Posted on 08/25/2006 6:20:55 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
THE Church is facing another onslaught from film-makers. After the furore over The Da Vinci Code, it is now contending with an allegedly blasphemous account of the life of St Teresa of Ávila.
Geraldine Chaplin heads the cast of Teresa: Death and Life, a feature film about one of the great Christian figures.
The writings of the saint a mystic who said that Christ conversed with her are revered as spiritual masterpieces four centuries after her death.
But film-makers dont do spirituality as easily as sexuality and, in exploring the saints sex life, they find themselves accused of treading sacrilegiously.
On being told about the films content, [Benedicta Ward, nun and Oxford University Historian] said: The stress on her virginity and her sexuality are entirely modern interests as if she were living now. Thats not fair. She is the greatest of the mystics. She has visions and writes about them and analyses them in an extraordinary way.
[Diurector Ray Loriga] was prepared for a possible controversy, but said: The vision we have been offered of St Teresa is very close to a holy image."
He added: This is the 21st century and I think certain opinions about St Teresa, such as the question of her virginity, could change.
Loriga said: Im convinced shell be the sexiest Saint Teresa ever seen on screen. ...
So far, [the Catholic Church has]only offered two models to women The Virgin Mother, which, in my opinion, is an aberration and quite harmful to women, and the redeemed whore symbolised by Mary Magdalene. These role models worry me. The Church hasnt been able to find a better explanation for women within the context of our relationship with God.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
The quote you highlighted in your post is so offensive that I am nearly speechless. These reprobates have many loose women to do movies about in their own neighborhood, why insult the beliefs of others to indulge in their raunchy lifestyles and fantasies? (okay, I did say nearly speechless!) :-)
You must be quite a fan of our Teresita! I enjoyed your post.
I have a favorite icon of her with her castanets. Not your typical Carmelite!
Her enemies wanted to do her in because she opposed the laxity, luxury and scandal of 16th century monastic life; which opened her up to the suspicion, not that she was secretly Jewish, but that she was secretly Protestant. (No good deed goes unpunished, as we know.)
Nade te turbe!
And BTW, I just read an article that said Teresa's early malady was caused, not by "sexual tension," but good ol' boring malaria, plus the nearly-fatal "cure" given her by a quack medico.
http://www.helpfellowship.org/Articles%20of%20Interest/teresa_of_avila_by_raymond_helmick_SJ.htm
You are correct. :-)
It does make a difference to know that.
Here are some gems from her writings:
"Let your desire be the vision of God
Your fear the loss of Him
Your joy in that which may take you to Him
And your life shall be in great peace."
"Never is His hand weary of giving...and the source of His mercies can never be exhausted."
"This is not a time for believing in everyone. Believe only those whom you see modeling their lives on Christ."
"You know, I no longer govern (here she means her convent) in the way I used to. Love does everything. And I am not sure if that is because no one gives me cause to reprove, or because I have discovered that things go better that way."
"Even with these desires that God gives us to help others, we may make many mistakes, and thus it is better to do what our Rule tells us...to try to live ever in silence and hope, and the Lord will take care of his own."
And, of course, this one you which posted partially in Spanish:
"Let nothing disturb you
Let nothing frighten you
All things are passing
God only is changeless
Patience gains all things
Who has God wants nothing
God alone suffices"
you which = which you
St. Jane Frances de Chantal or St. Elizabeth Seton wouldn't be either.
No, our Teresa was a passionate person. She had her seasons of struggle.
The early theologian Origen, in a moment of extremely bad judgment, castrated himself. This is one (big) reason he is not a canonized saint: the Church considers castration --- in fact, any sort of deliberate self-mutilaion --- a sin. And I'd say that would include emotional as well as physical castration.
"Celibate" doesn't mean "a frozen meat-locker dedicated unto the Lord." It means that the heat of your temperament (like Teresa's) is cultivated for a specialized and surprisingly beautiful use.
Hasve you read "The Interior Castle"?
Every year EWTN airs a Granada-TV, Spanish language mini-series from the early '80s about the life of Theresa of Avila. It's absolutely wonderful. It's the best treatment of religious life that I've ever seen on film. I consider it to be as good a mini-series as "Brideshead Revisited." These are the two mini-series that I would take to a desert island.
Welcome home!
And what about her levitating? Was that a "dissociative reaction" too?
this looks very bad, it's going to put a lot of souls in jeopardy. It will be spanish language so maybe the impact here won't be so bad, but a lot of latinos will believe anything they see on tv or in movies. It stars Paz Vega - the beautiful woman from "Spanglish" (movie with Adam Sandler), and the director usually makes sexually explicit movies. Very, very sad.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458500/
>>>Oh my Lord! How true it is that whoever works for you is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love you if we understand its value.
(Saint Teresa de Jesus)
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