the right, Austrian artist Emil Beischläger (1897–1977) created this oil on canvas portrait of St. Thérèse around 1925, which was the year of her canonization [Image credit: artnet.com].

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/10/01/s2ep24annetherese/

#BlessedAnneOfJesus #DiscalcedCarmelites #DoctorOfTheChurch #dream #founder #France #heritage #nuns #Podcast #StThérèseOfLisieux #StJohnPaulII