Feast Day: October 15

Teresa de Ahumada was born at Avila in Spain in 1515. She entered the Carmelites and made great progress in the way of perfection and was granted mystical revelations. Wishing to share in the spiritual renewal of the Church of her time, she began to live her religious life more ardently and soon attracted many companions, to whom she was like a mother. She also helped in the reform of the friars, and in this had to endure great trials. She wrote books which are renowned for their depth of doctrine and which showed her own spiritual experiences. She died at Alba in 1582. St. Teresa of Avila has been declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970. She shares this title with only two other female Saints- St. Catherine of Siena and St. Therese of Lisieux.

Devotional Prayer:

Father, by your spirit you raised up St. Teresa of Avila to show your Church the way to perfection.

May her inspired teaching awaken in us a longing for true holiness.

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

Amen.

Learn more about books on St. Teresa by clicking: http://www.icspublications.org