St Pius X on our Holy Mother St Teresa II

Excerpts from the Apostolic Letter of Pope St Pius X on St Teresa

In reward for her faith it was granted to her, as far as it is possible to the human mind in this mortal life, both to penetrate the secrets of God, even the profoundest and those most removed from human perception and intelligence, and to interpret and explain them with ease. And in this respect it seemed to those whom she chose as her spiritual directors that she might reasonably be compared to Moses, who was privileged to enjoy the presence and conversation to God.

Who has not heard how ardently she longed to share this gift of faith with those who had it not? While still only a child, she conceived the design and formed plans for crossing to Africa, to give to those savage peoples ‘the Christ or her blood’ (Brev. hymn). Being thwarted in her intention, she wept for the pitiable condition of pagans and heretics all her life long, and was filled with holy envy of those who led men back from the darkness of error and sin to the light of truth and holiness. Hindered by her sex and condition of life from taking part in apostolic labour, she put on the spirit of Elias and undertook what is called the apostleship of prayer and penance. To this end, since she was unable to join in the work of spreading the faith, she set herself to practise the evangelical counsels with all her might, convinced that the more she advanced in holiness the more acceptable to God would be her prayers for the spread of Christianity and the salvation of souls. Finally, her desire of defending Christian doctrine and making it known may be gathered from the importance which she attached to the catechism; there was no book which she wished her daughters to take up more frequently or read more diligently.

Another of the chief glories of Teresa, which deserves particular mention because it is so opposed to the spirit of the age, was her singular love for her Lord Jesus. It is regrettable that men have blotted out of memory the answer which Christ gave to His apostles when they enquired the way that would lead them to God; Christ replied; ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me’. (John 14:6) How completely this was forgotten by those who were called Quietists, and by some innovators of that sect! But it was deeply impressed on the mind and soul of this holy virgin. Therefore, whatever benefits she received from God, she attributed them to Christ; whatever good she sought from God, she sought it from Christ. She made Christ her sole master by whom to regulate her daily actions her sole guide to lead her up the heights of divine contemplation. All who entertained the like feelings towards Christ, she called most happy; all others she regarded as most wretched, because of their want of faith. And her manner of life accorded well with her sentiments; for the one object of her endeavours was to order her life after the example of Jesus Christ, and by imitating him to engrave his image more and more on her soul so that she might truly say with the Apostle: ‘To me, to live is Christ; and to die is gain’ (Philippians 1:21)

Having such a master for her rule of life, she learned promptly to forsake the things of the earth, and with earnestness to purify her soul from even slight blemishes and adorn it with virtue. Thus she steadily progressed until she was so fashioned after the image of her Lord that whatever hardships, cares, and sorrows he suffered while on earth, and whatever joys and consolations were his, all these Teresa likewise experienced by the force of that love which so intimately united her to him. And since it is an effect of charity that, while it inflames the soul, it at the same time quickens and enlightens the mind, Teresa was so far favoured by God that she not only beheld the abundant and most perfect virtues of the Christ Man, but she was admitted by contemplation to the inmost mysteries of the Word of God; still more, she was made worthy to have disclosed to her not a few of the secrets of the adorable Trinity, and to be addressed by the Son of God with the words: ‘Henceforth thou shalt, like a true spouse, be zealous for my honour; for now I am all thine, and thou art all mine.’