Quote of the day, 6 October: St. Edith Stein

While the spiritual gardens of Mother Teresa were spreading their lovely fragrance over all of Spain, the Monastery of the Incarnation, her former home, was in a sad state. Income had not increased in proportion to the number of nuns, and since they were used to living comfortably and not (as in the reformed Carmel) to finding their greatest joy in holy poverty, discontent and slackening of spirit spread.

In the year 1570, Fr. Fernández of the Order of St. Dominic came to this house. He was the apostolic visitator entrusted by Pope Pius V with examining the disciplinary state of monasteries in Castile. Since he had already become thoroughly acquainted with some monasteries of the reform, the contrast must have shocked him.

He thought of a radical remedy. By the authority of his position, he named Mother Teresa as prioress of the Monastery of the Incarnation and ordered her to return to Avila at once to assume her position. In the midst of her work for the reform, she now had to undertake a task that for all intents and purposes appeared impossible.

Oh, daughter, daughter! These Sisters in the Incarnation are My Sisters, and you delay? Well, take courage; behold I want it, and it isn’t as difficult as it seems to you. And whereas you think some harm will come to your houses, both they and the Incarnation will benefit. Do not resist, for My power is great.
Our Lord to St. Teresa, 10 July 1571
Spiritual Testimonies, 16

Exhorted by the Lord himself, she declared her readiness. However, with the agreement of Fr. Fernández, she gave a written statement that she personally would continue to follow the primitive Rule. One can imagine the vehement indignation of the nuns who were to have a prioress sent to them — one not elected by them — a sister of theirs who had left them eight years earlier and whom they considered an adventuress, a mischief-maker.

The storm broke as the provincial led her into the house. The provincial, Fr. Angel de Salazar, could not make himself heard in the noisy gathering. The “Te Deum” that he intoned was drowned out by the sounds of indignation. Teresa’s goodness and humility finally brought about enough quiet for the sisters to go to their cells and to tolerate her presence in the house.

They were saving the decisive declarations for the first chapter meeting. But how amazed they were when they entered the chapter room at the sound of the bell to see in the prioress’ seat the statue of our dear Lady, the Queen of Carmel, with the keys to the monastery in her hands and the new prioress at her feet. Their hearts were conquered even before Teresa began to speak and in her indisputable loving manner presented to them how she conceived and intended to conduct her office.

In a short time, under her wise and temperate direction, above all by the influence of her character and conduct, the spirit of the house was renewed. Her greatest support in this was Fr. John of the Cross, whom she called to Avila as confessor for the monastery.

Saint Edith Stein

Love for Love: The Life and Works of St. Teresa of Jesus
14. Prioress at the Monastery of the Incarnation

Note: Saint Teresa took up her office as Prioress at the Monastery of the Incarnation on 6 October 1571

Stein, E. 2014, The Hidden Life: hagiographic essays, meditations, spiritual texts, translated from the German by Stein, W, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

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.

Featured image: This detail of a photographic artwork created by Elías Rodríguez Picón comes to us thanks to the Discalced Carmelite nuns of Alba de Tormes. The artist’s sister is the model for this scene, which is intended to show the beginning moment of the Transverberation. You can see and read more about his photographic technique in this article from La Hornacina (in Spanish). Image credit: Discalced Carmelites (By permission).

#Constitutions #MonasteryOfTheIncarnation #prioress #StEdithStein #StTeresaOfAvila

Marie du jour, 3 May: St. Teresa of Avila

On the eve of the feast of St. Sebastian, the first year in which I was prioress at the Incarnation, at the beginning of the Salve Regina, I saw the Mother of God descend with a great multitude of angels and sit in the prioress’s choir stall where there was a statue of our Lady.

In my opinion, I didn’t then see the statue but our Lady herself. It seemed to me she looked something like she does in the painting the countess gave me;1 although the power to discern this was quickly taken away, for my faculties were soon held in great suspension.

It seemed to me there were angels above the canopies of the stalls in the back and above the front stalls; although they were not in corporeal form, for this was an intellectual vision.

She remained for the whole of the Salve, and she told me: “You were indeed right in placing me here;2 I shall be present in the praises they give my Son, and I shall offer these praises to Him.”

After this, I remained in the kind of prayer I now have, that of keeping my soul present with the Blessed Trinity. And it seemed to me that the Person of the Father drew me to Himself and spoke very pleasant words. Among them, while showing me what He wanted, He told me: “I gave you My Son, and the Holy Spirit, and this Blessed Virgin. What can you give Me?”

Saint Teresa of Avila

Spiritual Testimonies 21, Her vision of our Lady in the choir of the Incarnation

https://www.flickr.com/photos/avilas/7210946374/

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.

Featured image: Statue of Saint Teresa by Fernando Cruz Solís (20th c.), at the Monastery of the Incarnation, Ávila. Photo: Raquel / Adobe Stock.

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
How might I enter prayer more consciously aware that Mary and the saints are present with me?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#angels #BlessedTrinity #choirStalls #MotherOfGod #OurLady #prioress #SalveRegina #StTeresaOfAvila #statue #vision

Quote of the day, 3 February: Pauline Martin

My beloved little sister, you’ll be able to come on Friday [January 29th], the elections won’t be until Monday or Tuesday [February 1st and 2nd].

I can’t be without you for a moment. Who could understand such a union! Let us love the good Lord well! Everything is here, and there’s nothing out there!

The weather is so sad! We need to create a Blue Sky in our hearts.

Soeur Agnès de Jésus (Pauline Martin)

Letter from Sr. Agnès de Jésus to Sr. Marie du Sacré Coeur (Marie Martin)
25-28 January 1886

Note: On 3 February 1886, Mother Marie de Gonzague was elected to her third term as prioress of the Discalced Carmelite monastery of Lisieux. At the time of her death in 1904, she had served 6 years as sub-prioress and 21 years as prioress of the community. You can read the biography of Mother Marie de Gonzague on the website of the Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux.

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

#CarmelOfLisieux #elections #MarieMartin #MotherMarieDeGonzague #nuns #PaulineMartin #prioress #SrAgnèsDeJésus

16 December: Blessed Mary of the Angels Fontanella

December 16
BLESSED MARY OF THE ANGELS FONTANELLA
Virgin

Optional Memorial

Born in Turin, Italy, in 1661, she died, after spending her whole life there, in 1717. In 1675 she entered the Discalced Carmelite Convent of St. Christina, and several times filled the offices of Prioress and Novice Mistress. She underwent continual spiritual trials but was constant in her ardent love of God. She was outstandingly faithful to prayer and particularly devoted to St. Joseph, in whose honor a convent was founded through her good offices at Moncalieri.

From the common of virgins

Office of Readings

SECOND READING
From The Way of Perfection by Saint Teresa of Avila
(C 40, nos 3,8 ed. Kavanaugh-Rodriguez 1980, pp. 193-95).

True love for God cannot be hidden

Those who truly love God love every good, desire every good, favor every good, praise every good. They always join, favor, and defend good people. They have no love for anything but truth, and whatever is worthy of love. Do you think it is possible for a person who really loves God to love vanities? No, indeed, he cannot, nor can he love riches, or worldly things, or delights, or honors, or strife, or envy. All of this is so because he seeks only to please the Beloved. These persons go about dying so that their Beloved might love them, and thus they dedicate their lives to learning how they might please him more. Hide itself? Oh, with regard to the love of God—if it is genuine love— this is impossible. If you don’t think so, look at Saint Paul or the Magdalene. Within three days the one began to realize that he was sick with love; that was Saint Paul. The Magdalene knew from the first day; and how well she knew! Love has this characteristic: it can be greater or lesser in degree. Thus, the love makes itself known according to its intensity. When slight, it shows itself but slightly; when strong, it shows itself strongly. But where there is love of God, whether little or great, it is always recognized.

And could one conceal a love that is so strong and just that it always increases and sees no reason to stop since its foundation is made from the cement of being repaid by another love? This other love can no longer be doubted, since it was shown so openly and with so many sufferings and trials, and with the shedding of blood, even to the point of death, in order that we might have no doubt about it.

May it please His Majesty to give us his love before he takes us out of this life, for it will be a great thing at the hour of death to see that we are going to be judged by the One whom we have loved above all things. We shall be able to proceed securely with the judgment concerning our debts. It will not be like going to a foreign country, but like going to our own, because it is the country of one whom we love so much and who loves us.

RESPONSORY

R./ The Lord fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them. * The Lord watches over all who love him.
V./ We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love him. * The Lord watches over all who love him.

Morning Prayer

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. To love God is to be truly wise, and wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.

PRAYER

Lord,
you have told us that you live forever
in the hearts of the chaste.
By the prayers of the virgin Blessed Mary of the Angels
help us to live by your grace
and to become temples of your Spirit.

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

Evening Prayer

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Catholic Church 1993, Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and the Order of Discalced Carmelites (Rev. and augm.), Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome.

#BlessedMaryOfTheAngels #DiscalcedCarmelite #ff0000 #LiturgyOfTheHours #noviceMistress #prioress #virgin

Yes, dear Madame, my happiness has never been so great, so true as it has since God deigned to associate me with the sufferings of the divine Crucified, so “I might suffer in my flesh what is lacking in His passion” (Col 1:24), as Saint Paul said.

I think I will soon be going to join your little Cécile in the bosom of Light and Love. Together, we will turn God’s graces and gifts in your direction…. We will watch over your dear son so He may keep him wholly pure, wholly worthy of the home where God has willed to shelter him; and also allow our little Marie-Madeleine, your beautiful little lily so beloved of my heart.

For you, dear Madame, we will ask, if you allow, those graces of union with the Master that give so much strength to the soul for passing through any trial and that transform life through continual contact with Him!

If you knew how well cared for I am in my dear Carmel, what a Mother I have unceasingly near me…. She is a true mama for her little patient. You would have tears in your eyes if you could see through the grilles the goodness lavished on me by this heart whom God has made so motherly.

Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity

Letter 326 to Madame Farrat, around 18 October 1906

Note: Cécile was the granddaughter Madame Farrat had lost. The Farrat family were neighbors of the Catez family. The “dear son” would have been young Olivier, who made his first Communion on 17 May 1903. Marie-Madeleine was born on 13 September 1901 in Dijon.

Elizabeth of the Trinity, S 2003, The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity volume 2: Letters from Carmel, translated from the French by Nash, A, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Latvian photographer Aleksejs Bergmanis captured this view of sunset above a sea of clouds in October 2017. Image credit: Aleksejs Bermanis / Pexels (Stock photo)

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/10/17/sabeth-18oct06/

#CarmelOfDijon #fruit #goodness #intercession #loveForNeighbor #prioress #StElizabethOfTheTrinity #StPaul #unionWithGod

One day after the octave of the feast of the Visitation while I was in a hermitage of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel praying to God for one of my brothers, I said to the Lord (I don’t know, perhaps I may have just thought it): “Why is my brother in a place where his salvation is in danger? Were I, Lord, to see Your brother in this danger, what wouldn’t I do to help him!” It seemed to me that I would have left nothing undone in order to help.

The Lord answered me: “Oh, daughter, daughter! These Sisters in the Incarnation are My Sisters, and you delay? Well, take courage; behold I want it, and it isn’t as difficult as it seems to you. And whereas you think some harm will come to your houses, both they and the Incarnation will benefit. Do not resist, for My power is great.”

Saint Teresa of Avila

Spiritual Testimonies 16
St. Joseph’s Avila, 10 July 1571

Note: In obedience to the directive of the Apostolic Visitor appointed by Pope Pius V (Pedro Fernández, O.P.), St. Teresa assumed her new role as Prioress of the Carmel of the Incarnation on 14 October 1571, just one week after the Battle of Lepanto. Her brothers had already traveled to the Spanish colonies in South America to support King Philip II.

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.

Featured image: Saint Teresa “the Vagabond” is seen in this 20th c. statue by Spanish sculptor Fernando Cruz Solís (1923–2003) which graces the entry of the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila. Image credit: Raquel / Adobe Stock (Stock photo)

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/07/09/stj-10jul71/

#courage #difficult #familyLife #FrKieranKavanaughOCD #locution #MonasteryOfTheIncarnation #OurLadyOfMountCarmel #power #prayer #prioress

Love must be found at the heart of every cloistered community, especially those with few members like St Teresa's Discalced Carmelites. Teresa insisted that love must be the motivating factor in obedience.

💗 Read more
https://carmelitequotes.blog/2023/02/27/stj-const34/

#StTeresaOfAvila #prioress #jobdescription #love #community #nuns #Catholic #Carmelite #Saints #quoteoftheday