Today, June 7, is the memorial of Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew.
Secretary of St. Teresa of Avila.
Anne Garcia Manzanas was born in 1550 in Spain. At 13, the orphan Anne became a shepherdess. She already knew that she had a vocation. As a devotee to the Passion of Christ, she wanted to consecrate her virginity to God, but feared she would be unable to overcome her brothers’ opposition to her vocation.
It crossed her mind to entertain the idea of marriage. She was thinking about her ideal man who had to be physically, financially, and spiritually agreeable. As she was musing thus, Christ appeared to her and said, “I am the man whom you are seeking.” From that day onward, Anne resolved never to marry.
One night, Anne fell asleep while saying the rosary. In that state, the Blessed Virgin appeared to her in a vision, instructing her to become a nun at the Discalced Carmelite convent in Avila. Jesus also appeared, supporting the Virgin Mother’s advice, and pulled Anne by her rosary beads. Anne woke up and joined the Discalced Carmelites.
Anne was under the direction of the great St. Teresa of Avila. She became the saint’s secretary and close friend. Accounts state that St. Teresa died in the arms of Bl. Anne.
She worked on the Carmelite reform in France. She became a prioress of the Tours and Pontoise communities. She also founded the Carmelite house in Antwerp, Belgium in 1612. She was also a noted poet, with some of her works surviving the ravages of time.
She died of natural causes at age 75 in 1626. She was beatified in 1917 by Pope Benedict XV.