St. Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582), one of the great Christian
mystics, was moved by a vision of hell which she experienced in 1560, to do and
undertake everything in her power for
the salvation of those who were heading for hell.
“From this
experience also flow the great impulses to save souls and the extraordinary pain
that is caused me by the many who are condemned (especially the Lutherans, for
they were through baptism members of the church) it seems certain to me that to
free one alone from such appalling torments, I would suffer many deaths very
willingly” (Life32:6)
Prayer and penance were the weapons she believed
with which she would embark on her
mission. First, she would keep the rule of her order with utmost perfection. Teresa
realized quickly enough that she would need to gather around her generous persons
with whom she would share her project of saving as many souls as possible from
the dreadful torments that she had glimpsed.
On 24th August 1562, the first Teresian Cloistered Carmel
was ready for inauguration,
and received its charter in the WAY OF PERFECTION, where we read “ news reached
me of …. The havoc the Lutherans had caused ….the news distressed me greatly,
and as though I were something , or could do something , I cried to the Lord ….
That I might remedy so much evil . I resolve to do the little that was in my
power, that is, to follow the evangelical counsels as perfectly as I could and
to strive that these few persons who are here might do the same.” (WAY OF
PERFECTION.)
The Holy Spirit aroused many precious persons to
surrender themselves to this ideal of rescuing as many people as possible from
the power of darkness. Teresa herself was to make 16 more foundations in Spain
.
This holy flame enkindled by the Holy Spirit through
Teresa, spread to India via Pondicherry and Mangalore in the 19th century
, and today in the 21st century there
are in India more than 30 Teresian Cloistered
Carmels, where the daughters of St. Teresa are unceasingly offering their lives
and immolating themselves in union with the sacrifice of Christ for the
salvation of India and the world.
In
February 2018 the Prioresses of all the Carmels in India gathered in Hydrabad
along with Father General, Very Rev. Saverio Cannistra o.c.d and our Definitor
General Rev. Fr. Johannes Gorantla o.c.d. to study the new document
COR
ORANS, from the Holy See
(The 2 photos were taken during that Meeting.)
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