San Jose Avila

This plaque reads “Monasterio De San Jose, Primer Fundacion De Santa Teresa de Jesus, Donde Comenzo La Reforma Del Carmen Dscalzo”

Feast of St. Bartholomew, August 24, 2010
448th anniversary of the Foundation of San José in Ávila
The beginning of the Discalced Reform of Carmel!

We’ll it’s been a LONG time since I entered anything in this blog. And I’m thinking I should re-title it “The Blog I Forgot.” But perhaps today is a good day to make another start. It is the very day in 1562 that St. Teresa took the plunge. The first daughters of her fledgling reform broke the silence of early morning in Ávila, having rung the monastery bell, to announce the celebration of Mass. Fr. Gaspar Daza, respected diocesan priest of the town—at one time skeptical of Teresa’s mystical experiences, even believing them to be of the devil (cf. Life, 23.14)—now presided at the first Mass and read aloud the papal bull granting the nuns permission to found San José.

In the Life, Our Holy Mother St. Teresa of Jesus writes:

“One day after Communion, His Majesty earnestly commanded me to strive for this new monastery with all my powers, and He made great promises that it would be founded and that He would be highly served in it. He said it should be called St. Joseph an that this saint would keep watch over us at one door, and our Lady at the other, that Christ would remain with us, and that it would be a star shining with great splendor. He said that even though religious orders were mitigated one shouldn’t think He was little served in them; He asked what would become of the world if it were not for religious and said that I should tell my confessor what He commanded, that He was asking him not to go against this or hinder me from doing it” (32.11).

It remains the custom of all Carmels to keep a statue of St. Joseph prominently stationed at the front entrance, as a guardian of the place. The Carmel would be another Nazareth, a quiet place where God is present and another “holy family” may reside to the glory of God. May Christ continue to be “highly served” in every Carmel through the guidance of St. Joseph and Our Lady. St. Teresa of Jesus, pray for us!