Saint Teresa of Avila is a saint ordained by God for the renewal of the Carmelite Church. She joined the church at a time when the code of conduct of the church was being greatly undermined. But she was ignited by the love of God and brought the church to its original holiness.
She was born in Avila, Spain, on March 28, 1515. As a child, she was very zealous in the life of faith. At the age of 18 she joined the Carmelite monastery in Avila. At that time the rules of the Carmelite Church were very loose. That life fascinated her for 20 years. But at the age of 38, she was again converted. This was due to reading the book ‘Confessions of St. Augustine’.
Recognizing that the atmosphere of prayer did not exist in her community, Teresa set out to reform the church. Spiritual Father St. Peter of Alcantara and St. Francis Borgia also supported her. St. John of the Cross helped her to renew the sect of monks in the Carmelite Church. There was strong opposition from the community. Both had a lot of suffering. Yet they established 17 convents and 15 monasteries.
St. Teresa was a great ruler, writer, and spiritual advisor, even as she practiced high levels of devotion. There are three well-known books in the name of Mother Teresa – The Autobiography, The Way to Perfection, and The Inner Heart – by which Jesus himself conveyed the title.
After a long period of suffering, on October 4, 1582, Teresa set out for her Divine Lord. In 1662, Teresa of Avila was canonized by the Church. On September 27, 1970, Pope Paul VI elevated her to the list of evangelicals of the Church.