Saint Teresa Maria

Catholic Saint

Feast Day : April 23

Patronage: people ridiculed for their piety

Also known as: Teresa Maria de la Cruz

Teresa Maria de la Cruz was born March 2, 1846, in Florence, Italy, and baptized with the name Teresa Adelaida Cesina Manetti. Her father died when she was a child. The loss stayed with her all her life and led her to devote her life to helping the poor and disadvantaged, especially orphans, whom she called her greatest treasure. In 1872, she and some girlfriends formed a small circle to educate young people in the Christian doctrine. On July 16, 1876, at the age of 30, she was admitted to the third order of the Carmelites and changed her name to Teresa Maria of the Cross. On July 12, 1888, she was among the first 27 nuns to take the habit of the Discalced Carmelites. The order was approved by Pope Pius X on February 27, 1904, with the name Carmelite Tertiaries of Santa Teresa. Teresa Maria was always in poor health, physically and spiritually, deserving of the name “of the Cross.” She often prayed to God to make her suffer more, to squeeze her to the last drop. Meanwhile, her caring knew no bounds she would give anything to anyone, never thinking of herself. Teresa Maria died in Florence on April 3, 1910, while repeating: “Oh, my Jesus, if you want, make me suffer more. . . .” Then she cried ecstatically: “It’s open . . . I’m going!”