-
She was one of ten children and had a strict father. When she was 5 she ran away with her brother to become a martyr but her uncle stopped her. When she was 14 her mother died.
-
After her mother's death, her father sent her to study in the convent because he thought she was getting into a lot of trouble. She left the convent after 18 months because she became ill.
During her illness, her uncle introduced her to the letters of St Jerome which brought her closer to God. -
She ran away from home, against her father's will, and decided to join a Carmelite convent.
-
When she had malaria, she went to a doctor who treated her but the treatment only made her worse. When she was sick she decided to pray a mental prayer every day.
-
She returned home, was in a coma for four days and couldn't walk for three years. Her illness prevented her from praying which made her believe that she was a sinner and did not deserve to ask God for anything. At the age of 41, a priest convinced her to start praying again.
-
She was able to walk again and thanked St Joseph for helping her.
-
In hospital, she experienced some visions of Christ but also some visions of hell but the nurses didnt believe her. Her superiors told her that her visions were from the devil and many around her would make fun of her.
-
During her counter-reformation, she faced many obstacles but with the help of Jesus, she established numerous convents and wrote a few books which included her life story.
-
Her Carmelite elders opposed her reforms and told her to stop founding new convents.
-
After pleading to King Phillip the 2nd and Pope Gregory the 13th, she was allowed to continue work.
-
St. Teresa died at the age of 67 in the arms of her close friend and secretary, Bl. Anne of St. Bartholomew.
-
St Teresa of Avila was canonized by Pope Gregory the 15th. She is the patron saint of people who suffer from headaches.
