Bl. Anne of St. Bartholomew

The Discalced Carmelite Order today keeps the feast of Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew, the secretary and constant companion of our Holy Mother Teresa.

There are two useful sites on the web giving information about Bl. Anne. This one is the from the Catholic Encyclopaedia. She is in disguise there, being indexed as "Anne Garcia" even though they admit she is better known as Anne of St. Bartholomew. The CE has all the essential dates and place names. This site is more generous with stories of her life and other interesting details.


The old Carmelite collect for the feast of St. Anne:

"Deus, qui beatam Annam Virginem tuam, eximium humilitatis exemplar effecisti : concede nobis, famulis tuis, ut illius vestigia sequentes, promissa humilibus praemia consequi valeamus. Per Dominum Nostrum Iesum Christum. Amen."

My own translation:

Oh, God who didst make Blessed Anne, Thy virgin an exceptional exemplar of humility, grant to us Thy servants that following in her footsteps, we may be able to receive the reward promissed to the humble. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The current collect in the Carmelite liturgy:

"Father, rewarder of the humble, you blessed your servant Anne of Saint Bartholomew with outstanding charity and patience. May her prayers help us, and her example inspire us, to carry our cross and be faithful in loving you, and others for your sake. We ask this through our Lord."