San Juan de Ávila was born on January 6, 1499 (or 1500) in Almodóvar del Campo (Ciudad Real), a deeply Christian family. His parents, Alfonso de Ávila (Jewish descent) and Catalina Jijón possessed silver mines in Sierra Morena, and were able to give the child a Christian education of sacrifice and love of neighbor. Are known scenes to deliver its new coat to a needy child, his long periods of prayer, sacrifices, Eucharistic and Marian devotion.
probably in 1513 began to study law at Salamanca, where again after four years to lead a retired life in Almodóvar. Despite calling them 'black laws' Salamanca studies left their mark on the ecclesiastical formation, as can be seen in his writings of reform. This new stage in Almodóvar, at home with their parents, living a life of prayer and penance, will last until 1520. As advised by a Franciscan friar, he went to study art and theology at Alcalá de Henares (1520-1526). In this stage there is evidence of Alcalá great intellectual prowess, as well evidenced by the Maestro. Domingo de Soto. There was contact the mainstream of reform of the moment. Erasmianism met, the various theological and philosophical schools and concerns about the knowledge of the Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church. He also made friends with those who had to be great reformers of the Christian life, as Don Pedro Guerrero, the future Archbishop of Granada, and possibly also with the venerable Fernando Contreras. There may even have known Fr Francisco de Osuna and San Ignacio de Loyola.
early years of priesthood
During his studies at Alcala, his parents died. John was ordained priest in 1526, and wanted to venerate the memory of his father celebrated his first Mass in 
Almodóvar del Campo. The ceremony was graced by the presence of twelve poor then ate at his table. He then sold all the goods had left his parents, he distributed to the poor, and devoted himself entirely to evangelization, beginning with his own people.
A year later, volunteered as a missionary to the new bishop of Tlaxcala (New Spain), Father Julián Garcés, who would go to America in 1527 from the port of Seville. With the firm intention of being evangelizing the New World, St. John of Avila moved to Seville, where as both fully committed himself to the ministry, along with his fellow student at the venerable Alcalá Fernando Contreras. Both lived in poverty, given to a life of prayer and sacrifice, assistance to the poor, teaching catechism.
This friendship and coexistence with Fernando de Contreras, were probably those that prompted the change in forward missionary Juan de Avila. Fr Contreras spoke with the archbishop of Seville, D. Alonso Manrique, and he ordered John to stay in the 'Indian' of English noon. The archbishop wanted to know personally the value of the new priest and told him to preach in his presence. Juan de Avila count after the shame he had to go, last night praying before the crucifix, asked the Lord, with shame that he went naked on the cross, will help you spend that time bitter. And when, at the end of the sermon, he heaped praise, answered:
continued for some time ministry along with Fernando Contreras. Soon turned to preaching and ministering in Ecija (Seville). One of his first and fellow disciples was Pedro Fernandez de Cordoba, whose fourteen year old sister, Ms Sancha Carrillo (both sons of the lords of Guadalcázar, Córdoba), began a life of perfection under the guidance of Maestro Ávila. The lady would have been the Empress Elizabeth, became (after confessing to St John of Ávila) one of the most sensitive souls of the time and addressed to the Master's teaching in the Audi, Filia , beautiful spiritual piece XVI century and only book written by John of Avila. His preaching was extended to Jerez de la Frontera, Palma del Río, Alcalá de Guadaira Utrera ..., together with the work of confessional direction of souls, enmities arrangement.
Ecija But his presence will soon lead to the enmity and persecution. The first incident occurred when a curator of bulls prevented John's preaching to preach that the bull he was commissioner. The audience, however, left the Pardoner only in the main church and went to hear John of Avila in another church. After the event, the commissioner of bulls in the street, dealt a blow to John. He knelt and said humbly: \u0026lt;
Processed by the Inquisition 
From 1531 to 1533 John of Avila was prosecuted by the Inquisition. The allegations were very serious at that time: the martyrs called heretics burned, barred the sky to the rich, not properly explained the mystery of the Eucharist, the Virgin had venial sin, distorted in the sense of Scripture, it was better to give chaplaincy founded alms, prayer, mental prayer was better than vocal ... Everything but the real charge: that cleric did not let them live peacefully in their Christian life or 'clerical'. And John went to jail where he spent an entire year.
Juan de Ávila would not defend themselves and the situation was so serious that he noticed that it was in God's hands, indicating the impossibility of salvation, to which he replied: \u0026lt;
This jail time produced its crops indoors, as it did with San Juan de la Cruz. He wrote a draft Audi, Filia , but above all, as he says, he learned more than in his theological studies and previous life, the mystery of Christ. John was acquitted. But the most humiliating was the acquittal: "Having uttered in his sermons and outside some proposals that did not seem good sounding" and send him under excommunication, which conveniently declare where you preached.
Travel and ministry from 1535 to 1554
In 1535 Juan de Ávila up to Cordoba, called by Bishop Fr Alvarez de Toledo. There he meets Friar Luis de Granada, with whom he develops deep spiritual relationships. Sermons organized by the people (especially in the Sierra de Córdoba), get great conversions of very high, to establish good relations with the new bishop of Cordoba, D. Cristobal de Rojas, who will head the warnings the Council of Toledo.
Work in Cordoba was very intense. Paid much attention to the clergy, by establishing studies such as the College of St. Pelagius (now the Diocesan Seminary), Assumption College (where no teacher could give title without being exercised before the preaching and catechism for the people). Explain the letters of Paul to the clergy and faithful. A Dominican priest who had first opposed the preaching of John, after listening to their lessons, said: \u0026lt;
Cordoba is the diocese of San Juan de Ávila, perhaps as early as 1535, but certainly since 1550. There you see when Ms Sancha Carrillo died in 1537, who wrote a biography that lost. Montilla frequently preaches, such as Lent, 1541. And the famous missions of Andalusia (and parts of Extremadura and Castilla la Mancha) organizations from Córdoba (c. 1550-1554). Juan Cordoba receive a modest benefit Santaella, tied him to the diocese of Cordoba for the remainder of his life. In the Old Alcázar de Córdoba meet twenty-five companions and disciples with whom he worked in the evangelization of the neighboring countries.
went to Granada San Juan de Ávila, called by the Archbishop D. Gaspar de Avalos, 1536. It takes place in Granada where the change of life of John of God in the chapel of St. Sebastian, listening to Saint John of Avila, Juan Cidad, a former soldier and now itinerant bookseller, became San Juan de Dios. On numerous occasions, St John of God spiritually Montilla to go with Master Avila, becoming his most faithful disciple.
The Duke of Gandia, Francis Borgia, was the other favorite soul influenced by the preaching of St. John of Avila, the funeral preached by him at the funeral of Empress Elizabeth (1539) were the providential occasion made life changing course of the Company's overall future.
In Granada we see forming the first group of his most distinguished disciples. Also in Grenada in 1538 are dated the first letters of St. John of Avila that we know. In subsequent years we see San Juan de Avila in Cordoba, Baeza, Sevilla, Montilla, Zafra, Fregenal de la Sierra, Priego de Córdoba. The preaching, counseling, the establishment of schools, we carry them everywhere.
the Lent of 1545 he preached in Montilla. His preaching was always followed by long hours of confessional and lengthy explanations of the catechism to children, this was a fundamental point of his preaching program.
Colleges of St John of Ávila .
In every city he went, Juan de Avila tried to leave the foundation of a college or training center and study. Undoubtedly the most celebrated foundation was the University of Baeza (Jaén). The line of action imposed there was common to all schools, as can be seen reflected in the Memorials to the Council of Trent, which calls for the creation of workshops for a true reform of the Church and clergy.
Preaching the Gospel.
is the definition that best suits John of Avila: preacher. This is precisely the epitaph on your grave, "mesor we were." The core of his message was Christ crucified, being a faithful disciple of St. Paul. He preached in churches and even in the streets. His words came directly to cause the conversion, purity of heart. The content of his preaching was always deep, with a very scriptural theology. But this was mostly preceded by intense prayer. When asked why he had to do to preach well, he replied: 'Love God very much. "
The texts of the sermons of St. John of Avila are accommodated to the liturgical season. The main topics are the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit, the passion, the liturgical season, being the favorite topic for the clergy of the priesthood. The force of his preaching was based on prayer, sacrifice, study and example. Could speak out, who had resigned several bishops and a cardinal, and who did not accept alms or stipends for sermons, and lodging in the homes of the rich or the episcopal palaces. The contempt and self-knowledge was the secret to keeping your balance to berate others, considering always lower than others.
His model preacher was St. Paul, who sought to emulate especially in the knowledge of the mystery of Christ. His biographer says Mr. Muñoz that "sermon preached for many hours without prayer will precede" because "its main library" was the crucifix and the Blessed Sacrament.
The apostolic mission of preaching was precisely one of the objectives of the foundation of colleges of clerics. This was also one of the purposes of the memorial to the Council of Trent.
Withdrawal Montilla
Since 1511 John of Avila was ill. Spent on a hard ministry, he felt strong discomfort that forced him to reside permanently in Montilla from 1554 until his death. Refused the offered room in the house of the Marquise de Priego, and retired in a modest home owned by the Marquise. His life was spent in prayer, penance, preaching (though not as frequently), talks to the Jesuit priests and novices, confession and spiritual direction, the apostolate of the pen.
His illness was offered for immolate himself for the Church, which had always served with disinterest. When the disease raged and prayed, "Lord, habeas me as the blacksmith: Take me with one hand, and another give me the hammer."
But John still had fifteen years of fruitful life, which greedily used in the extension of the Kingdom of God. The withdrawal of Montilla enabled him to write his letters quietly, the final edition of Audi, Filia , his sermons and treatises, the Memorial the Council of Trent, the warnings to the Council of Toledo and other writings children. You can Juan de Avila said that starts with the mystical writings of the English Golden Age. If other periods of his life could be described as a preacher, missionary, founder of schools, now in Montilla, can be summarized by saying that his life was a writer.
The Audi, Filia , despite all the vicissitudes through which they passed, and tweak it again after Montilla, wanted to confront with the teachings of Trent, was published after his death. King Philip II asked not appreciated while never missing in El Escorial. The Card. Astorga, archbishop of Toledo, I would say that with him, "had become has more souls than letters. " Almost is the first book in the vernacular that exposes the way of perfection for the faithful, even the most humble. The meaning of Christian perfection is the ecclesial meaning of marriage of the Church with Christ. This and other books of John influenced later authors of spirituality.
Letters of Juan de Ávila reached all corners of Spain and even to Rome. Everywhere are asked his advice. Bishops, saints, people from government, priests, humble people, the sick, monks and nuns, were the most frequent recipients. The writing in one go, without having time to correct. Full of sound doctrine, intensely thoughtful, vibrant style.
There throughout the sixteenth century no writer of spiritual life such as Juan de Avila consulted. Examined Life of Saint Teresa, is often associated with St. Ignatius of Loyola or their representatives, with St. Francis de Borja, San Juan de Dios, San Pedro de Alcántara, San Juan de Ribera, Fray Luis de Granada.
Juan de Ávila A is called \u0026lt;
The doctrine of St. John of Avila about her priesthood was outlined on a Treaty on the priesthood, which we know only a part, but an extraordinary beauty and content, and which formed the pattern for his talks and retreats clerics, and that his disciples do likewise could not reach and where the Master.
Priestly School
This term appears frequently in the earliest biographies of our saint, to refer to his disciples. They all have a common denominator, despite very diverse ministries and found in distant places, to preach the mystery of Christ, straightening the customs, renewal of priestly life according to the decrees of councils, not seeking honors and high positions, intense life prayer and penance, patience in the contradictions and persecutions, sense of Church teaching Christian doctrine, spiritual guidance, etc. We find in most villages away from herders and farmers as Fuenteovejuna villages and among directors of large, in schools and universities on the coast of Andalusia, in prelatures or mines of Almaden.
priestly group of Juan de Avila seems to be structured in Granada by the year 1537, although before his disciples had become priests of Seville and Cordoba Ecija. In Cordoba brought together more than twenty in the Alcázar Viejo. It was there where he led a mission center for eight or nine years. The big English mission noon is one of the typical symptoms of the priestly school Juan de Avila.
School Juan de Ávila priesthood can not be studied but having in view the relationship with the Society of Jesus. Juan went to many of his disciples to the Company, and there were attempts to merge, transfer of schools, study together, help the Jesuits, who encountered many difficulties in Salamanca. But Juan de Avila did not enter into the Company. This was the great desire of Ignatius to the point of asserting that "or we join him or he to us." But the will of the Lord was not it, John's illness and the ways of the Lord stopped him. Despite that, he was sending his best students to the Company.
priestly school avila be reflected mainly in their Master. The testimony and the doctrine of John left an indelible mark, as he was leaving his personal stamp that had drawn the Blessed Sacrament. Printed his disciples left the illusion of the priestly vocation, the love for the priesthood, with the nuances of the Eucharistic life, liturgical life and deep personal prayer, devotion to the Holy Spirit, the Lord's Passion, the Virgin Mary, delivery total selfless service of the Church in the expansion of the Kingdom and the preaching the Word of God. But what he considered essential for anyone who wanted to be a good priest was the life of prayer, in charity and prayer was that he said would include reviews of Orders.
In the Mass focused all evangelization and priestly life. The celebrated using long, with tears for their sins. On the Eucharist never lacked material to preach, especially in the feast and octave of Corpus. "Treat him well, he is the son of good parents," said a priest from Montilla celebrating with little reverence, the correction had the effect of winning a new disciple. Montilla and sick, he wanted to go to celebrate Mass at a chapel, by the way he was unable, the Lord, in the guise of a pilgrim, appeared to him and encouraged him to reach the goal. It was the great apostle of frequent communion, despite the contradictions that followed. Eucharistic presence preferred to visit the Holy Places.
Its main virtue was charity. He had a deep love for humanity of Christ, "the Incarnate Word was the book and teacher together." His Treaty love of God is a gem of theological literature in English. His love of neighbor was the expression of priestly ministry. All the work of Juan de Avila looks at the Christian charity. Hence the concern for the integral human and Christian education, concern for social problems by reforming the secular state (as he said), the reform of the clergy.
A large wooden cross in his room at Montilla, the waiver of privileges and bishoprics (the Segovia and Granada) and the cardinal's hat (provided by Paul III) are rate poverty and humility of one who "was working without stipend ... and having served both the Church, it was not a real" (Mr. Muñoz). He did not give the episcopate for contempt, but to imitate the Lord and feel unworthy. His love of poverty has no other motivation but a deep love for Jesus Christ. Attending to the poor. Clean living poorly and failed to change the cloak or robe, or even to deceive.
His humility led him to be a true reformer. They could not get any picture. His preaching was always accompanied by the catechism to children, their catechetical method has great value in the history of pedagogy.
Zeal for extending the Kingdom appears in his deeds and words. Letters to the preachers Apostle is pure flame. Not admit that speak against anyone. Chastity saw in relation to the priesthood, largely as a Eucharistic minister. Devotion to Mary is expressed continuously and encouraged everyone.
Of all his virtues, his wisdom, advice, discretion, etc., Speak his biographers. But he knew his own shortcomings and, therefore, asked in the last hours of his life that does not speak of high things, but being told what to say to those who will die for his crimes. A Juan de Ávila not properly attracted the virtues in themselves, but the mystery of Christ lived and preached.
Delivered to continuous study of the Scriptures and other church materials, spending his life in prayer, preaching and apostolic foundation and social, in the direction of souls and teaching the catechism, formation of future priests and priests, Juan de Avila is a teacher of apostles.
The personal and pastoral figure of Juan de Ávila soon found an echo in Italy with St. Charles Borromeo, and France in the priestly school of the seventeenth century French. But his work was, in part, in the darkness deep in their contribution to the evangelical life precisely for the diocesan clergy and the life of Christian perfection in the structures of all the people of God.
Death of Juan de Avila.
Montilla final stay was particularly successful. He left an indelible mark on the city's priests. In one of his last celebration of the Mass a beautiful crucifix spoke to him he worshiped: "You are forgiven your sins."
But the disease was being stronger than his will. Earlier this May 1569 seriously deteriorated. In the midst of severe pain could be heard praying: "Lord mine, the pain grows and grows the love that I delight in suffering for you. " But sometimes the weakness could be: "Oh, Lord, I can not!". One night, when I could not resist, asked the Lord to move away the pain, as this was done in effect, in the morning, confused, told his men: "What a slap our Lord has given me tonight!".
Juan de Ávila not made a will, because he said he had nothing to test. He asked to celebrate many Masses; strongly urged to tell him what you say to those who will die for his crimes. Wanted will celebrate the Mass of Resurrection at the time that was so wrong. He hoped that his body be buried in the church of the Jesuits, for those who had so loved in life, wanted to leave his body in death. Wanted to receive the Anointing conscientiously. Invoked the Virgin Recordare, Virgo Mater ... And one of his last words looking at the crucifix, was "I have no pity for this business." It was May 10, 1569. Santa Teresa, upon learning of the death of Juan de Avila, went to mourn and asking the cause, said: "I cry because God Church lost a great column."
The person, writings, the work and the disciples of Juan de Ávila influence in later centuries. We have seen the saints and writers who were associated with more or less San Juan de Avila, almost all of them influenced by his writings, in his person or his work. Usually found further traces of mystical-poetic influence in San Juan de la Cruz and Lope de Vega. San Francisco de Sales and St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori frequently quote St. John of Avila. And San Antonio M ª Claret recognized the good that he made the writings of St. John of Avila as a preacher. His influence is evident in the French school of priestly spirituality, in whose writings and teaching were inspired.
In 1588, Fray Luis de Granada, picking up a few letters sent by the disciples, and recalling his own life with St. John of Avila, wrote the first biography. In 1623, the Congregation of St. Peter the Apostle, priests from Madrid, started the cause of beatification. In 1635, the Licdo. Luis Muñoz wrote the second biography of Juan de Avila, on the basis of Fr Louis in the beatification process documents and some documents are missing. On April 4, 1894, Leo XIII beatified Master Avila. Pius XII on July 2, 1946 declared the patron English secular clergy. But the master of the saints will have to wait until 1970 to be canonized by Pope Paul VI.
The church of the Society of Montilla, where lie the remains, and the little house where she lived her last years St. John of Avila, are centers of continuous pilgrimage of bishops, priests and faithful from all over Spain.
The English Episcopal Conference has asked the Vatican to mark the centenary of the birth of St. John of Avila, who is declared Doctor of the Church Universal. We hope that anyone who has been known over the past five centuries as Master, was soon recognized by the official Church PhD and Master of Christian people.
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APOSTLE OF ANDALUSIA,
TE HAILS SPANISH CLERGY,
AND GLOW YOUR LIFE IN HEAT
ABRASA ardently.
AND THE GLOW OF YOUR LIFE IN HEAT
ABRASA IS BURNING.
Your desire to preach Christ. Your love
Church and souls.
De Paul, the divine fire is lit
your word.
holy father You were unparalleled
insurance souls went mentor.
The cross roads of Spain
of your life and your tongue cry
priests succeeded in generating,
and temperate love of Christ;
peoples
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