of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
Discussion of Chapter 21
Chapter 21 Contents
Treats Of The Foundation
Of The Glorious S. Joseph Of Carmel
At Segovia.
Founded On The Feast Of S. Joseph, 1574
[1]
1. Our Lord bids the Saint
found another monastery. —
2. She asks the permission
of the visitor. —
3. Dona Ana de Jimena. —
4. The Saint takes possession. —
5. Antonio Gaytan. —
6. The nuns to be grateful. —
7. Conduct of the Vicar-General. —
8. The Saint has law-suits. —
9. Which she settles by paying money —
10. She returns to Avila. —
|
Discussion of Chapter 21
▀ Our Lord Directs St. Teresa
to Found a Monastery in Segovia
▀ How she happened to be in Salamanca again
▀ Current Restrictions on her
Foundation estabishing activities
by the Apostolic Visitor
▀ Communication with the Apostolic Visitor
• Requests permission of the Apostolic Visitor:
• The Apostolic Visitor agrees
▀ Arrangements for the Foundation in Segovia
▀ The Foundation, the Monastery of St. Joseph
founded March 19, 1574 at Segovia
▀ Relocation to a 2nd site in Segovia:
Purchase of the Building ( Calle Canongia nueva )
Approximately September 29, 1574
▀ Another benefit of these writings:
Knowledge, Thankfulness, and Prayer
for those who strived and suffered
in the establishing of these Foundations
_____________________________
 |
 
[The above Drawing is from:
"St Teresa of Jesus
of the Order
of Our Lady of Mt Carmel
embracing The Life, Relations,
Maxims, and Foundations"
Edited by John J. Burke, C.S.P.
from www.books.google.com
|
▀ Our Lord Directs St. Teresa
to Found a Monastery in Segovia
"I was in prayer there (Salamanca) one day
when our Lord commanded me
to go and make
a foundation in Segovia.
|
▀ How she happened to be in Salamanca again
▪ Background
• This instruction from God
perhaps took place in Salamanca
between August 1573 and January 1574
• Although she was then in Salamanca,
this was during the term
of her office as Prioress
of the Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila
October 1571 to October 1574.
"Fray Pedro Fernandez, Dominican,
(Apostolic) visitor of Carmel in Castille
...made S. Teresa prioress
of her old home, the Incarnation,
...early in July,...
and was duly installed by the visitor...
(in October 1571,
as appears from ch. xxi. 8).".
[ Foundations: Ch.19 Foot note #8 ]
• The most recent Convent that was founded
was that of Alba de Tormes,
on January 25th, 1571
[ Foundations: Ch. 20: #12 ]
The Foundation of Salamanca
was estabished November 1, 1570
( Foundations ch. xix. 2. )
• July / August 1573
She returned to Salamanca to assist
in the relocation of the Foundation there
to a new site:
"I was sent by the father,
Fray Pedro Fernandez,
then apostolic commissary,
to the monastery of the Incarnation
in Avila for three years,
and that he,
seeing the distressed state
of the house in Salamanca,
sent me back to remove the nuns
into a house of their own.
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #1 ]
"She sets out for Salamanca,
with the provincial's leave,
to arrange the transfer of her community
there to a new house.
[ Foundations: Introduction:
Annals of the Saint's Life ]
"The Saint returns to Salamanca
in August 1573"
"on the feast of S. Michael,
the Most Holy Sacrament
was to take up His dwelling there,"
( September 29, 1573 )
[ Foundations; Ch19: #7, 8 ]
"1573. In July of that year
she was sent to Salamanca,
where she lived for six months,
after which, passing through
Alba, Medina and Avila,
she proceeded to Segovia,
where she founded a convent."
[ Minor Works of St. Teresa:
Introduction
Translation: Benedictines
of Stanbrook ]
|
▀ Current Restrictions on her
Foundation estabishing activities:
"It seemed to me an impossibility,
because
- I could not go unless I was ordered,
and
- I had heard from the Father-Master.
Fray Pedro Fernandez,
the apostolic commissary,
that he did not wish me to make
any more foundations.
I saw at the same time
that, the three years
I had to stay in the Incarnation
not being ended,
he had good reasons
for not desiring any."
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #1 ]
|
▀ Communication with the Apostolic Visitor
• Requests permission of the Apostolic Visitor:
"While I was thinking of this,
our Lord bade me
speak to (Fr Pedro Fernandez) about it
for he would give his consent".
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #1 ]
"I was in Salamanca at the time,
and wrote to the commissary
saying that he was aware
- (that) the most reverend
father-general
( Fray John Baptist Rubeo )
had commanded me
never to fail to make foundations
wherever an opportunity occurred;
- that the bishop and city of Segovia
had consented to admit
a monastery of our order,
which I would found
if he would order me;
- that I was informing him of the fact
for the satisfaction of my conscience,
and
- (that) whatever orders he might give
I should be safe and contented...
- that I thought it was
for the service of God."
• The Apostolic Visitor agrees
"It was plainly
the will of His Majesty,
for he
- commanded me at once
to make the foundation,
and
- gave his permission,
at which I was much astonished,
remembering
what I had heard him say
on the subject.
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #2 ]
|
▀ Arrangements for the Foundation in Segovia
• Authorization was obtained
from her Superiors in the Carmelite Order
As St. Teresa has shown
in Chapter 21: Paragraph #2
in reference to
Fray John Baptist Rubeo and
Fr Pedro Fernandez
• Permission was received from the
Bishop of Segovia
and the City of Segovia
"and, though I had the sanction
both of the bishop and of the city...
It was a long time now
since the sanction
had been given,
and, as I was in the Incarnation,
having a superior
other than the most reverend
the father-general,
I had not been able
to make the foundation.
The bishop's permission...
when the city asked it of him,
- was a verbal one,
- given to a nobleman,
Andres de Jimena,
who asked for it on our behalf.
He did not take the trouble
to have it in writing,
nor did I think
it was of any importance myself.
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #4 ]
Don Andres de Jimena was the
cousin of Dona Ana de Jimena,
[Ch21: foot note #6]
brother of Isabel of Jesus
[ Ch21:foot note # 7]
Isabel of Jesus
a native of Segovia
a nun who was at
the Carmelite Convent at Salamanca
who came with St. Teresa to Segovia
- sister of Don Andres de Jimena
- cousin of Dona Ana de Jimena
[ Ch21:foot note #6, 7]
• Hiring a house for the Convent
"From Salamanca I found means
to have a house hired for us
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #2 ]
"Dona Ana de Jimena...
and her cousin,
Don Andres de Jimena,
hired the house"
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: footnote #6]
"Dona Ana de Jimena..
took the house,
and
whatever she saw we needed,
whether for the church
or for ourselves,
that she provided...
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #3 ]
◦ Explains why she prefers to rent at first
rather than buy a house:
"for since the foundations
in Toledo and Valladolid were made
I had felt it was better,
for many reasons,
- to take possession first,
and
- then look for a house of our own.
My chief reason was,
- that I had no money
wherewith to buy a house;
- that, the monastery once founded,
our Lord would provide one
(a house) forthwith;
and
- that a better site
might be then selected."
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #2 ]
• Takes up residence the night before
"I would not enter
but in secret the night before".
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #4 ]
"as for myself,
I never cared much
what might happen
after taking possession;
all my fear is before.
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #7 ]
Similarly, in her account
of the foundation at Salamanca,
St. Teresa said
that she made her arrangements
"in secrecy"
"...relying on the mercy of God"
to avoid opposition and resistance
[ Foundations: Ch. 18: #2, 3]
Even after the founding
of the convent at Segovia
when she describes the disapproval
of the Vicar-General she said:
"what he wanted was
to have been told of it
before-hand;
that, I believe,
would have been much worse
for us.
[ Foundations: Ch. 18: #7]
|
▀ The Foundation, the Monastery of St. Joseph
founded March 19, 1574.
"The Saint takes possession"
"On the feast of S. Joseph,
the Most Holy Sacrament
was reserved,
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #4 ]
"The Saint took with her
from Salamanca
the nuns,
Marina of Jesus and
Isabel of Jesus,
a sister of Andres de Jimena,
both natives of Segovia.
...
From Alba de Tormes
she took with her,
Guiomar of Jesus,
(from) Avila,
the Convent...of S. Joseph
from which she took her cousin
Isabel of S. Paul,
who returned with the Saint
when the foundation
had been completed.
[ Foundation: Ch. 21:foot note 7]
Regarding Dona Ana de Jimena,
St. Teresa said
that she and her daughter both
entered the Convent at Segovia:
"Accordingly,
when the monastery
was established,
she came in
with a daughter of hers"
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #3 ]
Regarding the Convent at Pastrana:
"She dissolves the monastery...
and receives the nuns in Segovia"
[ Foundation: Introduction:
Annals of the Saint ]
"April: Holy Week:
Transfers Pastrana nuns to Segovia"
[ The Life Of Teresa Of Jesus
Introduction - Peers ]
"that I strove with all my might,
imploring the superiors
to remove them,
that they might come to Segovia,
where I was then
founding a monastery...
Thither they came"
[ Foundation: Ch. 17: #15 ]
"we remained there some months"
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #8 ]
• Aftermath and Response to the Foundation:
"the vicar-general,
when he heard
that a monastery had been founded,
- came at once in great wrath,
- refused to allow mass to be said
any more,
and
- sought to imprison"...
(St. John of the Cross
who said the Mass)
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #4
& Foot note #10 ]
"I sent for ...relatives
of one of the sisters...
( Isabel of Jesus
[ Ch. 21: Footnote #12 ] )
chief people in the place,
to speak to the vicar-general
At last they settled with him
that he was to leave us
in possession of the monastery,
but he would not let us
have the Most Holy Sacrament.
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #4 ]
|
"house on the street of canongia"
[The above Drawing is from:
"St Teresa of Jesus of the Order
of Our Lady of Mt Carmel
embracing The Life , Relations,
Maxims, and Foundations"
Edited by John J. Burke, C.S.P.
from www.books.google.com
▀ Relocation to a 2nd site in Segovia
( Calle Canongia nueva )
◦ Purchase of the Building
◦ Taking up residence
"a day or two before Michaelmas..."
( Michaelmas - September 29, 1574
Feastday of St. Michael the Archangel )
"we remained there some months
( at the original site )
till we bought a house"
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #8 ]
- "Situated in
the Calle Canongia nueva
- near the cathedral.
It was bought from
Diego Porrax"
[ Foundation: Ch. 21:
footnote #13]
"it was necessary for us
to go with the utmost secrecy
to our house.
"... in possession...a day or two
before Michaelmas...
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #9 ]
"1574
She purchases the house
of Diego Porraz in Segovia,
which results in lawsuits
with the chapter
and the monasteries there.
Towards the end of September
she removes her nuns
to the new house"
[ Foundations: Introduction:
Annals of the Saint ]
"only seven or eight days
to complete
my three years
in the Incarnation".
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #9 ]
"The three years ended
6th October 1574".
[ Foundation: Ch. 21:
Foot note #15 ]
▪ Aftermath and Response to the new location:
• Providence
◦ A Priest comes upon the Monastery
on the very day it was founded.
He offers his service as Chaplain.
He is a relative of St. Teresa
Don Juan de Orosco
"A nephew of the bishop
did all he could for us...
he was prior and
canon of the church"
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #9 ]
"Don Juan de Orosco
y Covarrubias dc Leyva...
"on the day
S. Teresa took possession,
(while) Going...to the cathedral..
he saw the cross
over the door of the house,
and when he heard
it was a Carmelite monastery
..asked permission to say Mass.
It was granted,
St. Teresa "told him
- that God had brought him
to the house,
and
- that he was bound to help her,
for she was a cousin
of his aunt,
Dona Maria de Tapia.
Don Juan
- helped the monastery
to the utmost of his power,
- heard the confessions
of the sisters,
and
- for some time was himself
their only chaplain."
[ Foundation: Ch. 21:
Foot note #14 ]
◦ Intercession of St. Dominic
"Before leaving Segovia
she visited the Dominican convent
of Santa Cruz where
in the grotto formerly occupied
by S. Dominic
she had a marvellous vision
of the Saint
[ Foundation: Ch. 21:
Foot note #15 ]
• Ongoing matters with the Vicar-General
"The vicar-general did not spare
even the nephew of the bishop
when he found fault
with S. Teresa,
he inveighed bitterly against him
for saying mass in the chapel.
[ Foundation: Ch. 21:
Foot note #14 ]
• "The Saint has law-suits.
"we bought a house,
and with it, too, many lawsuits"
- "...one already
with the Franciscan friars
for another (house ? )
which we bought close by;
- about another house...
with the friars of the order
of our Lady of Mercy,
and
- with the chapter,
which had a rent-charge on it"
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #8 ]
"At last,
when we had paid money enough,
everything was settled.
Our lawsuit with the friars
of the order of Ransom
remained,
and it was necessary for us
to go with the utmost secrecy
to our house.
When they saw us in possession,
which was a day or two
before Michaelmas,
they thought it better
to compromise the matter
for a sum of money".
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #9 ]
"It pleased our Lord
that everything should be
so well settled
as to leave nothing in dispute"
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #10 ]
|
▀ Another benefit of these writings:
Knowledge, Thankfulness, and Prayer
for those who strived and suffered
in the establishing of these Foundations
"It is only right, my daughters,
that those of you
who shall read the story
of these foundations
should know
how much you owe them,
that,
as they took so much pains,
having no interest of their own
in the matter,
to obtain for you the blessings
you possess
of living in these monasteries,
you may commend them
to our Lord,
so that they may derive
some advantage
from your prayers;
for if you knew
- the hardships they endured
night and day,
and
- how toilsome
were the journeys they made,
you would most willingly do so.
[ Foundation: Ch. 21: #6 ]
|
Excerpts from:
"An Outline Of The Life Of St. Teresa"
[ The Life Of Teresa Of Jesus
Introduction - E. Allison Peers ]
"1571
January 25.
Foundation of Convent at Alba de Tormes (8)
Mid February.
Leaves Alba...
March 29,
is at Salamanca (LL 25) ...
May,
by order of the Provincial of the Observance,
P. Alonso Gonzlez, at St. Joseph's;
June,
at Medina del Campo;
mid-July,
at Avila.
August-October.
Prioress at Medina (LL 27).
October 6.
Goes from Medina to Avila.
October 15 (to October 1574).
Prioress of Convent of the Incarnation, Avila
(LL 29 ff.).
1572 ...
1573
August.
Visits the Salamanca Convent
for the transference
of the community there in September.
August 24.
Begins to write the Foundations
(at Salamanca: F VII).
Writes about nine chapters...
1574
January.
Leaves Salamanca.
Spends some time at Alba de Tormes...
(I.C. VI, iv: Vol. II, p. 289.)
Goes on to Medina and Avila.
March.
Travels to Segovia.
March 19.
Foundation of Convent at Segovia (9)
April: Holy Week:
Transfers Pastrana nuns to Segovia
(F XVII).
September:
Remains there till September 30
(F XXI; LL 62).
October 6 (about).
Returns to St. Joseph's, Avila, as Prioress.
[ The Life Of Teresa Of Jesus
Introduction: An Outline Of The Life Of St. Teresa
Translated & Edited By E. Allison Peers ]
(Abbreviations: F = Foundations; I.C. = Interior Castle;
L = Life; LL = Letters; R = Relations.
Roman numerals after F. I.C., L, R refer to chapters;
Arabic numerals after LL, to the numbers of the Letters.
The numerals in brackets after the names of the foundations
record their chronological sequence.)"
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End of the Discussion
of Chapter 21
of the
Book of the Foundations
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
|
