Teresa of Avila lived in Spain. She was a woman of action and of prayer. She reformed the Carmelite order of nuns and wrote great books on mystical prayer. Teresa was a very good friend of God. She talked to God directly and told God exactly what she thought and felt. In 1967, Teresa was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church. This means that her writings and holiness have helped many people learn about God. Her feast day is October 15.

Excerpted from Come, Follow Me (grade 8) by Rev. Berard Marthaler, OFM COnv. and Rev. Gerard Weber. Copyright © 1998 by Benziger Publishing Company, PO Box 544, Blacklick, OH, 43004-0544. Used with permission of the publisher.