DE LA SALLE MONTHLY.

VOL. III.-SEPTEMBER, 1870.-No. 15.

SAINT TERESA.

the eternal glory they thus secured for

About this time romances and tales

St. Teresa was born at Avila, in themselves, Teresa and a younger Old Castile, March 28, 1515. She was brother, who was always her youththe child of respectable and aristocratic ful companion, resolved to go into the parents. Her father and mother were country of the Moors, hoping they, too, alike remarkable for their very brilliant might die for their faith, and merit a virtues, which shone with a brighter lustre like reward. Their departure, however, amid the moral darkness that enveloped was soon discovered, and the pious the land. Her father especially was fond young refugees were brought back. of reading pious books, with which he was well supplied, and the young Teresa drew valuable lessons in spiritual life, both from his edifying conversation and from the perusal of those works which his discreet piety sought and provided. At the early age of twelve years, Teresa had the misfortune to lose her mother, who died in the bloom of life.

of knight-errantry were much read in Spain, and, notwithstanding the great care and watchfulness the parents of St. Teresa at all times exercised over her, she became very much addicted as she grew older to light reading, which was greatly regretted by her in after life. As she herself tells us in her life, owing By the pious instruction and example to frequent visits received from a certain given by her parents, Teresa's young cousin-german, much given to the vanheart was from early childhood inclined ities of the world, and, besides, a great to the service of God. Unlike the genlover of romances, Teresa became paserality of maidens, who are wont to sionately fond of this class of reading, make their chief delight consist in friv- in which she spent much time. Her olous amusements, her greatest pleasure father holding the spiritual and morwas in contemplating the beautiful lives al welfare of his child paramount to of the saints, whose heroism and self- all other accomplishments, and seeing denial excited in her the profoundest the many dangers to which she was exadmiration. From the lively impressions thus made on her young heart, Teresa learned to set at naught all the riches and vanities of this world, and to consider only as real good that glory and wealth which is of the world to come. By reading the lives of the saints and meditating on their sufferings and

VOL. III.-7.

posed, both from the general tone of society and the species of literature then prevalent in Spain, placed her in a convent of the Austin Nuns in Avila, she being fifteen years of age.

This sudden change from the enjoyment of all the pleasures of a gay world, to the secluded and quiet walks of con

vent life, was to Teresa at first rather a short distance from her native town. grievous; but those holy servants of In this we see an act of real self-deGod to whose parental care she was entrusted, by their sweet and heavenly dispositions, soon gained her affections, and rekindled in her heart those pious sentiments which of late had become esa experienced a singular relief from somewhat dormant. an unsettled state of mind, from which

nial, the fit initiation of a life wherein she heroically overcame every obstacle that barred the way to eternal salvation. On assuming the religious habit, Ter

Teresa soon forgot her late amuse- she had long suffered, and the discharge ments, and the many ties of friendship of her religious duties became to her a by which she was bound to former com-source of perpetual enjoyment. Durpanions; in fact, she was greatly de- ing her novitiate she experienced many lighted with her new situation, recom- severe trials, but the tempter's efforts mending herself to the prayers of the were set at naught, and her fixed purgood nuns, and convinced that she had pose was, to tread the narrow path of found that repose which was the repose duty, swerving neither to the right nor of endless rest. Having remained a year to the left. She made her profession and a half in this institution, where, with very great fervor in 1534, being in addition to the secular learning re- then in her twentieth year. A short ceived, she continually advanced to- time afterward she was attacked by a ward perfection in all virtues, the Saint violent fever, from which she suffered became dangerously ill, and was re- much during her novitiate. moved home.

When partially recovered from her protracted illness, she began seriously to deliberate with herself on the propriety of entering into a religious life, and when she compared the real happiness enjoyed by those religious, under whose care she had lately been, with the socalled happiness of the outer world, she resolved to become a nun. To this, her father, although himself a very pious man, was entirely opposed, doubtless believing himself unable to withstand the anguish which such separation must necessarily cause him. Notwithstanding the tender love and affection which Teresa ever bore her father, when she considered the imminent danger she was in of again relapsing into the vanities of the world, and thereby periling her eternal salvation, she hesitated not to follow the vocation God intended for her. She accordingly left her father and all friends most dear to a young heart, and entered a convent of the Carmelite nuns,

In fact her sufferings became almost insupportable, and her case reached such a state that she was given up by her physicians. After nearly three years of exceeding great pain, being in the very jaws of death, she remained in a trance for four days, dead to all appearance. Her grave had been already prepared, when traces of life were yet discovered, and then God miraculously preserved her for a long life of trials and sufferings, and for the accomplishment of as much good, perhaps, as ever fell to the lot of any individual.

It was in this long and painful illness that St. Teresa began to receive that heavenly light whereby she clearly saw the nothingness of all earthly things, and learned to pity those who vainly pursue its empty bubbles. Although the lives of all the saints are held up to us as examples for imitation, there are none, perhaps, more deserving our study and deep reflection than that of St. Teresa.

As the rules then existing in the convents were rather lax, the Saint was unconsciously exposed to many faults, from the fact that many secular persons were allowed admission into the convents to converse with the nuns at the grate. Owing to Teresa's very amiable disposition, she was the recipient of numberless visits from friends, whom her sweetness of temper entirely captivated. So great was the love she bore her fellow-beings, she could never refuse to converse with them. Although there may have been nothing very wrong in this conduct of

Inheriting the full amount of human | Dominican friar of the real state of her frailty, prone by nature to vanity and soul, and the great error she had comworldly excitement, no better than the mitted in omitting mental prayer, and worst of us when she started in her ca- the imminent danger in which she had reer of sanctity, her example is all the thus placed herself. Through the counmore encouraging therefor. Had she sel of this good man she resumed conbeen gifted with extraordinary natural templative prayer, never more to leave parts, so that the practice of virtue and it off. the abhorrence of vice might be said to be part and parcel of her being, then we might regard her as belonging to a superior order of mortals, predestined, as it were, for heaven: but no, like in all respects to the weakest of her race, she achieved holiness by simply doing faithfully the duty she perceived, following the light that was given her, and co-operating with those graces which God showers upon all. There fore it is that her example is so encouraging; that, influenced thereby, the feeblest vessel of us all can propose to himself the highest splendor of heaven, the Saint, since she saw the other sisthe goal and bourn of his efforts. How-ters, who were older, and whom she conever holy and retired her life, Teresa sidered more wise than herself, do the was battling continually with the many same thing, still she felt that the practemptations placed in her way. As she tice somewhat interfered with her spiritcould never be induced to sin in any ual progress. In this state St. Teresa grievous form, the devil, always on the passed nearly twenty years, and, alalert, assailed her on the side of humility, though her life was most exemplary, representing to her certain imaginary chiefly spent in mental prayer, yet owwickedness, whereby she was unworthy to be in such constant and familiar converse with God, as she had been through the practice of mental prayer; and thus this holy virgin was induced, for a time, to abandon that great means of salvation.

She continued for more than a year contenting herself with vocal prayer, considering herself unworthy to practice meditation.

ing to the imperfection of the rules of the convent, she lost much precious time in fruitless conversation with those allowed permission to the house. If the lives of the saints are all remarkable for sufferings, certainly that of St. Teresa forms no exception to the general rule, for her sufferings were constant and often very oppressive. When in the enjoyment of health, and suffering nothIn 1539, her young and tender heart ing to al appearance, her mind was cast suffered a severe shock in the death of down with the most oppressive and her father, whom she loved with the heart-rending afflictions. Having made most ardent affection. It was shortly use of mental prayer in its various deafter this sad event that Teresa was grees of perfection for nearly twenty informed by a very learned and pious years, at the same time being more or

less interrupted by worldly affairs, she entirely withdrew herself from the converse of secular persons, beseeching God that He would never again permit her to offend Him. Subsequent to her late reform, the Saint received many special favors from God, at times being so enwrapped in prayer as to lose all physical power.

Considering herself to be one of the most wicked of God's creatures, she was disturbed in mind by the frequency of these ecstacies. The examples of certain other women who had been miserably deceived by their own imaginations, and the wily machinations of the evil spirit, greatly perplexed her mind, and she resolved to take counsel of some one who might fully understand her case.

reciting this, she was favored with a rapture, and heard these words addressed to her soul: "Daughter, I will not have thee converse with men, but with angels."

She was exceedingly startled at these words, and from that moment renounced all conversation with men, giving herself more completely than ever to the service of God. Through her great humility, she desired that these favors would not be made known to the world, but despite every precaution, the fact became public, and she was reviled and shunned even by her former friends, as one in communication with the devil. All this contumely St. Teresa patiently bore, counting it as nothing, when compared with His sufferings who was ever her example. Besides interior troubles and the insults heaped upon her by the world, the Saint frequently saw the devil under hideous forms.

The first to whom St. Teresa made known her troubled mind, was a certain very learned and holy priest. After an She informs us in her life, that once she examination of her case from what she de- was favored in a vision with a sight of the clared of herself, he assured her that she torments of hell, and was shown the particwas deluded by the devil, asserting that ular place in that dismal region which had such divine favors were inconsistent been prepared for her on account of the with a life so wicked as she represented waywardness of her youth, and was ashers to have been. This only increased sured that she had escaped the dreadful her anxiety the more; but still being punishment only by her change of life. unable to convince herself that her prayers were from any other source than from God, she applied to others, but with a similar result. For all this, she could not believe herself deceived, even should the whole world decide against her. At length, however, she found a holy father of the Society of Jesus, eminent for his learning and virtues, and knowledge of interior life. By this good man, to whom Teresa made known her entire life, with the kind of prayer she had practiced, she was assured that these were divine graces. The Saint was advised to beg of God that He would direct her in that way which was most agreeable to Him, and for that purpose was ordered to recite daily the hymn, Veni Creator Spiritus. While one day

St. Teresa ever burning to effect the greater sanctification of her own soul, and that of all others, conceived the project of establishing a reform in the Carmelite order. Although the rules of the order in the beginning had been very rigid, in process of time many relaxations were tolerated. In the convent of the Incarnation in which the Saint lived, these relaxations prevailed to the culpable extent of admitting too frequent visits of secular persons at the grate. Expressing a wish to live up to the primitive rules in all their rigidness, her designs were favorably received by many of the sisters of the order, and by the bishop of Avila, and the saint was instructed in several visions and revelations to have courage in her undertaking, and

ness.

The mortification of the will in all things, and the assiduous practice of prayer, were the foundations of her rules. They observed the original fast of eight months in the year, never using flesh, their habits being of the coarsest serge, and their couches only of straw. Entire seclusion from the outer world, with almost perpetual silence, was observed. Their prime and sole object was, that by their prayers and penitential lives, they might the more securely obtain their own salvation, and that of others. The very exemplary lives of the nuns in this little convent of St. Joseph made it a very paradise on earth, since all followed the good example of their directress. Four years after the erection of St. Joseph's monastery, its good fruits became so apparent to the Gen. eral of Order, John Baptist, of Ravenna, that he empowered St. Teresa to found other convents on the same plan throughout the country.

to trust in divine providence for its ac-discharge of her new duties she displayed complishment. The approbation of the her usual prudence and self-sacrificing provincial of the Carmelite order was also spirit, introducing the primitive rules of received. But no sooner had the project the order, in all their austerity and rigidbecome publicly known, than the clamors raised against it by the people, the magistrates and many of the religious, became so furious, that the provincial was obliged to withdraw his approval, and thus the laudable project which Teresa had so much at heart, appears to be frustrated in the very outset. On account of this attempted movement on the part of the Saint, prompted no doubt by the purest intentions, she suffered great calumnies, but with her accustomed mildness and with entire resignation. Nor was she cast down in spirit, nor did she despair of her object being accomplished, since it rested wholly in the hands of Him who was all powerful. While once in prayer, our Lord addressed her in these words: "Since thou desirest a cross, a heavy one is prepared for you; decline it not, for I will support thee; go courageously and speedily." Understanding the meaning of this, the Saint at once set out for Avila. On her arrival there, a brief was received from the Pope for the erection of the new convent. By several eminent and holy men, among whom was St. Peter of Alcantara, the bishop of Avila was induced to concur in the project, and the new monastery of St. Joseph was established by his authority, and was placed under his direction, St. Bartholomew's day, 1562. Immediately after the erection of St. Joseph's the people again raised the cry of indignation against the Saint, threatening to demolish the new monastery, and she was sent back to the monastery of the Incarnation.

She was only too ready to embrace such an opportunity of doing good, and thus continued for the space of fifteen years, with untiring perseverance to adorn the principal towns of Spain with these noble institutions. In Toledo, Valadolid, Salamanca, Seville and numerous other towns of the country, might be seen those noble monuments, testifying her great love for God and her fellowcreatures.

In the erection of most of these the Saint met with the greatest possible opposition, but by her patience and prayers But ere the close of the same year her she overcame all difficulties. Through intentions becoming better known and ap- her ardent zeal for the conversion of sinpreciated, Teresa was permitted to return ners she also sought and obtained perto her new monastery, where she was by mission to establish convents for religious the bishop appointed prioress. In the men. Teresa lived to see her reformed

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