Two giants of the faith

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380 (feast day today) is often linked with St Teresa of Avila.  Together they were declared the first women doctors of the Church.  Catherine was indeed a truly extraordinary lady and worthy of huge respect and reverence, but it is Teresa whose works are widely read and treasured more than ever in our time.  I just checked in Amazon Books, putting their respective names in the title slots: there are over two hundred titles about Catherine – which is impressive enough - but over seven hundred for Teresa.  So many of our contemporaries continue to study Teresa and find help for their daily lives and for their spiritual development in her principles and teaching.  In her we have an incomparable blessing, and that applies to Carmelites above all – her spiritual sons and daughters.  We cannot treasure her too much.

Intercessions:

Brian Davis – cancer

Rosemarie - cancer

Marie, Bernard (and wife Angela) - cancer

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David - housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Rebekah – in hospital

Louise Alred – seriously ill