[Updated October 2018]

October 15 is the Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church.

St. Teresa (1515-1582) was born in Avila and died in Alba, Spain. When only a child of seven, she ran away from home in the hope of being martyred by the Moors; in this way, she said she could come to see God. At the age of eighteen she joined the Carmelite Order and chose Christ as her heavenly Spouse. With the help of St. John of the Cross she reformed most of the Carmelite convents and founded new ones. She reached the highest degree of prayer and through prayer obtained such knowledge of divine things that in 1970 Pope Paul VI named her the first woman Doctor of the Church. – CatholicCulture.org

Franciscan Media St. Teresa of Avila

Order of Carmelites Fr. James Martin on the Humour of St Teresa of Ávila

Pope St. Paul VI proclaims St. Teresa of Avila a Doctor of the Church.

Podcast: Discerning Hearts St Teresa of Avila: Mystic & Doctor of the Church

Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing make you afraid.
All things are passing.
God alone never changes.
Patience gains all things.
If you have God you will want for nothing.
God alone suffices.

— St Teresa, The bookmark of Teresa of Ávila,