Today, November 8, we celebrate the feast day of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, a French Carmelite considered by Pope St. John Paul II to be one of the most influential mystics of his life.
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity was born as Elizabeth Catez, “Sabeth” to her friends, in 1880. She was a hot-tempered child with sometimes “furious eyes” whose father died while she ...
“Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.
These are the words that can start a quest in your heart. Simple to understand. Difficult to live, even in a life where each day begins with mental prayer. By asking her help and staying...
Doctor of the Church, and inspirer of so many through her autobiographical work, Story of a Soul, written in obedience to her Mother Superior (who happened to be her sister!), St. Therese of Lisieux is a go-to Saint for those who are young, or young in their spiritual life and those who are further along in their spiritual life. She reveals deep treasures of love for even those most advanced s...
As we continue in our Novena to St. Michael, let us not forget Our Lady of Mercy, who is connected with St. Michael as Queen of Angels and depicted in the section on Christ’s Birth and in the section about the Flight into Egypt.
As usual with Our Lady, She has appeared over time in different places and to different individuals in Her Role as Our Lady of Mercy.
As early as 1280, She ...
On September 21st, those who are promised in Apostoli Viae pray an annual novena to the archangels, asking for their intercession in spiritual warfare, healing, and humility, and in reparation for offenses against the Lord in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The novena concludes with a consecration to the archangels on September 29th. We invite you to join us!
The following is prayed each da...
He was born in a city near Emilia, Italy, and became a Canon Regular of the Holy Cross at Mortara (Pavia). By 1180, he was elected prior there, and then appointed Bishop of Bobbia in 1184. The very next year, he was sent to Vercelli, where he spent the next 20 years, accomplishing missions on the national and international level, becoming known as a person of conviction and prudence. He medi...
Also called St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart, she was a Saint who loved God so much that her defining contemplative moment was hearing the words “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8 and 1 Jn 4:16). She lived them out being the Infirmarian, in charge of caring for anyone in the Carmel who was sick. She was devoted, kind and caring even to those who were difficult. Certainly, Our Lord ha...
On August 26th, Discalced Carmelites and the community of Apostoli Viae celebrate the Feast of the Transverberation (or Transpierecing of the Heart) of St. Teresa of Avila, Virgin, Doctor, and Reformer of the Carmelite Order.
The term transverberation comes from the Latin transverberare which means to pierce through. In mystical theology, it is also known by the Italian word ferita (wound) o...
Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell:
nor wilt Thou give Thy holy one to see corruption.
--Psalm xv. 10
On the third day after Mary's death, when the apostles gathered around her tomb, they found it empty. The sacred body had been carried up to the celestial paradise. Jesus Himself came to conduct her thither; the whole court of heaven came to welcome with songs of triumph the Moth...
