communities

In 1578, a pious woodcutter named Tomasz Michalek saw a bright light in the forest. The Virgin asked him to alert the authorities to build a church. Thomas, scared, did nothing. The Virgin appeared again, asking him to take action and ending his silence. Thomas approached the authorities but was not believed. Under a subsequent priest, a small chapel was built, then a larger shrine in 1606. Today the shrine is part of a larger Bernardine monastery, and contains the image of Our Lady of Consolation....

This 17th-century church, run by the Discalced Carmelites, marks the spot where St Teresa of Avila is believed to have been born. The church houses a museum dedicated to her life and works. More Information Official site

The fifteenth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1581. More Information Soria tourism site Author’s Note It’s unclear which church is associated with the original convent - the one pinpointed on this article, or the nearby Iglesia de Santa Maria la Mayor (as noted, possibly incorrectly, on Soria’s tourism site). Regardless, the convent is still actively functioning. -JMM

The eigth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1571, and also the place of her death in 1582. Today the main altarpiece houses St. Teresa’s incorrupt heart and arm. More Information Official site Information in English

The eleventh of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1575. This convent does not appear open to the public. More Information Seville tourism site

The last of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1582. More Information Burgos tourism site - Note: website not active at time of writing Author’s Note Many of the websites associated with this site were not working at time of writing. -JMM

The first of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1562. Visitors can explore the church, cloister, and St. Teresa’s cell, now a chapel dedicated to prayer. More Information Official site - Note: website not active at time of writing Avila tourism site

The twelvth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1576. More Information Caravaca tourism site Article from Murcia Today

The sixteenth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1582. Co-founded with St. John of the Cross. More Information Official site - Note: website not active at time of writing Information from the Federacion Virgen del Carmen

The third of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1568.

The second of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1567, and also where she met and influenced St. John of the Cross. Now houses a museum. More Information Castila y Leon tourism site Medina del Campo tourism site - Note: website not active at time of writing

The ninth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1574.

The fifth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1569.

The thirteenth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1580. More Information Villanueva de la Jara offical site

The fourth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1568.

The sixth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1569. St. John of the Cross may have written his Dark Night of the Soul and Ascent of Mount Carmel here. In 1836 the convent was confiscated by the Spanish government, but in 1855 was reoccupied by Conceptionist Franciscan nuns. Today it serves as a Conceptionist convent and Teresan museum. More Information Pastrana tourism site

The Monastery of Jasna Gora in Czestochowa, Poland, is the third-largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world. Home to the beloved miraculous icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the monastery is also the national shrine of Poland and a pillar of Polish Catholicism. More Information Official site The Real Presence Miracle Hunter MaryPages Link Link

The 18th of the 21 California missions, founded in 1798. It is attached to the Franciscan community of the same name. More Information Official site California Missions Foundation page Missions California page

The 10th of the 21 California missions, founded in 1786. More Information Official site California Missions Foundation page Missions California page

The seventh of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila in 1578. Its secluded setting reflects her desire for a life dedicated to prayer and contemplation. As noted on the official site - the Carmelite Desert, more than a geographical place, is an interior experience of solitude and contemplation. The monastery accepts pilgrims looking for a contemplative retreat. Guests are invited to participate in community prayers. More Information Official site

The tenth of 17 communities founded by St. Teresa of Avila, in 1575. More Information Sierra de Segura tourism site Wikipedia - Significant amounts of information of the associated Wikipedia page

Founded in 1478, this Carmelite convent in Avila was where Saint Teresa entered as a young woman and lived for 27 years. She took her vows here and began her journey as a mystic and reformer. The monastery features her cell, the Chapel of Transverberation and a museum dedicated to her life. St. John of the Cross spent notable amounts of time here as well, and during one session of prayer, received a vision of Christ on the Cross from “above....