St Teresa of Avila

In Castilian Spain, Teresa was born to a wealthy family and educated in an Augustinian convent.

Eschewing marriage, she entered the Carmelites in 1536.

She began to practice contemplative prayer during a long illness, and grew dissatisfied with the bigness and worldly distractions of her convent.

After a “second conversion” in 1555, she founded the reform-minded Discalced Carmelites and wrote several books.

For her contribution to mystical theology and Christian spirituality, Teresa was named a doctor of the church in 1970.

Text: Catholic News Service, Image: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain