TERESA: A PRAYER CENTERED REFORMER (Part 5)

TERESA: A PRAYER CENTERED REFORMER (Part 5)

SPIRITUAL ADVISORS

It is important to realize the dependence of monasteries of Sisters at that time in Spain on the patronage of the wealthy. Because of Teresa’s reputation for being prayerful and her very real charm, Dona Guiomar de Ulloa, a wealthy widow, obtained permission for Teresa to assist her at her home in her time of grieving. Our saint was experiencing a great deal of suspicion from others because of the sensational graces she was receiving in prayer. She not only comforted Dona Guiomar, but this noble woman was able to discern the genuineness of Teresa’s prayer life. Through Dona Guiomar, Teresa was given an opportunity to talk with Saint Peter of Alcantara. This holy and austere Franciscan recognized as authentic the spiritual favors of this middle-aged Carmelite nun. Because of his own reputation for holiness, he was able to reassure some male advisers, who had decided that Teresa was under the influence of the devil, that the Spirit of God was granting her very special graces. They were
told to stop disturbing her.

During this period Teresa needed expert advice on the mystical graces she was receiving, as well as guidance for the many practical problems with which she was confronted in establishing her first monastery of Discalced Nuns. Our saint was blessed to have highly respected Jesuits, Dominicans, and Franciscans assist her. Among these confessors were Saint Francis Borgia and Saint Peter of Alcantara. Teresa was a remarkably gifted woman, whose intelligence and spiritual writings, coupled with her love for God and all others-as well as her courage in fulfilling what she believed to be God’s will-have earned her the Church’s official canonization as well as the titles of Doctor of the Church and Mother of Spirituality.

Teresa was well aware of the spiritual climate in the Spain of her times. She recognized the justifiable concern of Church authorities for the potential harm to genuine spirituality that enthusiasm for extraordinary spiritual phenomena could cause. However, she only laughed when she was told that she was in danger of being handed over to the Inquisition. She said if she knew anything in her writings were heretical, she would be the first to submit to any decision of the Church. A couple of times she was asked to give the book about her life to the Inquisition for inspection. Each time she was acquitted of having written anything contrary to Church teaching.

Saint Teresa had not deliberately sought permission to found monasteries because she had perceived herself as a helpless woman who could never accomplish such a task. However, when God inspires a person with urgent longings to do great things, the Spirit empowers a person to accomplish them.

In addition to the foundation of the Monastery of Saint Joseph in Avila, this valiant woman was the foundress of fourteen monasteries  for Discalced Carmelites, from 1567-1582, the year of her death. Teresa directed the foundation of two other monasteries though she was unable to be present. With Saint John of the Cross, our saint supervised the foundation of the first monastery for the Discalced Fathers at Durelo.

(….to be continued everyday till end of article)

Article by Mary Eileen McNamara, OCD , titled  “Saint Teresa of Avila: Prayer-Centered Reformer”, Published in Spiritual Life, Summer 2010.

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