Today we joyfully celebrate the feast of St Teresa of Ávila, the first female Doctor of the Church. Born in Ávila, Spain, in 1515, Teresa grew up with a deep desire to know and love God, though her early years were marked by struggle and distraction. After losing her mother at age 11, she sought solace in prayer and the saints’ example. Yet it was not until she entered the Carmelite convent in Ávila at 16 that her soul began to fall completely in love with God. Teresa endured years of physical suffering and spiritual dryness but through perseverance and prayer she was transformed by divine grace. Her heart was set ablaze with a renewed zeal for holiness which led her to a profound conversion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and inspired by St John of the Cross, she reformed the Carmelite Order, founding the Discalced Carmelites, a community devoted to poverty, silence and contemplative prayer. Through her writings, she continues to guide countless souls toward the intimate friendship God offers in prayer. St Teresa reminds us that prayer is nothing less than a close sharing between friends. Her symbols are the heart, the arrow and the book, which are signs of her ardent love, suffering and wisdom. She is the patron saint of religious orders, those who suffer from illness or headaches and all who seek to grow in prayer. St Teresa of Ávila, pray for us. 🙏💘📚 (fb)

Many Christians "need to go back and re-read the Gospel." 🙏 In his apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te (“I Have Loved You”), Pope Leo XIV reminds us that faith and love for the poor are inseparable. “Love for the poor – whatever the form their poverty may take – is the evangelical hallmark of a Church faithful to the heart of God.” Today, may we remember that to follow Christ is to love as He loves, especially those in need. ⛪✝️ Learn more about Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation by reading the full story in The Catholic Leader here https://bit.ly/4oiXH9V (fb)