St. Teresa of Avila Prayer

Powerful intercessory prayer to St. Teresa of Avila

“Dear wonderful Saint,
model of fidelity to vows,
you gladly carried a heavy cross
following in the steps of Christ
who chose to be crucified for us.
You realized that God,
like a merciful Father,
chastises those whom He loves
which to worldlings seems silly indeed.
Grant to me relief from great pains,
if this is in line with God’s plans.
Amen.”

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A message from St. Teresa (St. Teresa’s Bookmark):

“Let nothing disturb you;
nothing frighten you.
All things are passing.
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
nothing is wanting to him
who possesses God.
God alone suffices.”

About Saint Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa was born in Spain in the year 1515. She grew up in a large family which was very religious. Her mother died when she was young which had a profound effect on her life.

She was in a convent school for two years and became a Carmelite nun soon thereafter. A few years into her profession she became ill and left for nearly two years.

During this time, she became a student of the practice of mental prayer. At about the age of 40 she had a second conversion and began to experience mystical prayer sometimes accompanied by visions and voices. A few years later she founded a convent and began to write books. Moreover, she started a reform movement returning to the primitive Carmelite rule.

This spread to both the friars and her nuns around the world. She encountered great opposition from other clergy over her mysticism and her reforms but her persistence and strong character overcame them all. As a writer, Teresa is even more renowned than as a reformer. She wrote autobiographical and mystical works. Her books are still today cornerstones of spiritual reference. She is admired as a pioneer feminist and a literary figure who has made a great contribution to our knowledge of human psychology. Teresa died in Spain on October 4th, 1582 and was canonized as a Saint in 1622. She was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

Feast Day: October 15th
Name Meaning: “The reaper”
Patron Saint of: People in need of grace; headaches; bodily ills; sick people; people in religious orders; loss of parents.

What were St Teresa's miracles?

St. Teresa’s most famous miracle was the healing of her injured nephew. But there were several others such as the fragrance emitting from her cell the night she died; and her coffin emitting the same heavenly fragrance when her body was exhumed 330 years later. It is also said that her hand, severed from her body, could also perform miracles.

Why did St Teresa of Avila become a Saint?

After a series of strange events and visions, Teresa of Avila eventually became a saint after dedicating the rest of her life to God. Her ensuing work and unwavering faith and obedience led to her canonization as a Roman Catholic Saint.