rature By Father Robert F. McNamara time of his death he hold no adminisbative Guest contributor office; and that he would end his life in amid personal dishonor and contempt. CarmeliteSt. , spiritual theolos­ honor life of St. John ofGo thd granteed his Crospetitions. A groups of gian and collaborator with St. Teresa of took up a campaign to dis­ Avila in die , died credit him and oust him from the order. just 400 years ago. This year the Discalced The campaign was successful enough to — including the at the turn many of his confreres against him. of Our Lady and St. Joseph on And when he was in his final illness and Jefferson Road in Pittsford — are celebrat­ without authority, die local for­ ing this quatercentenary of their co- bade showing him any kindness. One could founder. almost have guessed what would be bis last Who was St. John of the Cross, .this words before his death on December 14, Carmelite priest and mystic whom Teresa 1591:' 'Father, into your hands I commend of Avila called "great in the eyes of God," my spirit." and whom John Paul JJ has adopted But as soon as John died die cloud lifted, as his own "sure guide in the ways of and all hailed him as a . He was canon­ faith?" ized in 1726, and in 1926 was proclaimed a He was a native of Fontiveros in New . What qualified him Castile, . Born Juan de Yepes in for tins doctrinal honor? It was his deep 1542, he was the third and last child of a analysis of die process of reaching perfec­ worthy but impoverished couple. After re­ tion, that is, union with God. His Christ- ceiving his elementary schooling in a centered writings are profound instruction "poor school," he planned to learn a craft in contemplation. to support himself. But in all the crafts he In a quatercentennial letter to die supe­ tried — woodworking, tailoring, engraving rior general of die Discalced Carmelites, and painting — he proved to be "all Pope John Paul II said he believes John of thumbs." die Cross's greatest gift to us is his teach­ His abilities surfaced, however, when he ing on die need of faith. The saint helped turned to study and the care of the sick in his own troubled generation by building up Median del Carnpo. Still greater was his in himself and otiiers an "adult" faith that talent for prayer and self-denial during his blossomed into a sense of solidarity with late teens. neighbor, said die pope, who many years In 156373e Yepes entered the Carmelite St. John of the Cross, OCD, lived from 1542-1591. ago wrote his doctoral dissertation on Order, which-had a monastery at Medina. ' 'Faim according to St. John of die Cross. Clothed, in the Carmelite habit and given Teresa opened die first "contemplative" the religious name John of St. Matthias, he monastery for men at Duruelo in 1568. made a yearlong and took his first Father Juan was named subprior of die vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. ramshackle little house and master of die JOIN US FOR THE At mat time the Carmelite Fathers were novices (only two at die outset). In the following a modified form of the old Car­ years that followed, she and St. John estab­ GRAND OPENING melite rule of life. John, already a lished for a growing numbers staunch ascetic, asked permission to follow of friars. The members followed die stric­ CELEBRATION the original, stricter rule. Apparently he ter '"vegetarian" rule to die letter. They was convinced that amid a century in came to be called "discalced," or "shoe­ which the Protestant Reformation had se­ less" Carmelites because diey wore san­ verely shaken the , Catho­ dals. OF OUR NEW PENFIELD STORE lics should strive to be more fervent rather From die start at Duruelo, they won pub­ man less. lic acclaim for their devotional life, preach­ 2200 Penfield Rd. - Pen-Fair Plaza Indeed, when John was ordained a priest ing and counseling. After its co-founders' deadis, die movement would spread into Saturday, September 7th-9:30a.m.-9:00p.m. many lands. The first permanent American Free Pizza and Pop all day long monastery of Carmelite nuns opened at Thousands of Dollars in Giveaways (No pmfacase necessary) Everybody wins something! Port Tobacco, Maryland, in 1790. German friars founded die first permanent Ameri­ A DAT OP ENTERTAINMENT can monastery of male Discalced Carme­ 50% OFF lites at Holy Hill, Wisconsin, in 1906. SATURDAY, SEPT. 7th 9:30am-Noon - Entertainment for Children A selection of boxed When he entered die reformist Carme­ Noon-5:00pm - Contemporary Christian Musk and counter lites, the co-founder changed his name from "John of St. Matthias" to "John of CHRISTIAN ROCK CONCERT CHRISTMAS CARDS die Cross." The change was typical of die 5:00pm-6:00pm - Nobody's Fool While Supplies Last man. It was also prophetic. 6:00PM-TTLL - HOLY SAINT Penfield Location Only St. Teresa's reform movement had die approval of Rome, but it was not until 1580 that die acknowledged die Dis­ calced as a separate Carmelite province, and only in 1593 as an independent Carme­ lite order. This portrait of St. Teresa of Avila by Meanwhile jurisdictional problems Fray Juan de la Miseria, 1576, hangs arose. Thus, in 1575 die regular Carmelite in the house of the Discalced Carme­ superiors ordered John of me Cross to lites at Valladolld. cease his reformist activities. When he said COUPON COUPON in 1S67, he was half-persuaded to transfer he could not, he was scourged and shut up to the most austere of religious orders, the in a dim, tiny monastic cell at Toledo. The Carthusian . But his meeting with superiors may have had technical justifica­ St. Teresa of Avila on the occasion of his tion for punishing his "disobedience," but first Mass resulted in his dismissing the tiiey went too far. Still, St. John accepted thought. die sentence without complaint, and used St. Teresa, 27 years older dun young die eight months to begin die series of pro­ Father John, immediately saw in him an found spiritual poems for which he is espe­ cially noted. "When You Wont to Shore Your Heart and God's Love" ideal assistant for her work to reform the BUY ONE GREETING CARD AT REGULAR PRICE Carmelite Order. In their conversation, she Eventually, however, he took advantage told him she thus far had established mon­ of me opportunity, perhaps miraculously asteries of me strict rule only for women, offered, to escape his prison and take ref­ — GET ONE FREE — but that she was about to set up reformist uge in a Discalced monastery many miles Limit One Free Card per purchase on any DaysSpring Product — Expires 9/30/91 (CQ houses for males as well. Wouldn't it be away. NOW WITH TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: better, she asked him, if he should stay in In his constant effort to imitate Christ, GREECE PENFIELD his own religious community and work to St. John not only resigned himself to THE STREET OF SHOPPES PEN-FAIR PLAZA bring it back to its ancient ideal? 'whatever befell him, but positively sought 1600 Ridge Road West 2200 Penfield Road John accepted gingerly, but die die was" out "not die easiest but the hardest; not (716) 663-5085 (716) 377-4480 cast. Thenceforth die motherly and her tiiat which comforts but diat which grieves; FOR OUR OUT-OF-TOWN CUSTOMERS idealistic spiritual son became permanently not more but less." Delighted by a humi­ 1-800-755-6467 associated, complementing each other bom lity he found liberating, he constantly ask­ (Greece Store Only) as administrators and as spiritual counse­ ed God for three favors: tiiat he might pass lors. no day without some suffering; that at die

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