Meeting With a Mother in Rome

“Encuentro con una madre en Roma” is a personal reflection written by Bishop Silvio José Báez, O.C.D., auxiliary bishop of Managua. First published online on 5 October 2018 by Confidencial—an award-winning independent Nicaraguan media outlet—and later on 10 October by Religión Digital, the piece recalls his encounter with President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro during her visit to Rome in the 1990s. Carmelite Quotes is honored to offer this original English translation with the bishop’s kind permission. Doña Violeta was born in Rivas, Nicaragua, on 18 October 1929, and died in exile in San José, Costa Rica, on 14 June 2025.

In the mid-1990s, while I was in Rome pursuing my doctorate in Sacred Scripture, Doña Violeta, then President of the Republic, came on a visit to the Eternal City. Through the Nicaraguan Embassy to the Holy See, she graciously invited the few Nicaraguan priests studying there to meet with her. She welcomed us at the door of the embassy with a warm smile and a big hug:

“How lovely to see you, my beautiful boys!” she said. “It makes me so happy to see you! Come in!” Then, turning to some of the embassy staff, she added, “Go on, bring the fathers a little Coke and a piece of cake.”

We had come to visit the president of our country—but what we found was a mother. We were expecting formal diplomatic protocol—but there was none, only warm and human hospitality. A couple of hours passed in simple, friendly conversation with her about the situation in Nicaragua and the challenges of her presidency. But she also asked about what clearly mattered deeply to her: how our studies were going, what needs we had in Rome, how our families were doing, and more.

It was an unforgettable meeting.

I understood then that Nicaragua—wounded by years of war and suffering, authoritarianism and poverty—was now in the hands of a mother. The country needed peace and rebuilding, and that mother, a woman both gentle and strong, intelligent and unpretentious, was striving to make our society into a great family. She did what she could—and she did a great deal.

In the profound political and social crisis we are living through today, we feel such a deep need for her human style, her honest leadership, and her great ideals of peace and democracy.

Doña Violeta will live forever in the heart of God, whom she loved and worshipped. And she will always be remembered as an admirable protagonist of one of the most glorious chapters in Nicaragua’s history.

Thank you, Doña Violeta!

#BishopSilvioJoséBáez #Carmelite #DiscalcedCarmelite #Nicaragua #Rome #SilvioJBaez #VioletaChamorro

Quote of the day, 14 June: Peter-Thomas Rohrbach, ocd

“Go, return on your way through the desert to Damascus. And when you arrive you shall anoint Hazel to be king over Syria; and, you shall anoint Jehu the son of Namsi to be king over Israel. And Elisha, the son of Saphat of Abelmeula, you shall anoint to be prophet in your place” (Cf. 1 Kg 19:11-18).

The Lord had commissioned [Elijah on Mount Horeb] to anoint two kings and to select Elisha, whom he had never met, as his successor in the school of the prophets. Interestingly, Elijah did not accomplish the anointing of Hazael and Jehu during his lifetime: Elisha anointed Hazael, and he sent another one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu.

Elijah encountered Elisha for the first time on the return journey from Mount Horeb. Elisha was plowing a field when Elijah approached him, threw his mantle around him, and invited him to become a follower.

Elisha summoned his family and they killed the oxen and had a great feast, and when the meal was concluded the new prophet said his farewells and departed with Elijah. And thus was established that close friendship between the two men whom God had called to direct the activities of the prophets of Mount Carmel.

The Carmelite tradition makes frequent allusion to the double spirit which Elisha inherited from Elijah, interpreting it as a symbol of the prophetic vocation: the spirit of solitude and the spirit of prophetic preaching.

Elisha himself imbued his followers with this double spirit and his sons of the prophets were true disciples of Elijah. The exploits and adventures of Elisha and his sons of the prophets are related in 4 Kings [now known as 2 Kings], but it is difficult to follow the Elijahan tradition with any precision after the death of Elisha.

The Carmelites of the late Middle Ages stoutly defended the thesis that Elijah had actually founded an order and that his successors had lived on Mount Carmel in a line of unbroken succession throughout the Old Testament and New Testament eras. The Carmelite Constitutions of 1324 accordingly claim:

Therefore we state, in evidence of the truth, that since the time of the Prophets Elijah and Elisha who piously lived on Mount Carmel, holy fathers of the Ancient and New Testament, true lovers of the solitude of that mountain for the contemplation of heavenly things, have undoubtedly and worthily dwelt near the fountain of St. Elijah in holy penance, continuing a holy succession. Their successors, after the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, built a church there in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and they took Her name for title, and were consequently called by Apostolic privileges the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.

Peter-Thomas Rohrbach, o.c.d.

Chapter I, The birth of an Order (excerpts)

Note: The tradition that Elijah and Elisha founded a prophetic community on Mount Carmel—one that continued in unbroken succession through the Old and New Testaments—is affirmed in the earliest Carmelite legislation. This tradition helps to explain the Holy See’s decision to restore the memorial of Elisha to the Discalced Carmelite calendar in 2023.

Rohrbach, P 1966, 2015, Journey to Carith: The Sources and Story of the Discalced Carmelites, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Ruins of the first Carmelite monastery in the Wadi Es-Siah on Mount Carmel overlooking the Mediterranean. Image credit: Discalced Carmelites (Used by permission).

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
Have you ever visited Mount Carmel in the Holy Land? If so, what impressed you most about the experience?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#Carmelite #Elisha #MountCarmel #PeterThomasRohrbachOCD #tradition

16 May: Saint Simon Stock

May 16
SAINT SIMON STOCK
Religious

Optional Memorial

In the houses in the United Kingdom and Ireland: Memorial

Simon, an Englishman, died at Bordeaux in the mid-thirteenth century. He has been venerated in the Carmelite Order for his personal holiness and his devotion to Our Lady. A liturgical celebration in his honor was observed locally in the fifteenth century, and later extended to the whole Order.

From the Common of Holy Men (Religious)

OFFICE OF READINGS

The Second Reading

From the Flaming Arrow by Nicholas of France, Prior General
(Chapter 6)

I will lead her into the desert, and there I will speak to her heart

Was it not our Lord and Savior Who led us into the desert, as a mark of His favor, so that there He might speak to our hearts with special intimacy? It is not in public, not in the market place, not amid noise and bustle that He shows Himself to His friends for their consolation and reveals His secret mysteries to them, but behind closed doors.

To the solitude of the mountain did Abraham, unswerving in faith and discerning the issue from afar in hope, ascend at the Lord’s command, ready for obedience’s sake to sacrifice Isaac his son; under which mystery the passion of Christ—the true Isaac—lies hidden. To the solitude of the mountain was it too that Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was told to flee for his life in haste from Sodom.

In the solitude of Mount Sinai was the Law given to Moses, and there was he so clothed with light that when he came down from the mountain no one could look upon the brightness of his face.

In the solitude of Mary’s chamber, as she conversed with Gabriel, was the Word of the Father most high in very truth made flesh.

In the solitude of Mount Tabor it undoubtedly was, when it was His will to be transfigured, that God made man revealed His glory to His chosen intimates of the Old and New Testaments. To a mountain solitude did our Savior ascend alone in order to pray. In the solitude of the desert did He fast forty days and forty nights together, and there did He will to be tempted by the devil, so as to show us the most fitting place for prayer, penance, and victory over temptation.

Top the solitude of mountain or desert it was, then, that our Savior retired when He would pray; though we read that He came down from the mountain when He would preach to the people or manifest His works. He who planted our fathers in the solitude of the mountain thus gave Himself to them and their successors as a model, and desired them to write down His deeds, which are never empty of mystical meaning, as an example.

It was this rule of our Savior, as rule of utmost holiness, that some of our predecessors followed of old. They tarried long in the solitude of the desert conscious of their own imperfection. Sometimes however—though rarely—they came down from their desert, anxious, so as not to fail in what they regarded as their duty, to be of service to their neighbors, and sowed broadcast of the grain, threshed out in preaching, that they had so sweetly reaped in solitude with the sickle of contemplation.

Responsory

R/. O that I had wings like a dove, to fly away and be at rest; * so I would escape far away, and take refuge in the desert (alleluia).
V/. The world and its cravings pass away, but those who do God’s will stand firm for ever. * So I would escape far away, and take refuge in the desert (alleluia).

MORNING PRAYER

Canticle of Zechariah

Ant. The Lord is all that I have; the Lord is good to the soul that seeks Him (alleluia).

Prayer

Father,
You called St. Simon Stock to serve you
in the brotherhood of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
Through his prayers
help us like him to live in your presence
and to work for man’s salvation.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

EVENING PRAYER

Canticle of Mary

Ant. Where brethren are united in praising God, there the Lord will bestow His blessing (alleluia).

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.

#Carmelite #LiturgyOfTheHours #optionalMemorial #PriorGeneral #religious #scapular #StSimonStock

Marie du jour, 7 May: St. Teresa of the Andes

Carmel presents itself with all the attractions needed to fill my soul. Besides, Our Lord has manifested to me so many times that I am to become a Carmelite.

When I’m in prayer, Our Lord tells me that He has chosen me for that life which is so perfect and so filled with union with Himself because He loves me greatly among those chosen by his Divine Heart.

To Magdalene, He said, “You have chosen the better part,” although Martha served Him with love.

The Most Holy Virgin, my Mother, was a perfect Carmelite. She always lived contemplating her Jesus, suffering and loving Him.

Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes

Her Intimate Spiritual Diary, 47 (1919)

Griffin, M D & Teresa of the Andes, S 2021, God, The Joy of My Life: A Biography of Saint Teresa of the Andes With the Saint’s Spiritual Diary, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
How can I imitate Mary’s contemplative love—suffering and loving Jesus as she did?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#BlessedVirginMary #Carmelite #contemplation #love #perfection #silence #solitude #StTeresaOfTheAndes #suffering

4 May: Blesseds Angel Maria Prat Hostench, Lucas of St. Joseph Tristany Pujol, Priests, and Companions (Not observed in 2025)

May 4
BLESSEDS ANGEL MARIA PRAT HOSTENCH,
LUCAS OF ST. JOSEPH TRISTANY PUJOL, 
PRIESTS, AND COMPANIONS
Martyrs

Optional Memorial

In the houses in Spain:  Memorial

Carmel desired to bring together in one single memorial its own martyrs who, in different locations in Spain, bore witness during the long and bloody Civil War (1936-1939). Mentioned in this memorial are Father Angel Maria Prat Hostench, O. Carm., killed with his community in Tarrega in 1936, and Father Lucas of St. Joseph O.C.D., killed with his fellow friars in Barcelona, also in 1936. In this memorial, we also remember the groups from Lérida, Tarragona, Toledo, Olot, Terrasa, etc. The entire group of bishops, diocesan priests, religious from various orders, and laity was beatified partly (498 martyrs) by Benedict XVI on October 28, 2007, and partly (522 martyrs) by Francis on October 13, 2013.

From the Common of Several Martyrs

OFFICE OF READINGS

The Second Reading
From a letter by Saint Cyprian, bishop and martyr
(Ep. 6, 1–2: CSEL 3, 480–482)

I greet you, dearest brothers, and would like also to enjoy your company face to face, if only the conditions in which I find myself did not prevent my coming to see you. What could be more desirable or more joyful for me than to embrace you now, to be encircled by those pure and sinless hands that have kept the faith of the Lord and refused to offer sacrilegious worship?

What could be more pleasant, more sublime, than to kiss at this moment those lips of yours, which have given such glorious utterance in praise of the Lord; to be seen also by those eyes of yours, which have despised the world and proved themselves worthy of seeing God?

But, because there is no opportunity for my sharing this joy, I send this letter as my representative for your ears and eyes to hear and see. Through it I congratulate you, and at the same time urge you to persevere courageously and steadfastly in your witness to heavenly glory, and to continue with spiritual courage, now that you have entered on the way that the Lord has graciously opened up for you, until you receive the crown of victory. You have the Lord as your protector and guide, for he has said: Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.

How blessed is the prison honored by your presence, how blessed the prison that sends men of god to heaven! Darkness brighter than the sun  itself, more resplendent than this light of the world, for it is here that God’s temples are now established, and your limbs made holy by your praise of God.

Let nothing else be now in your hearts and minds except God’s commandments and the precepts of heaven: by their means the Holy Spirit has always inspired you to bear your sufferings. Let no one think of death, but only of immortality; let no one think of suffering that is for a time, but only of glory that is for eternity. It is written: Precious in the sight of God is the death of his holy ones. And again: A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit; a broken and humbled heart God does not despise.

Holy Scripture speaks also of the sufferings which consecrate God’s martyrs and sanctify them by the very testing of pain: Though in the eyes of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality. They will judge nations, and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them forever.

When, therefore, you recall that you will be judges and rulers with Christ the Lord, you must rejoice, despising present suffering for joy at what is to come. You know that from the beginning of the world it was so; justice is here oppressed in its conflict with the world, for at the very outset Abel the just is killed, and after him the just, and those sent as prophets and apostles.

The Lord himself is an example of all this in his own person. He teaches us that only those who have followed him along his way arrive at his kingdom: He who loves his life in this world, will lose it. And he who hates his life in this world, will save it for eternal life. And again he says: Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; fear rather him who can kill both body and soul and send them to hell.

Paul too admonishes us, that as we desire to gain the Lord’s promises we must imitate the Lord in all things. We are God’s children, he tells us. If children, we are also heirs of God, and coheirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

Responsory

R/. We are warriors now, fighting on the battlefield of faith, and God sees all we do; the angels watch and so does Christ. * What honor and glory and joy, to do battle in the presence of God, and to have Christ approve our victory (alleluia).
V/. Let us arm ourselves in full strength and prepare ourselves for the ultimate struggle with blameless hearts, true faith and unyielding courage. * What honor and glory and joy, to do battle in the presence of God, and to have Christ approve our victory (alleluia).

Prayer

Almighty God,
you gave your blessed Carmelite martyrs of Spain
the grace to confront death
so to confess your word and bear witness to Jesus;
grant us the power of the Holy Spirit
to remain steadfast in the faith
and strong in the confession of your name.

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

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.

#BlessedAngelMariaPratHostench #BlessedLucasOfStJosephTristanyPujol #Carmelite #DiscalcedCarmelite #friars #Liturgy #martyrs #SpanishCivilWar

17 April: Blessed Baptist Spagnoli (Not observed in 2025)

April 17
BLESSED BAPTIST SPAGNOLI
Priest

Optional Memorial

Born in Mantua on April 17th, 1447, as a youth Baptist joined the Carmelites of the Congregation of Mantua at Ferrara. He made his religious profession in 1464 and served in many positions of responsibility in the community; he was vicar general of his congregation six times, and in 1513 was elected prior general of the whole Order. In his own time, he was a renowned humanist ‘who brought his richly varied poetry into the service of Christ.” He used his friendships with scholars as an opportunity of encouraging them to live a Christian life. He died in Mantua on March 20th, 1516.

From the Common of Holy Men (Religious)

Office of Readings

The Second Reading

From the treatise of Blessed Baptist Spagnoli “On Patience”

We draw hope from the consolation of scripture

You will find that the reading of sacred scripture is a great and powerful remedy against bodily suffering and depression of mind. In my opinion, there is no other writing, no matter how eloquent and stylish it may be, that can bring such peace to our minds and so thoroughly dissolve our cares as sacred scripture can.

I speak from personal experience: for there have been times when I was beset with anxieties, the worst of which came from the experience of my own weakness, and if on such occasions I sought relief in the scriptures, the hopes, and desires that led me there were never disappointed. The word of scripture proved to be a solid bulwark against my anxieties and a relief to my troubled spirit.

I have often wondered why the scriptures have this persuasive power, why they have such a powerful effect of those who listen to them, and why they lead us to the commitment of faith and not to the mere forming of opinion. This response of faith does not happen because of a reasoning process, because scripture does not offer one; and it is not a matter of literary style or artistic merit, because scripture does not use these devices; nor does it use soft words to persuade us.

The real reason that scripture has this persuasive power is that it comes from First Truth. Surely there can be no other explanation for such conviction. It seems as though scripture has an inherent authority that compels us to believe. But on what base does this authority rest? None of us has seen God preaching, writing, teaching — and yet we believe as though we had seen, and realize that what we read comes from the Holy Spirit. One reason for believing may well be that the truth contained in scripture is very solid truth, even though it is not as clear as we might wish. All truth has an inherent power to win our acceptance: the greater the truth, the greater its power.

So why is it, then, that not all believe the good news? My reply is that not all are drawn by God. However, there is no point in arguing further. We believe in sacred scripture to the degree that we accept in our hearts God’s divine inspiration.

Responsory

R/. Your decrees give me joy, * a joy beyond all wealth (alleluia).
V/. In Your statutes I find delight; I will not forget Your word, * a joy beyond all wealth (alleluia).

Canticle of Zechariah

Ant. The mouth of a virtuous man is a fountain of life: his lips enlighten many (alleluia).

Prayer

Lord God,
You made Our Lady’s faithful servant,
Blessed Baptist Spagnoli,
a preacher of Your Gospel by word and example.
Through His prayers
may we ponder Your word in Mary’s company
and praise You with her by the way we live.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Canticle of Mary

Ant. Your statutes have been my songs in the place of my exile; they are the delight of my heart (alleluia).

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.

Featured image: This portrait of Blessed Baptist Spagnoli is attributed to Antonio Maria Crespi. The oil on canvas painting dates to the period 1613–1621 and forms part of the art collection at the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan. Image credit: Pinacoteca Ambrosiana (Public domain)

#BlessedBaptistSpagnoli #Carmelite #Liturgy #Mantua #optionalMemorial #priest

Happy Birthday, Blessed Chiquitunga ✨️ #birthday #Carmelite #100years

Quote of the day, 7 January: St. Teresa of the Andes

Mommy, there’s no need to worry, since I’m always on vacation with Jesus. Besides, from Christmas, the 25th until January 6, we had several recreation days which we might call a Carmelite’s vacation time.

Nevertheless, Mommy, nothing seems to distract a soul that’s searching for God alone. I myself am shocked when I see my indifference over what had previously filled me with enthusiasm. My only happiness now is to live for my Jesus alone. In Him I find everything my soul desires in an infinite degree.

I never tire, Mommy dear, of thanking God for having chosen me for Himself, despite my sinfulness; and may the vocation of your Carmelite always help you to love and praise Him more.

Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes

Letter 157 to her mother
18 January 1920

Griffin, M D & Teresa of the Andes, S 2023, The Letters of Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: The Andes mountains are always a stunning view in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. The Cuernos del Paine are one of the features that await tourists to the nation’s Southern Patagonia region. Image credit: Adobe Stock (Stock photo)

#Carmelite #Jesus #recreation #StTeresaOfTheAndes #vocation #monasticLife #happiness #GodAlone #Christmas

Quote of the day, 12 December: Camilo Maccise, ocd

Carmel looks upon Mary as Mother, Patroness, Sister and Model, the last being particularly associated with the understanding of Mary as the Most Pure Virgin. These are not just titles or devotional themes. In some way they reflect the experience of the Carmelite Orders over many centuries. We invite all Carmelites to look again at the testimony of those who have gone before us and ponder how these riches might be shared among ourselves and with the wider community.

Carmelite saints have all taken up this theme of Mary as mother. St. Thérèse of Lisieux memorably stated: “She is more Mother than Queen.” For many centuries the Carmelite liturgy has shown special affection for the Gospel scene at the foot of the Cross (Jn 19:25-27) where Mary, “became the Mother of all, associated with the offering of her Son and given to all people when Jesus Himself gave Her to the beloved disciple”.

Seeing Mary as Mother we are encouraged to reflect on our relationship with her: she cares for us as Mother; we love and respect her as sons and daughters. Moreover, in viewing Mary as our Mother, we are pointed towards her Divine Son in whose allegiance we live. From early times the Fathers of the Church have seen that a correct Mariology serves to guarantee a correct Christology.

Our vision of Mary as Mother and Beauty of Carmel can be an important offering to the whole Church. Over a quarter of a century ago, Pope Paul VI invited theologians to look at the way of beauty as an authentic approach to Mary. In a world with so much distress and ugliness, we are invited to look upwards and to relax in the contemplation of Mary’s beauty, for she is God’s “sign of favour to the Church at its beginning, and the promise of its perfection as the bride of Christ, radiant in beauty” [Speech to the Mariological and Marian Congresses, 16 May 1975].

Camilo Maccise, O.C.D.
Joseph Chalmers, O.Carm.

Letter on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the Carmelite scapular

#BlessedVirginMary #CamiloMaccise #Carmelite #JosephChalmers #Mariology #MotherOfGod #StThereseOfLisieux #VirgenDeGuadalupe

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

Do not fear because they are many, nor because of the threats they make with their gestures and clamor, for it is all just a bit of wind, which will soon pass.

Saint Nuno of Saint Mary

Saint Nuno of Saint Mary, once known as the renowned military leader Nuno Alvares Pereira, embraced a life of humility and service, leaving behind the glories of earthly renown. Celebrated for his courage and decisive role in securing Portugal’s independence, Saint Nuno ultimately heard a higher call. This post reflects on his journey from battlefield hero to Carmelite friar, exemplifying the transformative power of faith.

Born in 1360, Nuno Alvares Pereira became a pivotal figure in Portugal’s struggle to safeguard its independence from Castile. His leadership at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385 not only ensured Portugal’s freedom but also established his legacy as a noble and valiant defender of his homeland. Despite the wealth and titles bestowed upon him, Nuno’s heart remained anchored in faith, attuned to the true source of strength and peace.

In his later years, Nuno began to sense an invitation to a deeper communion with God—a call that beckoned him beyond the victories of the battlefield. At 63, he took the courageous step of renouncing his titles, distributing his wealth to those in need, and entering the Carmelite Order as Brother Nuno of Saint Mary. Within the silence and simplicity of the cloister, he found a lasting peace that transcended his worldly accomplishments, dedicating himself wholly to prayer, penance, and humble service.

Saint Nuno’s life is a profound testament to the Christian paradox: that true greatness is found not in power, but in surrender to God’s will. His journey from warrior to humble friar invites us to reflect on our own attachments and to seek the grace to respond freely to God’s call, wherever it may lead. Saint Nuno’s legacy endures as an example of how the heights of worldly glory pale in comparison to the life hidden in Christ.

Discover more about Saint Nuno in our latest podcast episode, Saint Nuno: Fabled Hero, Humble Friar. Join us as we reflect on the depths of humility and strength that define a life dedicated to God.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUcM5gBMWpU

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/11/06/s2-ep30-nuno/

#Carmelite #friar #heroic #humility #military #Podcast #Portugal #StNunoÁlvaresPereira #StNunoOfStMary

Today's Flickr photo with the most hits: the nativity scene in the Carmelite Church, Mdina, Malta.

#NativityScene #carmelite #church #malta #mdina

The following account draws upon the 1865 biography of Blessed Frances d’Amboise, authored by Cardinal François-Marie-Benjamin Richard, then Archbishop of Paris, and accessed via Google Books (Richard 1865). We have translated and adapted portions of the text to bring our readers closer to the life of this noblewoman-turned-Carmelite, whose heroic virtues shine forth as an example of divine grace at work. May her journey inspire us to seek, as she did, only the glory of God.

The life of Blessed Frances d’Amboise (1427–1485) reveals the transformative power of God’s call, guiding her from the corridors of French nobility into the contemplative silence of Carmel. Her path—marked by sacrifice, steadfast love, and uncompromising faith—leads us into the mystery of divine providence, which drew her from earthly privilege to an eternal legacy of holiness.

Early Life and Noble Responsibilities

Born in 1427 to Louis d’Amboise, Viscount of Thouars, Frances was destined for a life within the elite circles of French nobility. At only four years old, she was betrothed to Pierre, the young Count of Guingamp and second son of the Duke of Brittany, a match arranged to unite powerful families. Though raised with every comfort, Frances exhibited a remarkable virtue, marked by gentleness, modesty, and an attraction to prayer—qualities that would distinguish her as a young noblewoman and prepare her for God’s future designs.

Marriage, Suffering, and Sacred Vow

At the tender age of fifteen, Frances married Pierre, a union that quickly became a crucible of suffering. Pierre, afflicted by jealousy and a violent temper, subjected Frances to severe trials. One day, in a fit of rage, he struck her so harshly that she was left bleeding. Yet Frances, filled with the spirit of charity, responded with words that could only have been inspired by divine grace:

“My friend, believe that I would rather die than offend my God, or you. My sins deserve an even harsher punishment than this.”

Her heart, utterly devoted to God, became a vessel for His love even in the face of injustice.

This period of suffering deepened her spirituality, and she sought refuge in prayer. Feeling called to make a more perfect offering of herself, Frances resolved to make a vow of perpetual chastity. One day, before receiving Holy Communion, she knelt at the altar and declared:

“From this moment, I vow to God and to the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel to live in chastity, never to marry, and, if God so wills, to become a religious, that I may live in perpetual continence.”

At that very moment, witnesses recounted a loud thunderclap, and the church trembled as if heaven itself had rejoiced at her offering. As the frightened congregation fled, Frances remained, alone with her Lord. In this sacred vow, she consecrated herself entirely to God and began her lifelong journey of union with God.

Widowhood and the Call to Religious Life

After Pierre’s death in 1450, Frances embraced her widowhood as a state of profound prayer, fasting, and charity. Inspired by holy widows such as St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Hedwig of Silesia, and Blessed Mary of the Incarnation (the widow of Pierre Acarie), she served her community and sought a deeper relationship with Christ. Her heart, wholly dedicated to God, drew her to the religious life. She sought to join the Poor Clares, but her health proved too frail for their strict observances.

Undeterred, Frances continued to seek God’s will, and it was during this period that she met Father John Soreth, then the Carmelite prior general. Father Soreth, discerning her spiritual depth, suggested that she consider the Carmelite life. With this encounter, God’s design for Frances became clear: she would establish a Carmelite convent in Brittany, bringing the spirit of Carmel to her homeland. Her dream was to create a sanctuary of prayer and contemplation, dedicated to the glory of God and the service of His people.

Miraculous Deliverance and Determined Faith

Her decision to found a Carmelite convent met fierce opposition from family and royalty alike. King Louis XI, persistent in his efforts to remarry her into a politically advantageous alliance, resorted to threats and ultimately ordered her abduction. But when her captors arrived, Frances warned them with courage:

“Do your worst. I know that if you try to take me by force, I’ll cry out so loudly that all of Nantes will come to my aid.”

In a miraculous intervention, God thwarted their plans when the Loire River froze solid, making escape by water impossible. Seeing divine protection at work, Frances declared to her companions:

“Have you not seen how God has worked a miracle in our favor! How good He is to those who place their trust in Him and not in the children of men! He deserves to be loved and served!”

Her escape reaffirmed her resolve to live entirely for God, and she continued undeterred in her mission.

Eventually, with perseverance and trust, Frances obtained the necessary permissions, receiving approval from Duke François II and Pope Pius II in 1460. Her new Carmelite monastery would be a place of contemplation and devotion, a beacon of spiritual renewal for Brittany.

Founding the Carmel of the Three Marys

In 1463, Frances’ dream was fulfilled. Nine Carmelite nuns from Liège arrived in Vannes to establish the Monastery of the Three Marys, dedicated to the holy women who accompanied Christ at the tomb: Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome, and Mary, the mother of James. Frances humbly welcomed the sisters, even serving them in the refectory and choosing to live in a separate building outside the enclosure to respect their contemplative life.

Though she had not yet taken the Carmelite habit, Frances lived as one of them. She joined them in choir to chant the Divine Office, took her meals with the sisters, and even sought the counsel of elder nuns on matters of governance. She exemplified the Carmelite ideal of humility and obedience, considering herself not a foundress but a servant among the spouses of Christ.

A Legacy of Faith and Perseverance

The legacy of Blessed Frances d’Amboise is one of extraordinary grace, courage, and devotion. She endured suffering in marriage, opposition from kings, and countless challenges, yet her heart remained ever-fixed on God. She lived out her vow with a love that embraced both suffering and service, transforming Brittany with her example and establishing a Carmel that would bless generations to come.

Her life testifies that holiness is born of fidelity to God’s will and trust in His providence. Frances’ journey—from noble privilege to Carmelite simplicity—invites us all to seek God alone, finding in Him our true joy, our purpose, and our ultimate rest.

https://youtu.be/mHD9dgw2LzI

Richard de la Vergne, F 1865, Vie de la Bienheureuse Françoise d’Amboise: Duchesse de Bretagne et Religieuse Carmélite, Tome I, V. Forest et E. Grimaud, Nantes, accessed via Google Books.

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

Featured image: Blessed Frances d’Amboise is featured in a painting at Stella Maris Church on Mount Carmel at Haifa, Israel. In the background, we see the 13th-century chateau of the Dukes of Brittany in Nantes, France. Image credit: aterrom (Chateau de Nantes), zatletic (Blessed Frances) / Adobe Express (Stock photography)

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/11/05/francoisebio/

#biography #BlessedFrancesDAmboise #BlessedJohnSoreth #Carmelite #DuchessOfBrittany #founder #miracles #patience #prayer #suffering #virtues

Blessed Frances d’Amboise left a life of nobility to serve God as a Carmelite. Her story is one of faith, courage, and generosity. #Carmelite

http://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/11/05/francoisebio/

November 6
SAINT NUNO OF ST. MARY
Religious

Optional Memorial
In the houses in Portugal, Memorial

Nuno was born in 1360 and fought for many years as a soldier for the independence of Portugal. After his wife’s death, he entered the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as a brother in the house he had founded in Lisbon and took the name of Nuno of Saint Mary (1423). He died there in 1431, after distinguishing himself by his prayer, penance, and filial devotion to the Mother of God.

From the common of holy men (religious)

Office of Readings

Second Reading

From the Exhortation on the Carmelite Rule by Blessed John Soreth

(Tex. 15, c. 6: ed. Paris 1625, pp. 195-97)

The helmet of hope and the sword of salvation

On your head set the helmet of salvation, and so be sure of deliverance by our only Savior, who sets his own free from their sins. The helmet of salvation is hope, which looks forward to eternal salvation; and it is called the helmet of salvation because, just as the helmet is the uppermost piece of a soldier’s armor, worn on the head, so hope is the uppermost of the virtues, always facing upwards and sighing for the joys of heaven. Of salvation means that hope obtains what it longs for: salvation; or rather, just as the shield of faith is faith itself, the helmet of salvation is salvation—Jesus Christ himself—for salvation is from the Lord, and we are to hope for salvation from our only Savior. The remembrance of, or longing for, his lasting salvation is the headpiece of our minds, which makes us safe against any blows the evil one can deal us.

But it is better to be armed for attack than for mere defense. This is why the Rule adds: The sword of the spirit, the word of God, must abound in your mouths and hearts; let whatever you do have the Lord’s word for accompaniment. The pieces of armor we have been considering, the breastplate of holiness, the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation, will keep you safe enough from ever giving into the devil or any of his minions; but there is another weapon which will enable you to subdue him completely with his whole horde and his works. This is the sword of the spirit, that spiritual blade, the word of God. There are four reasons why the word of God is called the sword of the spirit: first, it is made by the Holy Spirit, for it is not you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Second, it slays our spiritual foes as Isaiah says: With the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Third, it divides spirit from flesh as we find in the Letter to the Hebrews: The word of God is living and active, piercing to the division of soul and spirit. Fourth, it wounds and penetrates our innermost spiritual parts, which is why it is compared to sharp arrows in the Psalms: A warrior’s sharp arrows.

The temptations our enemy subjects us to may be cruel, but far more cruel to him is a text from the word of God. And if armor and weapons are not defense enough for us and we feel the need of rations, we need not think we have been left without supplies; God’s word is our provision. Though an army encamp against me and temptation lays siege, I will trust in the word of my God, the sword of the spirit, and it will bring me easy victory. Then I can wash my hands, knowing that he has prepared a table before me that I may not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, and in the strength of that food I shall run with our father Elijah to the mountain of God by way of his commandments. That is why the Rule adds: The word of God must abound in your mouths in preaching, and in your hearts in meditation. Just as our Order’s patroness the Blessed Virgin Mary kept all these words in her heart, so must they abound in your hearts by meditation, and in your mouths by instruction. It is by your Rule then brothers, and from the Order’s first institution that you are bidden to preach the word of God like our father Elijah whose word burned like a torch; after his example let the word of God abound in your mouths and hearts, and let all you do, whatever it may be, have the Lord’s word for accompaniment.

Responsory

Romans 13:13, 14; Psalm 119:105

R./ Cast aside the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, * the Lord Jesus Christ
V./ Your word is a lamp for our feet, and a light on our path, * the Lord Jesus Christ

Morning Prayer

Canticle of Zechariah

Ant. The Lord is my inheritance; he is good to those who seek him

Prayer

Lord God,
you called Saint Nuno Alvares Pereira
to put aside his sword and follow Christ
under the patronage of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Through his prayers may we too deny ourselves,
and devote ourselves to you with all our hearts.

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. Our faith is the victorious power that overcomes the world

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.

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/11/05/nunolit24/

#Carmelite #LiturgyOfTheHours #Memorial #optionalMemorial #Portugal #religious #StNunoAlvaresPereira

November 5
BLESSED FRANCES D’AMBOISE
Religious

Optional Memorial

Frances was born in 1427, probably in Thouars in France. She was the wife of Peter II, Duke of Britanny. After his death, and under the direction of Blessed John Soreth, the prior general, she took the habit of the Order in the monastery she had previously founded in Bondon. Afterward, she transferred to another foundation in Nantes, also erected by her, where she held the office of prioress and nourished the sisters with wise teaching. She is considered the foundress of the Carmelite nuns in France. She died in 1485.

From the Common of Holy Women (Religious)

Office of Readings

The Second Reading
From the Exhortations of Blessed Frances d’Amboise to her nuns

How trials bring strength

Whatever the troubles and difficulties that weigh you down, bear them all patiently and keep in mind that these are the things which constitute your cross. Offer your help to the Lord and carry the cross with him in gladness of heart. There is always something to be endured, and if you refuse one cross, be sure that you will meet with another, and maybe a heavier one. If we trust in God and rely on his help, we shall overcome the allurements of vice. We must never let our efforts flag nor our steps grow weary, but must keep our hearts under steady discipline.

Consider the afflictions and great trials which the holy Fathers endured in the desert. And yet the interior trials they suffered were far more intense than the physical penances they inflicted on their own bodies. One who is never tried acquires little virtue. Accept then whatever God wills to send, for any suffering he permits is entirely for our good. Christ assures us in the Gospel, “Who wishes to follow me must deny himself. He must be forgetful of self; he must regard himself as nothing; he must despise himself and desire to be despised by others.”

This attitude derives from Our Lord’s command that we are to take up his cross and follow him. We are to accept sufferings of mind and body for love of him, just as he bore his sufferings for love of us. It is true that the Jews lifted the cross from our Savior’s shoulders, but this was out of concern lest he die from blows and exhaustion before reaching the place where he was to be crucified. And when they laid the weight on Simon’s shoulders he submitted most unwillingly, even though aware that he was not destined to die on the cross he carried. Christ, by contrast, willingly and gladly carried his cross and died upon it, breathing forth his soul at last into his Father’s hands. Let us follow him and imitate all he did.

You have various afflictions which constitute your cross. Bear them willingly to the very end, when you will finally yield your soul to God. Give him praise and thanks for calling you to his service. Scorn no one, for it is God’s will that you love each one of your neighbors as you do those of your own community. Strive to curb all unruly instincts within you. To this end, try one remedy today and another tomorrow, so that gradually you will subdue your unruly impulses, and when the Lord sees your goodwill and your perseverance, he will give you the support of his grace, enabling you to sustain to the end the burdens of religious life. Through his love, nothing will be too difficult for you to bear.

Responsory

R/. If our Lord allows us to suffer, this is a sign that he loves us and wishes to draw us to himself. * This is a great honor for us.
V/. The straight path which leads to heaven is the cross; it is the main door. * This is a great honor for us.

Prayer

God our Father,
you called Blessed Frances d’Amboise
to seek your kingdom in this world
by serving Jesus Christ and his Blessed Mother.
With her prayers to give us courage,
help us to go forward with joyful hearts
in the way of love.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

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.

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/10/28/amboiselit24/

#BlessedFrancesDAmboise #Carmelite #founder #France #Liturgy #nuns #optionalMemorial #religious

4 Oct 1582: d. St. Teresa of Avila #Carmelite mystic & reformer at #Salamanca #otd on the night #Spain moved from 4 Oct to 15 Oct - her feast set by the change to the Gregorian calendar.

Some regarded it as an extra miracle granted to avoid a clash with St Francis.

At Mass in Brussels, Pope Francis beatified Blessed Anne of Jesus, praising her witness of holiness through poverty, prayer, and charity. #Beatification #Carmelite

http://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/09/29/beatific-anne/

With every passing day, Rev. Father, I love our Lord more and I unite myself more to Him in everything. All I do is directed to Him with love, since this is the strength that enables me do even things for which I feel the greatest repugnance.

In prayer I have greater fervor, so that sometimes I spend twenty minutes completely immersed in Him, as if in a great ocean, where I lose myself and at other times, as though drawn by His immensity. Then I feel a great desire to be united with Him.

Oh, how good Our Lord is! At each moment it seems I can touch and hold Him close to my heart. So close to Him do I feel that at times, when my eyes are closed, I imagine I’ll see Him when I open them.

Still, Rev. Father, don’t think that everything is joy. I’m in such an atrocious state of doubt that I don’t even know how to make a decision as to whether I should become a Carmelite or a Sacred Heart Sister. That’s why I’m searching for light.

You, Rev. Father, know me well. Since I’ve allowed you to read everything in my soul, you will be able to advise me. I only want to do God’s will.

A Carmelite needs to be united to God and completely filled with Him, but she keeps this spirit; while a Sacred Heart Sister must be filled with God and give Him to souls. She, therefore, needs greater union; for, if she doesn’t possess it, she’ll remain without God and will have nothing to give to souls.

But what terrifies me, Rev. Father, is that I don’t remain united to God when dealing a great deal with creatures. For I’ve learned from experience that by dealing a little more with them, I grow colder in my love for God.

I also think that Our Lord has very clearly made known to me that I should become a Carmelite, even though I don’t know any Carmelites. But I believe this because I’ve already read the Life of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus.

What I’m perfectly sure of is, that ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to join a very austere community and have no dealings with the world.

Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes

Letter 45 to Father José Blanch, C.M.F. (excerpts)
13 December 1918

Griffin, M D & Teresa of the Andes, S 2023, The Letters of Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: The Andes mountains are always a stunning view in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. The Cuernos del Paine are one of the features that await tourists to the nation’s Southern Patagonia region. Image credit: Adobe Stock (Stock photo)

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/09/22/andes-ltr45/

#autobiography #Carmelite #cloisteredLife #discernment #SacredHeart #spiritualDirection #StTeresaOfTheAndes #StThérèseOfLisieux #unionWithGod #vocation

August 9
SAINT TERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS STEIN
Virgin and Martyr

Memorial
In houses in Europe: Patroness of Europe, Feast

Edith Stein was born to a Jewish family at Breslau on October 12, 1891. Through her passionate study of philosophy, she searched after truth and found it in reading the autobiography of Saint Teresa of Jesus. In 1922 she was baptized a Catholic and in 1933 she entered the Carmel of Cologne, where she took the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She was gassed and cremated at Auschwitz on August 9, 1942, during the Nazi persecution, and died a martyr for the Christian faith after having offered her holocaust for the people of Israel. A woman of singular intelligence and learning, she left behind a body of writing notable for its doctrinal richness and profound spirituality. She was beatified by Saint John Paul II at Cologne on May 1, 1987 and canonized in Rome on October 11, 1998. On October 1, 1999 Saint John Paul II proclaimed Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross a Co-Patroness of Europe.

From the common of martyrs or of virgins

THE SECOND READING

(Edith Stein Werke (Freiburg, 1987), 11:124-126)

From the spiritual writings of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Ave Crux, spes unica!

We greet you, Holy Cross, our only hope! The church puts these words on our lips during the time of the passion, which is dedicated to the contemplation of the bitter sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world is in flames. The struggle between Christ and antichrist rages openly, and so if you decide for Christ you can even be asked to sacrifice your life.

Contemplate the Lord who hangs before you on the wood, because he was obedient even to the death of the cross. He came into the world not to do his own will but that of the Father. And if you wish to be the spouse of the Crucified, you must renounce completely your own will and have no other aspiration than to do the will of God.

Before you, the Redeemer hangs on the cross stripped and naked, because he chose poverty. Those who would follow him must renounce every earthly possession.

Stand before the Lord who hangs from the cross with his heart torn open. He poured out the blood of his heart in order to win your heart. In order to follow him in holy chastity, your heart must be free from every earthly aspiration. Jesus Crucified must be the object of your every longing, of your every desire, of your every thought.

The world is in flames: the fire can spread even to our house, but above all the flames the cross stands on high, and it cannot be burnt. The cross is the way which leads from earth to heaven. Those who embrace it with faith, love, and hope are taken up, right into the heart of the Trinity.

The world is in flames: do you wish to put them out? Contemplate the cross: from his open heart, the blood of the Redeemer pours, blood which can put out even the flames of hell. Through the faithful observance of the vows, you make your heart open; and then the floods of that divine love will be able to flow into it, making it overflow and bear fruit to the furthest reaches of the earth.

Through the power of the cross, you can be present wherever there is pain, carried there by your compassionate charity, by that very charity which you draw from the divine heart. That charity enables you to spread everywhere the most precious blood in order to ease pain, save and redeem.

The eyes of the Crucified gaze upon you. They question you and appeal to you. Do you wish seriously to renew your alliance with him? What will your response be? Lord, where shall I go? You alone have the words of life. Ave Crux, spes unica!

RESPONSORY

R./ We preach Christ Crucified, a scandal to the Jews and foolishness to the pagans, * but for those who are called, whether they be Jews or Greeks, we preach Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.
V./ The desire of my heart and my prayer rises to God for their salvation; * but for those who are called, whether they be Jews or Greeks, we preach Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.

PRAYER

Lord, God of our fathers,
you brought Saint Teresa Benedicta
to the fullness of the science of the cross
at the hour of her martyrdom.
Fill us with that same knowledge;
and, through her intercession,
allow us always to seek after you, the supreme truth,
and to remain faithful until death
to the covenant of love ratified in the blood of your Son
for the salvation of all men and women.

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

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.

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/08/07/edithlit24/

#Carmelite #CoPatronessOfEurope #LiturgyOfTheHours #martyr #Memorial #StEdithStein #StTeresaBenedictaOfTheCross #virgin