WAY Prayer to Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, bride of Christ and mother of souls, you went to your martyrdom united with the sacrifice of your Divine Spouse and in solidarity with the suffering of God's Chosen People.

Inspired by your teaching on our feminine nature and vocation, we seek a path to holiness that allows us

to carry out the duties of our state in life with patience, gratitude, and joy.

Pray that we may find in our study of your work a compelling vision of our charism of spiritual maternity and how we are to live this charism in a world that denies what it means to be authentically human.

May your love of learning rouse us from mental sloth, rebuke our ignorance of the teachings of the Church, and inspire us to use our minds to witness with conviction and courage to the certain victory of Christ the King over every form of evil that plagues us in this world.

In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Essays on Woman Reading Schedule

“Woman can become what she should be…only when formation through grace accompanies the natural inner formation.”

Essays on Woman, p135. Edith Stein

Please join us at either Angelus Academy, 7644 Dynatech Ct. Springfield, VA  22153 or

Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 8213 Linton Hall Rd., Gainesville, VA  20155

Meetings are held each month from 7:30pm-9:00pm (see dates below)

Essays on Woman

 by Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)

  Reading Schedule

September 18: Chapter I, The Ethos of Women’s Professions. 

October 16: Chapter II, The Separate Vocations of Man and Woman According to Nature and Grace

November 13: Chapter III, parts 1 and 2, pages 87-108 Spirituality of the Christian Woman

December 11: Chapter III, parts 3 and 4, pages 109-128 Spirituality of the Christian Woman

January 22: Chapter IV, Fundamental Principles of Women’s Education

February 19: Chapter V, part 1, pages 147-172, Problems of Women’s Education

April 23: Chapter V, part 2, pages 147-191, Problems of Women’s Education

May 21: Chapter V, parts 3 and 4, pages 191-235, The Goal of Education

June 18: Chapter VI, The Church, Women and Youth

July 23: Chapters VII and VIII, The Significance of Woman’s Intrinsic Value in National Life and Mission of the Catholic Academic Woman

As you read each chapter, begin by asking the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts so you may draw insights from this text. 

1. Identify concrete steps that can be taken for the formation and education of young women in our society. 

2. Consider how the teachings of Edith Stein (Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) apply to your own life, and in particular each woman’s call to be a “fruitful vine” for others. 

3. Note any resolutions or changes you are making as a consequence of what you have learned. 

4. Close with a prayer of thanksgiving and ask for the grace to implement the changes you have identified if they are pleasing to God.

To RSVP or for more information about the Women’s Apostolate to Youth, contact Melissa Manaker at 703-350-5015 or womensapostolatetoyouth@gmail.com.  Or visit our blog at http://www.womensapostolatetoyouth.blogspot.com/

The Women’s Apostolate invites you to pray for the spiritual well being of children and youth.

My impression of "Little Therese" was that hers was a life totally shaped to the utmost degree by the love of God alone. I know nothing greater, and I would like to put as much of this as possible into my own life and the lives of all who are close to me.

St. Edith Stein
Happy Feast Day, especially to all of you who have chosen Therese as your spiritual mentor!

Thus it has to be; one must put oneself totally in God's hands, without any human support; then the feeling of security becomes all the more profound and beautiful.

St. Edith Stein

If you put yourself completely into the hands of the Lord, you can trust that you are being guided safely. What you surrender to Him is never lost; it is preserved, purified, and elevated and balanced to the correct proportions.

St. Edith Stein

St. Edith Stein

Saint Edith Stein,
bride of Christ and mother of souls,
you went to your martyrdom
united with the sacrifice of your Divine Spouse
and in solidarity with the suffering of God¹s Chosen People.

Inspired by your teaching on our feminine nature and vocation,
we seek a path to holiness that allows us
to carry out the dutiesof our state in life
with patience, gratitude and joy.

Pray that we may find in our study of your work
a compelling vision of our charism of spiritual maternity;
and may your love of learning
rouse us from mental sloth,
rebuke our ignorance of the teachings of the Church
and inspire us to use our minds to witness
with conviction and courage to the certain victory
of Christ the King over every form of evil
that plagues us in this world.

In Christ¹s name we pray. Amen.