CARMELITE SAINT OF THE DAY

St. Teresa Margaret Redi

September 1

St. Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was born on July 16, 1747, the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, according to the biography by Msg. James Newcomb.

From the Carmelite Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours:

Teresa Margaret was born in Tuscany of the noble Redi family, and entered the Discalced Carmelites in Florence on September 1, 1764. She was given a special contemplative experience concerning the words of St. John, "God is Love." She felt deeply that her vocation was to live a hidden life of love and self-immolation. That vocation was confirmed by her heroic exercise of fraternal charity, but was soon completed: she died in 1770, aged twenty-three. 

From the Decree of Canonization:

The fires of her love were fed principally by the Eucharist, and she looked forward with longing to her communions. She was also especially devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a devotion which did much to curb the advances of Jansenism at that time in Tuscany. She was utterly devoted to Our Lady, whom she regarded as the model and protectress of her own virginal purity. She was endowed to a high degree with the gift of contemplative prayer, and daily grew closer to God, as though reflecting the glories of the eternity she was fast approaching.

Our Carmelite Saint and Sister is a model for the great pillars of our spiritual life: The Eucharist, the Love and Mercy of God manifested in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and devotion to Our Lady. As Carmelites, we cannot go wrong in clinging with great love to these spiritual pillars of our faith.

St. Teresa wanted to find souls that loved God or wished to love him as he deserved to be love. She made a pact with a fellow sister that they become rivals in the holy love of God. She would never let her sister forget this promise and spurred her on to the heights of virtue.

This example should help us as Carmelites to have a real desire not only for ourselves to reach the heights of union with God, but also for our brothers and sisters in Carmel, and yes, for every soul that God has created. May God give us a thirst for souls that will love him and adore him for all eternity!

Beautiful website about St. Teresa Margaret

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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Carmelite Quote

ST. TERESA MARGARET REDI OF THE SACRED HEART:

To possess ourselves of Holy Love, we must call to mind the presence of God and place ourselves in that presence; just as one in the world loving some one of the world often has him in his thoughts, so we must frequently remind ourselves that God is always present, and that He always has us in His thoughts for our good and happiness. In loving, one must render love for love; therefore, if God has loved us always and so much, regardless of our merit what must we, who have been loved, do to requite Him for His love? We must make ourselves like unto Jesus in humility, kindness, sweetness...




Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

CARMELITE QUOTE

From the life of St. Teresa Margaret Redi

of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

" My God, Father,  Son, and Holy Ghost, prostrate before Your Infinite Majesty, I, Theresa Margaret of the Heart of Jesus, the lowest of creatures and the least of Your servants, humbly pray You to accept this act of renewal of the vows already made by me, in private, on the day of solemn commemoration of the most glorious Resurrection, vows that are not perpetual but to endure only for that time set me by obedience. It is my intention that this written renewal cover every good act performed from the time of taking the vows until the end of the period set by obedience. In the possession of that love and that humility which Your divine goodness has put into my heart, in Your presence, dear God, before You, Jesus, my Spouse, before you, Most Holy Mary, my Mother, I summon as witnesses by Guardian Angel, my Protector, Saint Joseph, my dear Mother, Saint Theresa, all the saints who are my advocates, all the Angels, all the Elect, that they may know for time and eternity that the profession I now make, although temporary, may, I hope and desire, become perpetual; furthermore, I call to witness not only all Paradise, but also all hell and its fallen angels, that those powers of perdition may have direct knowledge of the greatness of my love for my crucified Spouse, Jesus.

Spontaneously, then, my dearest God, freely, voluntarily, with the full accord of my will, with greatest joy of heart, I hereby renew, ratify, and re-promise in writing under the form of vow, made directly to You, Obedience, Chastity, and Poverty ...

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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Carmelite Quote

(click on photo)

St. Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
at the age of 9 years old to her father:

I have been thinking about the text that was preached on Sunday, the unforgiving servant. We come to the great King of Heaven with empty hands, in debt to Him for everything: life itself, and grace, and all the gifts He lavishes on us. Yet all we can say is, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all I owe," while all the time we could never pay anything towards the remission of our own debts, if God did not put into our hands the means to do so. And then, how often do we go away and refuse pardon for some slight fault in our neighbors, withholding our love, remaining aloof, or even nursing a grievance against them, and building up grudges that cool charity.

Photo: R. Massaro

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
____________________

CARMELITE QUOTE

St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart


...I hereby resolve to show abhorrence to and to fly from praise of myself, and never to say anything that can occasion it either directly or indirectly.


In view of the fact, my God, that You have given me the clearest indication that a soul cannot be wholly Yours unless it free the mind and heart of every worldly care, I firmly resolve never to speak of things of this world, never to be curious about them, no matter how indifferent they may be, but to interest myself solely in that which can lead me only to You; furthermore, to strengthen myself in this resolution I propose, my God, in the Monastery to attend to myself alone, never to notice what my Sisters do, always to be silent about what they do, deaf to all they say, blind to all that I may accidentally see...all with the desire to employ all my faculties at all times only to serve, praise, and bless You, my God, my only Good.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
___________________

CARMELITE QUOTE

From the life of St. Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart:


The holy resolutions of St. Teresa Margaret (part 1):


Reflecting on the purpose for which You, my God, have called me out of nothing into the happy state of Religion, I propose and resolve to devote myself, in future, with great courage, to a complete reform of myself, and truly and utterly to despoil myself of all my inclinations that I may adhere more closely and only to You.


As to the means which You, my God, have given me for my sanctification, I resolve, in future, to regard them with greater esteem, irrespective of their possible minuteness, and to make use of them in all diligence for no other end than Your own great glory, and that I may the better serve You and love You in the way and manner which You, my Jesus, through Your love for the Father have set for me...in this I shall be constant, for without perseverance there is no salvation.


Having weighed carefully the truth that one cannot be called Your true Spouse, my Jesus, unless the predominant passions be checked, I resolve with all my heart to practice, at all costs, continuous abnegation of my own will and entire an immediate obedience in all things great and small, for I have learned from You, my God, that You made Yourself obedient under unbearably harsh conditions, conditions under which I shall never be placed. 


In consideration of the fact that my neighbors, O my God, are images of You, made like unto You, the products of Your divine love and the price of Your blood, I shall never, in future, look upon them with other than eyes of true charity, in accordance with Your own command; I now propose to sympathize with them on all occasions, to hide and excuse their defects, to speak of them always with esteem, and finally never to fail, knowingly, in love for them in thought, word, or deed.

St. Teresa Margaret website

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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Stained Glass Flowers-Little Accounts of the Miraculous

From the life of St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart:

One of the Saint's companion-novices, Sr. Theresa Maria of the Immaculate Conception, has been ill and in high fever for months from an internal growth. At the Mother Prioress' request, Friar Joseph  Dominic Ferretti had brought to the monastery an image of Saint Joseph, which as it happens, is still there. The community immediately began a triduum of prayer during which Sr. Theresa Marageret never wearied of urging the sick nun to make acts of faith. On the third day, the Saint assured her that the Patriarch of Mankind would heal her, if only her faith

were great enough, and urged her to anoint herself with oil taken fromt he lamp before the statue. Sr. Theresa Maria followed the suggestion, and found herself cured at once and completely. It was current opinion in the monastery that whenever a sick person was attended by Sr. Theresa Margaret, complete recovery or decided relief, either physical or spiritual, or both was bound to ensure.


Brother Andre' who will be canonized on Oct 17, 2010 also healed people through oil from St. Joseph's lamp. Visit the website of the shrine he started by clicking on the link below.

St. Joseph's Oratory-Montreal, Canada

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
___________________

Carmelite Quote

St. Teresa Margaret Redi
of the Sacred Heart

If one is habitually watchful during the day, could not the act of love in which one lives, endure even in sleep? Is not that what  the Spouse in the Canticles  intended when she says," I sleep, but my heart watches?"

Very well, I want to act for God, to live in his love so uninterruptedly that the habit dominates me completely and so thoroughly that I no longer perceive it and can continue to love God and give myself to Him even while my body sleeps.

Website dedicated to St. Margaret Redi

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie
___________________

Stained Glass Flowers-Little Accounts of the Miraculous

From the life of St. Theresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart
Carmelite Saint-Feast Day: September 1

On Sunday after Pentecost, 1767, when she had heard read Saint John's words, "God is love," in choir as part of the chapter of tierce, she was seized by so violent and vivid an onrush of love for God that, for a short time, she fell into a sort of trance. Thereafter, she enjoyed one of St. Teresa's own privileges, for she kept within her heart a trace of that Divine Flame or, rather, a secret wound from it which, day by day, and little by little, consumed her and drew her slowly to her death. Furthermore, after that event she remained for several days thoughtful and withdrawn in mind from the community, frequently repeating the words "God is love": the nuns concluded, from observation, that every time she said these words she experienced within her soul a flaming-up of overwhelming love for God.

Learn more about the mystical phenomenon of the Transverberation of the Heart




Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
____________________________

Carmelite Quote

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Click here to enter the wonderful website of all things St. Margaret Redi. Unbelievable site with loads of information about this beautiful saint devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her charism and motto: God is love!

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie
___________________

Carmelite Quote

St. Theresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Yes, my God, You know well that no other longing have I than to be a victim of Your Sacred Heart, entirely consumed as a Holocaust in the furnace of Your holy love.

Your Heart shall be the altar of this my consummation in You, O my God; and you shall be the priest Who shall immolate this victim in the furnace of Your holy love.

Therefore, O my God, inspire me to make myself in everything like to you, in as far as I can; particularly do I desire to imitate you in those virtues most pleasing to your most amiable Heart, that is humility, gentleness, obedience.

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, filled with infinite love, broken by my ingratitude, pierced by my sins, yet loving me still--accept the consecration that I make to You of all that I am and all that I have. Take every faculty of my soul and body. Draw me, day by day, nearer and nearer to your Sacred Heart, and there, as I can bear the lesson, teach me Your blessed ways. Amen.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart is Friday, June 19, 2009. The beginning of the "Year For Priests" proclaimed by His Holiness, Benedict XVI.

Year For Priests-Official Website of the U.S. Bishops

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

Stained Glass Flowers-Little accounts of the miraculous

From the life of St. Theresa Margaret Redi:

In 1769, Mother Magdalen Theresa of St. Francis de Sales was so gravely ill from a fistula in one of the lacrimal glands that she had to undergo an operation. She was no better after the operation, and could rest neither day nor night. Stricken to the heart at the sight of her sufferings, Sister Theresa Margaret took from under her scapular one day a little parchment picture of Our Lady of Good Counsel and applied it to the sick nun's head, saying, " I am sorry that you suffer so...if you have faith, this will help." There was immediate relief and, in a few days, absolute cure.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

Carmelite Quote

St. Teresa Margaret Redi of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

If we long to find Jesus, the sure way is that of humility of heart and simplicity of soul, remembering, however, that we shall not obtain them without a struggle. Still, we must have courage, for there shall be wanting to us neither grace nor help of the Heart of Jesus which would have us all saints; let us lose no time...every second has its value!

We know what importance St. Teresa of Jesus placed on the virtue of humility. In fact, she tells her nuns in the Way of Perfection that she wishes to stress three things that they must practice if they are to advance in prayer. The three things they must practice are:

#1 Love for one another- St. Teresa says a great many annoyances that we find in our neighbor can be suffered if we practice fraternal charity.

#2 Detachment-She teaches us to have detachment from all created things. Detachment is at the heart of the teaching of St. John of the Cross in which he tells us not to be attached to even the consolations and sweetness from God.

#3 Humility-St. Teresa tells her nuns that although she places humility third, it is the most important of these three counsels and embraces the other two.

St. Teresa Margaret Redi lived these three counsels which helped her to reach the summit of Christian perfection: perfect love of God and neighbor.

In her quote she tells us, "lose no time..." yes, life is short! Let us strive to be saints now!

St. Teresa Margaret had a great devotion to the Heart of Jesus. The focus of her spirituality was "God is Love." In fraternal charity, let us pray for each other this intention:
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine!

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS