10th -15th October 2025

A CARMELITE RETREAT PILGRIMAGE WITH ST TERESA

Led by Fr Fr. Alexander Ezechukwu, OCD and Fr Liam Finnerty, OCD

A pilgrimage to Ávila in the footsteps of St Teresa, one of the great mystics, reformers, and religious women of the Roman Catholic Church.

“All must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear!” (St Teresa of Ávila)

DAY ONE

PILGRIMS OF LOVE

25 pilgrims from the UK, USA, Ireland, Scotland gathered at the Madrid airport and were conveyed in a coach to our destination – Hotel Zentral, Toledo. We had some time to settle in and then walked for about 25 minutes through the hilly routes to the Discalced Carmelite Friars’ monastery for Mass.

This was presided over by Fr Liam. In his homily he pointed out to us that we all are seeking Christ and invited us to let this holy place anoint us. He encouraged us to ponder as did Our Lady, our Model of fidelity. He also invited us to enter the ancient world in the spirit of St Teresa and St John who returned to the mystical tradition of Carmel in the footsteps of the Blessed Virgin Mary the perfect contemplative. In the chapel where we celebrated mass were two important relics – a tooth of St Teresa and a finger of St John of the Cross. The presence of these two mystical giants through their relics brought a special connection with their lives and what we have learnt through the SDFP course.

In the Carmelite history, Toledo holds a significance place. In Toledo lived St Teresa’s grandfather. John of the Cross wrote most of his poems in prison in Toledo. These poems transformed his sufferings. Although sin and evil exist, hope gives grace. He urges us to be steady in Teresa’s and John’s tradition which leads to the resurrection and the power of Pentecost.

After the mass we visited the monastery church where the relics of the seventeen friars martyred in the monastery during the Spanish wars are laid under the altar. We also visited the courtyard of the monastery overlooking the beautiful city of Toledo.

DAY TWO

THE WAY OF GENTLENESS AND LOVE

After a restful night and a delicious breakfast, we walked to St Joseph’s Monastery of the Discalced Carmelite nuns for mass. This monastery was La Madre’s fifth foundation, where she frequented for rest. This monastery also held a special place in the life of St Teresa as she started the Interior Castle while in the monastery. Besides, the incorrupt body of Beata Maria de Jésus (Blessed Mary of Jesus) a true daughter of St Teresa lies in this monastery between the altar and the sisters’ choir. Maria de Jesus (1560-1640) was received into Carmel by St Teresa herself when she was 17. She was a novice when St John of the Cross sought refuge with the nuns in this monastery after escaping from prison. A great contemplative, Bl Mary was intensely devoted to Jesus and was often inspired by the liturgy. Teresa herself admired her greatly.

We were all wonderfully impressed by the beauty of the sanctuary, with its delicate and intricate altar area. Fr Matt presided over the mass and shared with us many interesting facts about Teresa’s fondness for this foundation in Toledo. In Toledo (before the foundation), Teresa spent time with Doña Luisa, a widow who had lost had husband and was inconsolable. She requested for Teresa’s assistance, but it so worked out that while with Luisa Teresa got to meet other famous and wealthy people who would eventually be instrumental to her foundations. Teresa also liked Toledo because being the capital of Spain at the time, the place had good postal services, and they helped to deliver her letters. She was confident that any of her letters that got to Toledo will get to their final destination.

Later in the day Fr Matt led us in retracing St John of the Cross’ prison escape route. We viewed the plaque on walls of Toledo which commemorates his imprisonment. On the plaque is written the first stanza of The Dark Night, a poem by St John of the Cross. The day ended with a wonderful explanation by Fr Matt of the politics of John’s imprisonment. The deeper meaning of John’s imprisonment is expressed by his poems – The Romances, By the Rivers of Babylon, La Feunte, the original stanzas of the Spiritual Canticle.

DAY THREE

“My house shall be called a house of prayer” – Prayer as a foundation of authentic life in Christ.

SEGOVIA

We drove to Segovia! After some time for coffee, we walked to the Carmelite monastery of St Joseph, founded by St Teresa herself in 1574.  Upon entering she lapel we encountered the dazzling gold chapel. The foundation at Segovia was made at God’s directives. Teresa would write, “I was here one day in prayer, our Lord said to me, make a foundation here in Segovia.” This was boldly escribed on a plaque on the way to the monastery.

The Mass

We had Mass in the monastery, connecting with the holiness of the place. In his homily Fr Matt centred on the Ten Lepers (LK 17:11 – 19) he made these words of Jesus resonate – “Show yourselves to the priest.” This was the right thing to do, what is expected at the time. But one of the lepers goes beyond these instructions. He sees he is healed, that something profound has happened to them taking, beyond the boundaries to see Jesus in a new way. He gives thanks and praise worship and goes in another direction to go deeper. This can be likened to the spiritual life as described by St John of the Cross, which takes one beyond what is expected as been told. In the Dark Night, John takes us to go beyond the security, guided by the Light deep within. He invites us to beyond all that is known. This light within is a deep darkness. You do not understand but you just know. It is the spiritual life to see Jesus beyond one’s expectations. Rejoice in what you don’t know as God is beyond boundaries.

In the prologue to the Spiritual Canticles, John says no words can express what loving souls experience God. Something deep has happened. We too can explore what happens within and like the leper express it in thanksgiving, praise and worship. The leper’s life was transformed as Jesus opens up a whole new way. John wants us to know not to stop here, you have not arrived. Never stop, this is not the point of arrival. This new life is never defined and there are no rules here. Jesus has healed you; your faith has made you well. John writes that as this faith gets deeper and darker God becomes so bright. This experience of darkness is really an abundance of light. Only God knows where this will lead. With the light within, your faith is your salvation. This profound healing gives the leper a whole new life. We are being drawn deeper and deeper into a profound mystery of who Jesus is, and what it means to be in profound relationship with Him.