Crossed The Tiber

An Evangelical Converts to Catholicism

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Location: Pennsylvania, United States

I was born into the Catholic faith. At 14, I was "born again" and found Jesus personally but lost His Church. After thirty years as an evangelical protestant, I have come full circle to find that He has been there all the time, in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I wish others to find the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith as I have found.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

St Terese Benedicta (1891-1942)

Edith Stein, a young women from a prominent Jewish family, converted to Catholicism before WW2 and became a Carmelite nun. She was gifted in her understanding of philosophy and taught at a university in the Netherlands. Today the Church honors this godly woman. She had forsaken all to follow the Truth leading to her death in the concentration camps at the hands of the Nazis. It was her reading of St. Terese of Avila that led her to conversion. We should never under estimate the power of the saints to change lives.

"In his homily at the canonization Mass, Pope John Paul II said: “Because she was Jewish, Edith Stein was taken with her sister Rosa and many other Catholics and Jews from the Netherlands to the concentration camp in Auschwitz, where she died with them in the gas chambers. Today we remember them all with deep respect. A few days before her deportation, the woman religious had dismissed the question about a possible rescue: ‘Do not do it! Why should I be spared? Is it not right that I should gain no advantage from my Baptism? If I cannot share the lot of my brothers and sisters, my life, in a certain sense, is destroyed.’"

From St Anthony's Messenger, Go here for the full story

St Terese, intercede for us that we too will live our lives in the hands of God as you did.

2 Comments:

Blogger Joyful Catholic said...

My friend, Sarah, and I were just talking a little about St. Terese Benedicta. I told her there is a sister at the Norfolk NE Immaculata Monastery who is very old now and in the infirmary who actually knew Edith Stein! I've mentioned it to Kris at KVSS to get some sort of interview on the radio, because I guess she's somewhat lucid enough to possibly do that, or so I heard in March.

Forsook ALL to follow Truth, leading her to death...and I grumble about the most pesky things. God have mercy. What a powerful quote at the end, TJ. Thanks for this. St Terese, pray for us. Thank you for your life of holiness and faith to "die with your brothers and sisters."

August 09, 2007 5:41 PM  
Blogger Russ Rentler, M.D. said...

That would be a cool interview.
Yes I get disconcerted at the smallest issues, she boldly faced death when she could have had an "out." God give us the same grace you gave these saints.

August 09, 2007 7:58 PM  

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