God, The Joy of My Life: Saint Teresa of the Andes / Fr Michael Griffin

St. Teresa of the Andes, Chile’s first saint, lived in the 20th century, died at the young age of 19 yrs. old, and was canonized by Pope John Paul II. Her beautiful story and her witness of love for Christ and others is a shining light for the Church today, especially for our youth. She was a vibrant young woman who loved music, sports and had a wide circle of friends, and her story and spiritual message bears some striking resemblances to that other great young modern Carmelite saint, Therese of Lisieux.

St. Teresa had a deep love for her family, and her many friends, and leaving them to join Carmel was a great sacrifice for her. A young woman with an outgoing personality and empathy for others, she had developed a profound spirituality and prayer life, so that when she entered Carmel she quickly ascended to the heights of sanctity. She entered Carmel at the age of 19 and died only eleven months later.

This work, written by an expert on her life and spirituality, tells her whole life story. It also includes the homilies by John Paul II at her beatification and her canonization, as well as her own Spiritual Diary that reveals the profound insights of her own spiritual journey and holiness. Her fame and popularity have spread far and wide, and each year more than 100,000 visitors flock to her shrine in Chile, many of them young people. What is it about this young woman, barely out of school, that draws so many young people to her? Youth love her because she became a saint by living the same sort of daily life as they do, in school, playing sports, music, enjoying her friends, and through it all, living her faith to the full. Illustrated.