Bl. Josefa Naval Girbes – February 24 – Carmelite Saints

Summary: Barbe Avrillot, also known as Madame Acarie, was born in Paris in 1566. At the age of sixteen, she married Pierre Acarie, by whom she had seven children. In spite of her household duties and many hardships, she attained the heights of the mystical life. Under the influence of St. Teresa’s writings, and after mystical contact with the Saint herself, she spared no effort in introducing the Discalced Carmelite nuns into France. After her husband’s death, she asked to be admitted among them as a lay sister, taking the name of Mary of the Incarnation; she was professed at the Carmel of Amiens in 1615. She was esteemed by some of the greatest men of her time, including St. Francis de Sales; and she was distinguished by her spirit of prayer and her zeal for the propagation of the Catholic faith. She died at Pontoise on April 18th, 1618. History: Mary of the Incarnation, born Barbe Avrillot on February 1, 1566, in Paris, was the daughter of Nicholas Avrillot, lord of Champlâtreux and the accountant general in the Chamber of Paris, as well as chancellor of Queen Marguerite of Navarre. Her mother was Mary L'Huillier, a descendant of Etienne Marcel. Before she was born, her parents had several other children, but all died in infancy. While her mother awaited this child, she vowed her to the Blessed Virgin and Saint Claude. She promised to clothe her in white until age seven and to offer her in a church of the Blessed Virgin. She was born healthy and baptized as Barbe, the day after the Purification of Our Lady. Her parents instilled piety in her from childhood. As a young girl, she was entrusted to the care of the Little Sisters of the Humility of Our Lady at Longchamp, where she had a maternal aunt. There, she was educated. The girls were taught to read and sing and joined the nuns in the Divine Office. She advanced in virtue and developed a distaste for worldly things. She was drawn to heavenly things with great ardor. There, she formed a vocation for the cloister, which was not altered by later life in the world. At fourteen, she returned to her father's house. She expressed her wish to enter a religious Order in Paris to care for the sick, but her parents opposed this plan. Her mother told her that she would never permit her to become a nun. The young girl believed God spoke to her through her mother and chose to obey. She agreed to the marriage her father proposed because she feared opposing him might resist the divine will. In 1582, when she was 16, she obeyed her parents’ wishes and married Pierre Acarie, the Viscount of Villemoran. He was a wealthy young man of high standing, a fervent Catholic, and a Government Treasury Official. Six children were born to them. Their pious mother raised them with great care. She taught them never to complain of circumstances or persons. She inspired horror of lying in them and strove to make them recognize any sentiments of vainglory. Her three daughters became Carmelites. Her three sons entered, in turn, the magistracy, the priesthood, and the military. After her second child was born, Barbe read some words of St. Augustine that made a great impression on her: ‘He is indeed a miser to whom God is not enough.’ After this, she began to have mystical experiences. These worried her at first, but gradually she gained more control. She could be at rest in God while still caring for her family and other works. She sought only to correspond with God's graces by perfectly fulfilling her duties toward her husband, her six children, and her dependents, whose devoted affection she won. Throughout thirty years of marriage, she demonstrated how Christian spouses could achieve sanctity. She bore herself so well in married life that St. Francis de Sales testified she was a perfect example of Christian virtue. Although she longed for prayer and practices of piety, she more than fulfilled every duty as wife and mother. She respected her husband, was watchful in teaching her children, and cared for her household. She was mild in handling servants and housemaids, whom she encouraged in virtue by word and example. In 1589, after the death of Henry III, political turmoil entered France as many opposed the succession of Henry of Navarre to the French throne. Henry was baptized a Catholic but raised as a Huguenot by his mother, Queen Jeanne III of Navarre. Barbe’s husband, Pierre, was one of the staunchest members of the Catholic League, which opposed the Huguenots. He was one of the sixteen who organized the resistance in Paris, which led to a famine caused by the siege of Paris in 1590. The cruel famine gave Barbe an occasion to display her charity. She was so wise in her almsgiving that, during the famine, the wealthy who desired to help the poor entrusted their alms to her, and she was widely respected. When Henry became King in 1594, Pierre was exiled from Paris, and the Acarie estates were seized, as were those of many others in the League, even though he never joined in the violent activities of some members. Barbe had to remain behind in Paris while Pierre went to Bourgfontaine. Driven from her house and stripped of her wealth, she also had to contend with creditors and irate businessmen. Pierre’s zeal for his faith had outstripped his prudence, and he recklessly lent money to other League members. Barbe faced sudden debts and had to give up most remaining possessions to pay them off. Her once-prosperous state became so dire that she barely had enough money for bread for herself and her children. Many people began to treat her with contempt. When she went to seek help for her husband, servants sometimes refused to let her in. She sent her four oldest children away to school and the two youngest to live with relatives. Barbe herself stayed with her cousin. Barbe never criticized her husband for his reckless ways, and her love for him never faltered despite the hardship. She traveled 45 miles to Bourgfontaine to see him. There, he was captured by bandits. She raised the ransom to free him and arranged his transfer to the Chateau at Luzarches, which was closer to Paris. There, she saw him more often. On returning from one visit, her horse stumbled, and Barbe broke her hip. Medical treatment only made things worse, leaving her an invalid for the rest of her life. Nevertheless, she put all her trust in God and did not yield to despair. She worked hard to provide for her children and restore her husband’s liberty. She defended Pierre in court by drafting memoirs, writing letters, and furnishing proof of his innocence. She won, and he was acquitted and able to return after three years. The family also reclaimed part of their property and fortune. She accepted these circumstances without becoming troubled. She endured want, insults, and pain. And yet afterwards, she often said that this had been a happy time. It was sweeter to her than any other. After four years, the family reunited and regained their home and holdings. Barbe regained popular esteem, including that of the royal family. She devoted herself to expanding the worship of God and became well known in Paris for her charity to the sick and poor. She also opened a refuge for prostitutes who wanted a new start and made vestments for missionaries. By the early seventeenth century, the Acarie home became a gathering place for clergy and devout laity. Many came to ask Barbe’s advice. She accommodated clergy who wanted to stay during convalescence. Many distinguished and devout people came to her home. Her cousin, Cardinal Pierre Bérulle, was a frequent visitor. Others included Madame Jourdain, Madame de Bréauté, the Chancellor de Merillac, Père Coton, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Francis de Sales, who was Barbara’s spiritual director for six months. It has been said that Barbe provided the first definite impulse towards the interior growth of St. Francis de Sales, making him a fit guide for the soul of St. Jane Frances de Chantal. In 1601, Abbé de Brétigny’s translation of Ribera’s life of St. Teresa was published. After Barbe began reading it, St. Teresa appeared to her and told her that God had chosen her to found Carmels in France. Barbe consulted her friends and advisers, but they felt the time was not right. They advised her to abandon the idea or put it aside. She tried to set it aside. Eight months later, St. Teresa appeared again and assured her that the difficulties would be overcome. Barbe approached the Duchess of Longueville to serve as the foundress. This meant financing the project and securing letters patent from the king. She convinced the Duchess, and Barbe persuaded her friends and advisers to support her. Barbara’s good works later won the admiration and support of King Henry, who assisted in bringing the reformed Carmelites of St Teresa to France. St. Francis de Sales wrote to Pope Clement VIII to obtain his permission to found monasteries of Discalced Carmelite nuns in France under the jurisdiction of secular clergy, as there were no Carmelite Friars in France at that time.  They all considered it essential to bring nuns from Spain who had known St. Teresa, so that the French Carmelites would be authentically Teresian. The Pope granted authorization for the new monastery in Paris, and Barbe gathered a group of future postulants. Abbé de Brétigny travelled to Spain to bring back Spanish Carmelites who had known St. Teresa, but he was initially refused, so he called on Barbe for advice. She sent her cousin, Cardinal Pierre Bérulle, to help him, and together with some ladies of the nobility, they returned with six of Teresa’s best nuns, including Bl. Anne of St. Bartholomew and Bl. Anne of Jesus. Two Spanish Carmelite friars accompanied them and gave the habit to the first French novices. The Spanish nuns all went to the newly built Paris Carmel in 1604, but more foundations followed, and Barbe was much involved in those at Pontoise in 1605, Dijon in 1605, and Amiens in 1606. By the time of her death, 12 years later, there were fourteen Carmels in France, which profoundly influenced the French religious and secular society of the day. Blessed Mary of the Incarnation also contributed to the works of the first Ursulines in Paris for the education of youth, and to the establishment of the Oratorians of Italy in France. Among the young women Barbe had gathered together to train as future Carmelites, she found that some clearly did not have a Carmelite vocation. Yet they were dedicated women sincerely seeking to serve God.  It occurred to Barbe that they would make excellent teaching sisters, so she set about founding the Ursulines in Paris, convinced that if girls were taught their faith well they could reform morality in the country, as most of these girls would go on to be mothers and would pass on the teaching to their children. She also urged Cardinal Bérulle to refuse the tutorship of Louis XIII, and on November 11, 1611, she, with St Vincent de Paul, assisted at the Mass of the installation of the Oratory of France. In 1613, her husband fell gravely ill, and she never left his bedside until, nine days later, she saw him die. The tears and the prayers of the blessed widow were comforted by the heavenly confirmation of the eternal salvation of her pious husband. Barbara settled her affairs and, now free from her duties towards her family, broke every bond with the world and decided to become a Carmelite as a lay sister. In 1614, she withdrew to the Monastery of Amiens, which she had founded. Her three daughters had preceded her into the cloister, and one of them, Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament,  was Sub-prioress at Amiens. She took the name Sr. Mary of the Incarnation and made her solemn profession on April 8, 1615, but her health had deteriorated significantly.   As a religious, Mary edified her fervent sisters by her attention to the humblest kitchen tasks, by her complete submission to all, by her practice of poverty, and by a unique finesse in charity, especially towards the sick. Although favored by God with exceptional gifts, she was extremely cautious and preferred the simple practice of the common, solid virtues. She was ever a shining example of poverty, obedience, and the practice of every rule. Her love of humility, in particular, was so great that despite being the parent and mistress of the rest, she chose the humble duties of a lay Sister. She could in no way be persuaded to accept the office of Prioress, although all of the nuns requested her to do so. She preferred to obey her own daughter, who held that place in the absence of the Superior. In 1616, at the request of her Superiors for health reasons, she went to the Carmelite Convent at Pontoise, which she had likewise founded. She spent a year there, patiently bearing a long and severe illness. Her health deteriorated further, and she received the last Sacraments and died on the Wednesday of Easter week, April 18, 1618, amid the prayers and tears of her companions. She was then fifty-three years old. She was heavily influenced by the piety exhibited in the death of St. Francis Xavier, and asserted a desire to die as he had died, namely, bereft of all physical recourse. St. Francis de Sales considered her death in spiritual poverty as laudable as that of St. Francis Xavier, who died in utter physical poverty. Mary’s prime glory is to have contributed more than all others to the introduction of the reform of St. Teresa of Jesus into France, so much so that she merits the title of mother and foundress of the Discalced Carmel in France. The process for beatification was opened in Rome in 1627. The successive decrees of Pope Urban VIII and other circumstances led to the cause's suspension, and it was not resumed until 1782. It was concluded with her beatification, proclaimed by Pope Pius VI on June 5, 1791. Her Feast Day is kept on April 18 in Paris and in the Carmelite order. Her body lies in the Chapel of the Carmelites of Pontoise. Prayer: Heavenly Father, You gave Blessed Mary of the Incarnation heroic strength in the face of the adversities she met along life’s road, and zeal for the extension of the Carmelite family. May we your children courageously endure every trial and persevere to the end in Your love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Summary: Blessed María Felicia of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament (María Felicia Guggiari Echeverría), commonly known as Chiquitunga, was born in Villarrica del Espiritu Santo, Paraguay on January 12, 1925. At the age of 16, she enthusiastically joined Catholic Action and took care of the elderly, the sick, and prisoners. This fruitful apostolic experience, supported by the daily Eucharist, resulted in her consecration to the Lord. She entered the Carmel of Asunción on February 2, 1955, characterized by a life of dedication, deep humility, and great generosity, enveloped in a healthy joy; the motto of her life was: “I OFFER EVERYTHING TO YOU, LORD”. She died at the age of 34, accepting her illness with serenity. She was beatified on June 23, 2018, by the delegate of Pope Francis, Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B. History: María Felicia Guggiari Echeverria was born on January 12, 1925, in Villarrica del Espiritu Santo, the capital of the Guairá district, Paraguay. She was the first of seven children born to the wealthy Ramón Guggiari and Arminda Echeverría. Her family called her Chiquitunga, a nickname her father gave her for her slender physique. She was baptized in Villarrica Cathedral on February 28, 1928. At five, she enrolled in preschool at the "Maria Ausiliatrice" school, where she later attended elementary school and learned the basics of the faith. Even as a child, she showed great eagerness to help the poorest and most helpless. Her mother recalls that she cared for people with limited resources who came to the house asking for bread and help. She received her First Communion on December 8, 1937. Years later, she recalled, "The memory of the happiest day of my life will never be erased from my mind, the day of the first union with my God, and the point where I take the resolution to be every day better and better." Following this important event, she began visiting Jesus daily in the Tabernacle of her parish or her school chapel, sometimes alone, other times accompanied by other children, such as Amaru, her youngest sibling. When she completed primary school in 1939–40, she paused her studies for two years to help her mother with housework. When María was sixteen, Catholic Action was restored in Paraguay. She joined the movement with enthusiasm, despite her parents' opposition, dedicating herself to it and caring for the poor and suffering. In addition, she served as a catechist for children. Her love for Catholic Action is shown in her many writings, full of enthusiasm, love, and passion for its ideals. Reflecting her devotion, she often repeated: "I want everything to be saturated with Christ and wherever it is, leave a ray of his light." Her life motto, "I offer you everything, my Lord," began all her writings. At the same time, she began what she called "the path of perfection," practicing it through intimate, constant prayer, joyful asceticism, and unconditional dedication to children, youth, the elderly, and the sick, even when her family opposed her. She met her spiritual director, Fr. Julio Cesar Duarte Ortella, in February 1941. Later that year, she continued her studies and received her Master’s Degree in 1945. During this time, she was fully involved in apostolic work. Two years after joining Catholic Action, she made her “consecration to the apostolate,” a solemn commitment to charitable activities, to which she added a promise of virginity. Drawing from the Eucharist, which she received daily, she found her source of dedication. To better focus on her studies for teaching, she attended morning Mass. The 1947 civil war caused her great hardship. Her father and brother, Federico, were deported to Posadas, Argentina, and financial difficulties soon followed, leading to her house being mortgaged. Through it all, she did not lose hope, calling on everyone to end the conflict with forgiveness and reconciliation. Eventually, Ramón Guggiari returned from exile and moved his family to the capital, Asunción, in February 1950. At twenty-five, María Felicia settled quickly in Asunción. First, she joined Catholic Action in her new parish. Next, to support her family, she resumed her studies and began teaching, first at the Perpetual Help parish school in the Barrio Obrero neighborhood, then at the school run by the Redemptorist Fathers. On April 23, she met Saua Angel, a young Catholic Action leader and a medical student about to become a doctor. She soon fell in love with him and wondered whether God was calling her to marriage, just as the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux had chosen, at first, to remain chaste. María waited with confidence for God’s will. About a year later, Saua told María he felt called to the priesthood to atone for his father’s refusal to convert. In response, María immediately offered to help him achieve his goal. To avoid his family's opposition, since his father was Muslim, Saua went to Madrid to pursue a specialization in psychiatry and continued discerning his call. He left for Europe in April 1952; by November, he had decided to enter the seminary. María was happy with his decision and soon felt called to the religious life herself. On August 20, 1952, as she passed the Spanish Hospital in Asunción, where Mother Teresa Margarita of the Sacred Heart, prioress of the first Carmelite Convent in Paraguay, was being treated. María spoke with her at length, receiving advice and encouragement. Moved by the encounter, she wrote in her diary: "I have found a mother." In January 1954, she began a course of Spiritual Exercises. During these exercises, María decided to enter Carmel. Once again, she faced opposition from her father, now joined by priests who valued her support for Catholic Action. However, her decision was final. Despite their resistance, she entered the Discalced Carmel of Asunción on February 2, 1955, at age 30, and received the habit on August 14, 1955. Shortly before entering, she wrote her last letter to Saua: "My brother, see you in eternity!" A year later, on August 15, 1956, María professed her temporary vows and took the name Sister María Felicia of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. She spent the next three years in fervent fellowship. She was known for her charity, sacrifice, and joy. On January 7, 1959, one of her sisters, "Mañica," died of infectious hepatitis. In the days that followed, María learned she had contracted the same disease and was hospitalized. On March 28, 1959, Holy Saturday, she spat blood for the first time. Then, on Easter Tuesday, the prioress summoned her brother, Federico Guggiari, who was a doctor. Dismayed, he exclaimed, "I am a doctor, and I cannot save my sister!" He diagnosed her with purpura, indicating an infection already developing. On April 28, 1959, at 4:10 a.m., she asked that St. Teresa of Avila's poem "I die because I do not die" be read to her. Surrounded by loved ones, she spoke her final words: "Jesus, I love you! What a sweet encounter! Virgin Mary!" With her characteristic sweet smile, she passed away at 34. Her death resonated throughout Paraguay, as she was well-known for her work in Catholic Action. Sisters recall people arriving from all parts of the country, saying, "A saint has died." She spent less than four years within the Carmel walls, yet her dedication to God, her service to the poor, and her love for the Eucharist left a lasting impact. She was buried in Recoleta Cemetery in Asunción. However, on April 28, 1993, she was moved to the chapel in the Carmelite Monastery, where she had lived for three years. Her beatification process began after she was named a Servant of God under Pope St. John Paul II on July 17, 1997. Subsequently, on March 27, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI declared her heroic virtues and gave her the title of "Venerable." Later, on June 23, 2018, Pope Francis beatified her, confirming her as "Blessed María Felicia Guggiari Echeverria." The beatification miracle involved a newborn, Ángel Ramón, who showed no vital signs at birth but recovered after 20 minutes following the obstetrician's prayers for María's intercession. The beatification ceremony took place at Estadio Cerro Porteño in Asunción, Paraguay, with Cardinal Angelo Amata as chief celebrant. She has been called Paraguay’s “lily” by the Catholic Church there. Many of her writings, poems, and letters still exist. Her spontaneous, simple, and yet piercing words show her living her faith as an apostle. Blessed María Felicia Guggiari Echeverria inspires with unwavering faith, selfless service, and deep love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Her memory continues to be honored by Catholics worldwide who seek her intercession and example. Prayer: Good and merciful Father, You who offer us in Blessed María Felicia a living testimony of love for your Son Jesus Christ in the joy of the beatitudes: grant us, through her intercession, to be conquered by that same love, and to offer our lives for your glory and the salvation of the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.