of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
Discussion of Chapter 16
Chapter 16 Contents
Of Certain Things That Took Place
In This Convent Of S. Joseph Of Toledo,
To The Honour And Glory Of God
1. Ann of the Mother of God. —
2. Resigns her possessions
before being professed. —
3. Obedience of the nuns. —
4. Austerities. —
5. Death of a nun. —
6. Peaceful death of Carmelites. —
7. Story of a gambler. —
8. Penitent in the hour of death. —
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Discussion of Chapter 16
▀ The occurrences "that took Place
in this Convent of S. Joseph of Toledo,
to the honour and glory of God"
▀ St. Teresa's Advice for the Prioresses
Regarding Obedience and Austerities
▀ The occurrences "that took place
in this Convent of S. Joseph of Toledo,
to the honour and glory of God"
St. Teresa wants to describe:
- the graces that the Lord granted to the nuns
of the Monastery of St. Joseph in Toledo
- those efforts and virtues of those
who "laboured in the service of our Lord"
in order that they
who shall come after them
may endeavour to imitate
these good beginnings.
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #1 ]
"So much is done...
to the honour of our Lord,
in His servants.
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #4 ]
St. Teresa gave many examples
"Of certain things that took place
in this convent of S. Joseph of Toledo,
to the honour and glory of God".
⌂ "Anne of the Mother of God
Ana de la Palma
who had spent her whole life
in the service of God;
...was a wealthy widow,
she chose rather
the poverty and obedience in the order...
and made her profession in Toledo,
15th November 1570"
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #1
& Foot note #1 ]
St. Teresa said of her:
"why I speak of her here is this:
Before she made her profession, she
- resigned all her possessions
— she was very rich —
and
- gave them as an alms to this house.
When advised
this "was a dangerous thing to do"
since she may "repent ..it herself"
or not be admitted to the Order,
she said:
"that if it should so happen
she would beg her bread
for the love of God".
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #2 ]
⌂ "So mortified and obedient
were the nuns"
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #3 ]
⌂ Sister Petronila of S. Andrew
By this account of the peaceful death of a nun,
is exemplified
- "trust...in the goodness of God,
that He will have compassion on us
in the hour of death,
through the merits
of His Son,
and
of His glorious Mother,
whose habit we wear."
- "a certain peace and quiet
which was like...the tranquillity of prayer,
with no signs of any temptation".
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #6 ]
[Foundations: Ch. 16:
Foot note #4 ]
God "would in the same way
protect all the nuns
who should die in these monasteries,
...they ought not to fear temptations
in the hour of death".
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #5 ]
"we should make much of this grace".
"Let us then, my daughters,
strive to become true Carmelites,
for the journey will soon be over"
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #6 ]
"that we may
live as true daughters of the Virgin,
and
keep our rule,
that our Lord may show us the mercy
which He has promised us ! Amen.
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #8 ]
⌂ The benefits and graces of God on the populace
and the labors of those Priests and others
who consult and pray for them.
Contrasted to the peace of the dying nun,
was the story of the distress of "the gambler".
By this story, she describes both
▪ "the distress
that comes upon men at this time,
and
the cunning and deceit
with which Satan tempts them"
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #6 ]
"making him believe
that it was of no use whatever
to repent in the hour of death."
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #7 ]
▪ The Compassion of God
His confessor tried to advise and solace him
"but he would not
have gained his cause
if our Lord had not had compassion
upon (the gambler)
by softening his heart"
"and others must have prayed
very earnestly to our Lord,
for the sick man found mercy"
He made his confession most humbly,
and received the sacraments
with such devotion
that, as far as we can judge
according to our faith,
he was saved.
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #8 ]
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▀ St. Teresa's Advice for the Prioresses
Regarding Obedience and Austerities
⌂ Prudence in decision making and speech
"for the sisters did
what ( a prioress) told them,
though (the prioress) might be speaking
without reflection.
St. Teresa gave examples of a nun
performing risks to health
while "thinking she was doing
the greatest service in the world to God".
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #3 ]
⌂ Restraint and moderation in austerities:
"showing their great mortification,
so much so
that it became necessary
for learned men
- to explain to them
wherein obedience consisted,
and
- to lay some restraints upon them,
for they were doing strange things,
and if it had not been
for their good intentions
their demerits would have outweighed
their merits.
[Foundations: Ch. 16: #4 ]
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End of the Discussion
of Chapter 16
of the
Book of the Foundations
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
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