Episode 17 - Saint Teresa of the Andes

Xt3 Podcast: Counting Down to WYD2013 - The Patron Saint Podcast on Xt3

Teresa of the Andes, or Saint Teresa of Jesus "of the Andes", was born on 13th July 1900 in Santiago, Chile. She died at the age of 19 in her Carmelite monastery. She was a Chilean nun of the Discalced Carmelite Order but was born 'Juanita Fernández del Solar' in Santiago, Chile into an upper class family. Early in her life she read the autobiography of the French Carmelite nun Thérèse of Lisieux, who was later to be canonized herself. The experience had a profound effect on Juanita's already pious character, coming to the realization she wanted to live for God alone. She had to work to overcome a very self-centred personality toward being one which cared for others above all. Her further inspiration for this self-transformation was her upcoming First Communion, which led her to this commitment in an effort to be worthy of what she was to receive. At an early age, she fell head over heels in love with Jesus. At fourteen she gave herself to Him completely, promising Him that He would be her only Spouse. As she grew in love for Jesus she entered more deeply into the suffering of Christ. In 1919, at the age of 19, Juanita entered the novitiate of the Discalced Carmelite nuns in the township of Los Andes, at which time she was given the name Teresa of Jesus. Toward the end of her short life, the new Sister Teresa began an apostolate of letter-writing, sharing her thoughts on the spiritual life with many people. Within a few months of her admission to the Order, however, she contracted typhus, which was diagnosed as fatal. She was three months away from her twentieth birthday, and had yet six months to complete her canonical novitiate, to make her religious vows; nevertheless she was allowed to profess vows in articulo mortis (danger of death). She thereby died as a professed nun of the Order on April 12, 1920, which fell during Holy Week that year. Prayer: May I find in my soul, with your intercession, the desire to worship and glorify Jesus without pause.