Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), a Spanish Carmelite nun, was chosen by Heaven for the amazing and difficult task of reforming the Order of Mount of Carmel, which had fallen into worldly and sinful ways. An incredible mystic and well known for her many powerful books on spirituality, Saint Teresa spent much of her life establishing the order of reformed Carmelites around Spain and Europe. She struggled against much opposition, and with God’s grace and help, this great saint succeeded in restoring the Order of Carmelites to the purity of their original rule. Another mission quite close to her heart, though perhaps not as famous as her other accomplishments, was spreading devotion to one of her most cherished Saints: Saint Joseph.

Even from her youth, Teresa felt a great affection and confidence in the spouse of the Mother of God and would love to call him "Father". In fact, the very first convent that she founded was in Avila, Spain and was named "St. Joseph’s". Of the eighteen Carmelite monasteries and convents that she founded, thirteen of them were specially dedicated to St. Joseph. In all of them, devotion to St. Joseph was firmly established. She placed every one of them under his protection, and always had a statue of him placed over one of the doors.

In her writings of her life, St. Teresa tells us in her own words how strongly she felt about the great Saint Joseph:

"I took for my advocate and master the glorious St. Joseph and recommended myself earnestly to him. I saw clearly that where my honor and the loss of my soul were concerned, my Father and master delivered me out of this, and other troubles of greater importance, touching my honor and my soul. He rendered me greater services than I knew how to ask for. I cannot recall that I have at any time asked him for anything which he did not obtain; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favors God has granted me through this blessed Saint and the dangers, both of body and soul, from which he has delivered me

"To other Saints, Our Lord seems to have given power to aid us in some special necessity; but to this glorious Saint (I know by my experience), He has given the power to help us in all things. Our Lord would have us understand that as He was subject to Joseph on earth (St. Joseph bearing the title of His father and being His guardian could command Him), so now Our Lord in Heaven grants all his petitions.

"I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they too know the same thing by experience. Would that I could persuade all men to be devoted to this glorious Saint; for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and honored him by particular services who did not greatly advance in virtue: for he helps in a special way those souls who recommend themselves to him.

"It is now very many years since I began asking him for something on his feast day, and I always received it. If the petition was in any way amiss, he rectified it for my greater good.

"If I were a person who had authority to write, it would be a pleasure to me to speak most minutely of the graces which this glorious Saint has obtained for me and for others. But I ask for the love of God that he who does not believe me will try it for himself - then he will find out by experience the great good that results from recommending oneself to this glorious Patriarch and in being devoted to him.

"Those person who give themselves to prayer should in a special manner always have a great devotion to St. Joseph. For I know not how anyone can think of the Queen of Angels, during the time that She suffered so much with the Infant Jesus, without giving thanks to St. Joseph for the assistance he rendered Them then. He who cannot find anyone to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious Saint for his guide, and he will not lose his way." - (Autobiography of St. Teresa, Chapter 6)

We can see how strongly this great Saint felt about the incomparable dignity of St. Joseph; the honor and influence he enjoys in Heaven; and his goodness towards those who devote themselves to him. This zeal and great love shown by St. Teresa during her life for her well-beloved patron by no means ended when she left this world. It was still to be seen after her death…

When St. Teresa of Avila was officially canonized and declared a Saint by the Catholic Church, the Carmelites were overjoyed. In their zeal, many of the Carmelite convents and monasteries (which she had founded herself) wanted the names/patrons of their respective churches to be replaced by that of the brand new St. Teresa of Avila.

They expressed this desire to the Father Provincial of the Carmelites, who approved of their idea, as he also had a special devotion to their holy foundress. Now St. Teresa would be honored in a special way by having all of the churches of the Carmelite houses named after her! What better way to show their affection for this new Saint? However, the Saint whom they sought to honor did not agree or approve of this.

Not much time later, a Carmelite in the convent of Avila received an apparition from none other than St. Teresa herself. Much to the poor nun’s surprise, the Saint told her that the Carmelites were not to keep the changes they had made. Even from Heaven, St. Teresa had lost none of her determination nor authority: "You will tell the Father Provincial to take away my name from the churches of our monasteries, and restore to them the name of which they have been despoiled (robbed), that of St. Joseph." She could not have been clearer. Every place which was once named in honor of St. Joseph, and had been replaced by hers, was to be immediately given back to their original patron… by St. Teresa’s own command! The order was quickly obeyed.

Thus St. Teresa herself showed how her affection for this Saint had not diminished. Instead, she shows the unity and fellowship of the Saints in Heaven - and she receives greater pleasure and even honor to see her dear St. Joseph honored in her place. Her great desire is that everyone should endeavor to love St. Joseph as she did - with the same powerful love that they will share together "Forever and Ever!".