I so enjoyed this book written by Fr John McGowan, the subtitle of which describes the relationship between the two people in the title as ‘A Love Profound’. Reading the story reveals that this is an apt description of the wonderful, supportive relationship Fr Jerome Gratian offered St Teresa, and the dependence that she had on him due to her great love for him. In her own writing of the Foundations (23.1), she described Fr Gratian as a man of much learning, intelligence, and modesty, along with other great virtues, which shows the admiration and high esteem in which she held him. Even prior to his becoming the first Provincial of the Order, we see from her Spiritual Testimonies (36) that Teresa pledged obedience to Jerome. This is spoken about in a vision she had of him, a description of which is found in Fr John’s work.
The book starts out by introducing us to Teresa and telling us of her journey from being a small child through to establishing the Order. Although the story is based on fact and on St Teresa and Fr Jerome’s own writings, it is made very accessible through the use of fictional characters and the use of the first person to really make the experiences relevant to the modern reader. Seen through imagined conversations that take place, and the use of the writings of the time, the reader benefits greatly from the way that Fr McGowan brings alive the two great Carmelites who lived in such a different time from our own. In telling of Fr Jerome’s experiences after Teresa’s death, I found myself entering fully into this part of the story which was all new to me. I was able to identify with Fr Jerome as I learnt about his loyalty to Teresa and her vision for the Order. The author has previously made a study of Jerome and translated several booklets about him from the Spanish, along with a book by Carlos Ros: Jerome Gratian: St Teresa of Avila’s Friend. As a Carmelite friar, he is familiar with both characters and understands well their importance to each other in establishing the Discalced Carmelite Order. Reading this helped me to appreciate how much Fr Jerome suffered in his faithfulness to Teresa and that he went through a very dark night in living out his vocation to the full.
The Official Declaration of Rehabilitation (1999) is described early on in the book. The General Definitory spoke of Gratian (as well as Anne of Jesus and Maria de San José) as a victim of injustice. His cause for beatification has been in progress since 2000. In the story we hear how much Teresa relied on him, and it is to him that she turned not only for advice but also for personal support. It is as if she really sought him out and would have found it difficult to cope with the many demands upon her without his aid. The book is greatly enhanced by the inclusion of a descriptive list of the 47 characters included in the narrative and a timeline from 1515 to 2000, although I think it would have benefited from the inclusion of 1622 when Teresa was canonised and 1970 when Teresa was declared the first female Doctor of the Church.
Teresa of Avila is very well known as a great teacher of prayer and the founder of the Discalced Carmelite Order, and I do hope that this book will go some way towards helping us to understand more fully that part played by Fr Jerome and enable us to appreciate the beauty of their relationship. It reminds me of how often Our Lord brings together both men and women in such a positive way to fulfil his purpose. It is, after all, in community that God’s work is done. I thank Fr John for this book and recommend it as being very helpful in understanding Teresa and Jerome’s story and God’s purpose for them both, as well as a good read.
