Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew continues to touch lives in ways as varied as the people who turn to her. In the following testimonials — drawn from the shared reflections of the Carmel of Antwerp and friends devoted to her — her intercession and presence are experienced personally: in healing, in encounter, and in the quiet transformation of daily life. Together, these voices reveal a woman whose hidden flame still burns in the hearts of those who seek her companionship.
A Quiet Widening of Devotion
Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew is quietly becoming more widely known. In ways both gentle and unexpected, an awareness of her life and intercession is growing. During her lifetime, as a woman of prayer and compassion, her love and compassion for souls was far reaching and open to all; she prayed for the Church, for the Carmelite Order, and for people in all walks of life … and she continues to do so to this day.
In these times, people come to visit and venerate her, asking her intercession. Some people come to thank her. A grandmother from Brussels asked prayers for the delicate pregnancy of her daughter. She came back so grateful for her granddaughter, Anna … yes, she was named after Blessed Anne.
In the mid 1930s, a young mother came and prayed to Blessed Anne for her unborn child. A baby girl was born. Magdalena was lovely and lively. Unaware of her mother’s prayer, she became a Carmelite nun in Antwerp, Sr Maria Margareta of the Angels … her journey is another story.
In 2016, during the orientation class of a sister, the Chinese teacher told them that the city of Antwerp is the second city with the highest number of nationalities. The first is New York and the third is Rotterdam. It is multicultural. And this is also reflected in our small community. In the monastery, we are seven: two Belgians, three Filipinas, one Japanese and one Pakistani. It is challenging but very enriching.
Blessed Anne was the nurse, secretary and confidante of La Madre. After St Teresa died in 1582, in 1604, with five other Spanish Carmelites, she went to France. She founded Pontoise and Tours. After almost seven years in France, she was asked to found the Carmel in Antwerp. She wrote in her Autobiography, chapter 16, 2: ‘His Majesty comforted me … and told me: “Take courage and go there. This foundation will be a flaming torch that will give light to the entire country.”’
Although Antwerp Carmel was her last foundation, she helped other new foundations by forming or accepting sisters and sending them to these new foundations. Thus, from the Spanish Antwerp Carmel, she encouraged the founding of the English Antwerp Carmel, which later gave birth to the English and American Carmels.
Being able to celebrate 400 years of Blessed Anne’s death and legacy is a grace that allows the hope that Christ gives to steady our hearts here in Antwerp Carmel. Vocations come from the Lord, and across Europe — where numbers are diminishing — we entrust our future to His providence. We do not know what lies ahead, but we continue to trust and pray that the Lord will ‘inflame hearts with the flame of his love’.
As devotion to Blessed Anne deepens and extends beyond the monastery walls of Antwerp, the experiences of those who turn to her may differ, yet they converge in showing how gently and quietly she continues to inspire people in our day. The following brief personal reflections offer glimpses of this growing awareness.
Personal Reflections
Carmela Mattza (Louisiana, USA)
My father, José, had a hip replacement in 2016 and remained pain free for many years. But in September 2025 he began experiencing persistent, localised pain. After medical evaluation, his surgeon reassured him that it was unrelated to the hip replacement and was instead due to arthritis. Various treatments and medications followed, yet none brought significant relief.
On the night of 15 February 2026, after another particularly intense episode, he decided to pray to Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew.
Earlier that month, I had been in Antwerp for research at the Carmel founded by Blessed Anne. The sisters received me with great generosity and placed her mantle upon me, offering their blessing for my journey, my family, and my work. I sent a photograph to my parents. My father asked about it, and my mother explained again who Blessed Anne was: Teresa’s close companion, a woman honoured by rulers yet steadfast in humility and service.
Moved by this, my father prayed to her that night.
The next morning, he woke without pain. From that day onwards, he has remained completely free of it.
For some, the disappearance of bodily pain may be interpreted in different ways. Yet for us, the significance of this moment lies in its hiddenness — a quiet grace received in trust, without spectacle, and in the simplicity that marked Blessed Anne’s own life.
Maria Teresa Carpio, OCDS (Philippines)
My first concrete encounter with Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew came during a visit to the Carmel in Antwerp. It was a big surprise to me beyond all understanding. Why? Our OCDS Spiritual Assistant, the late Fr Danilo D. Fauste, OCD, had encouraged me and my friend Presy Alba to visit the Carmels of Antwerp and Vilvoorde, and the friars in Bruges. I travelled with my immediate family — my son JP and his wife Yvette — and the visit to Antwerp became an unexpected point of focus during our time in Europe.
The three Filipino sisters at Antwerp welcomed us warmly, with the permission of the Mother Prioress. Their simplicity and attentiveness created an atmosphere in which it was easy to pray and to listen. What struck me most was being allowed to wear the mantle of Blessed Anne — a gesture that was offered without fuss, yet carried a quiet dignity. It opened a more personal understanding of her life and the way she continues to be present to those who seek her intercession.
Until that moment, I knew Blessed Anne only in a general way. Hearing the sisters speak about her, and standing in the place where she lived and prayed, gave her story a new clarity. I asked her to take care of me and my family, especially our relationship with God. I left with a renewed spirit, not because of any dramatic experience, but because something in her life — her humility, her steadiness, her silence — resonated with my own desire to follow God more faithfully.
Blessed Anne’s example continues to influence me. She shows that holiness is not found in perfection or in being noticed, but in doing ordinary things with fidelity. Her life encourages me to be patient, to listen more deeply, and to trust that God works quietly in the background of our lives.
Encounters of this kind can be understood in different ways. What remains certain for me is the lasting fruit they leave behind: a steadier peace, a clearer sense of direction, and the quiet assurance of being accompanied. In this, Blessed Anne’s hidden life continues to speak with a simplicity that is both grounding and encouraging.
Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew, please pray for us, for peace in the world, our country the Philippines, and for total and permanent cure and healing of the sick in God’s will. Glory and praise to God!
Nerma ‘Mitzie’ Garde Tieck (Germany)
Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew holds a special and deeply meaningful place for me. She occupies a significant place in my personal and spiritual development. My first encounter with her was within the walls of the Carmelite Monastery 26 years ago while reading the books of St Teresa of Avila. Her identity was inextricably linked to our Holy Mother St Teresa. I knew her only in a limited way. She seemed to stand in the background, serving faithfully and hidden in Carmel. In the chronicles and stories told within the community, Blessed Anne was the one who held the spoon, the one who changed the linens, and the one who provided the physical comfort that allowed our dear St Teresa to continue her work. She was the nurse, assistant, and companion of the great St Teresa.
However, the true discovery of who Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew was for me unfolded when I began visiting the Carmelite nuns in Antwerp in Belgium. My understanding of her life deepened when the nuns spoke about her with a sense of respect and attention, and through reading the book about her life. I came to see her not only as the nurse and companion of St Teresa but as a Mother, a Foundress, and a Defender. She is a woman of great inner strength, faith, and intimacy with God. Her life revealed that holiness is not only found in extraordinary actions but in everything: in fidelity, in caring for others, and in remaining steadfast through trials. She was a woman of deep prayer, strong character, and unwavering faith. Her courage was seen in crossing the borders into France and the Netherlands, her intellectual growth despite her humble beginnings, and her fierce protection of the city of Antwerp.
As I continued learning more about her story, Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew helped me to see that holiness is not always found in extraordinary actions or in actions seen and recognised by other people. Instead, it is often lived out in simple, daily acts of love and fidelity. Before, I might have unconsciously equated significance and influence primarily with public roles and visible achievements. She affected my life by helping me to understand the dignity and spiritual depth of quiet service and hidden apostolate. This insight encouraged and helped me to appreciate every act of care and support, whether it is small or big, because I believe that such acts are not insignificant but meaningful offerings to God. In her life in Carmel, she reminds me that God sees what is hidden, and that the smallest acts, when done with love, have great value.
With this aspect of serving, Blessed Anne’s life has also taught me the importance of humility. In our world today, we often seek recognition, success, and being seen in everything we do. For her, humility is not about thinking less of ourselves but about focusing more on God and others. It is about being willing to serve without expecting anything in return, trusting that God is present in every moment. Not everything needs to be seen or acknowledged to be meaningful; what is important also is the feeling of joy and the sense of peace and freedom that I can serve, love, and grow in faith even without recognition.
Another way that Blessed Anne has influenced my life is through her perseverance. She lived through many challenges, but she remained faithful. She did not give up when things became difficult. Instead, she continued to trust in God and remained committed to her vocation. This inspires me to be more patient and to persevere in my own struggles. I believe these difficulties and struggles are part of my journey and will help me to grow spiritually. I continue to trust God, as Blessed Anne did. Facing struggles for her speaks of a deep kind of courage, because she shows me that courage does not mean feeling strong, but trusting God when you feel weak already.
The life of Blessed Anne encourages me also to be more attentive to others. As a nurse and companion, she was deeply caring and present to those around her by listening, supporting, and giving herself generously. This challenges me to be more compassionate, to notice the needs of others, and to respond to them with kindness and generosity.
Furthermore, Blessed Anne’s life, especially her closeness to God, has encouraged and helped me to deepen my prayer life. She was not only active in service but also deeply contemplative. In her relationship with God, she found strength and guidance. What does it tell me? This reminds me that to serve others well, I must first remain connected to God. Prayer is not separate from daily life, because it is what gives meaning and direction to everything I do.
In conclusion, Blessed Anne of St Bartholomew has become a quiet companion on my spiritual journey. She entered my life quietly, but she changed me deeply. Knowing her story is also knowing something about myself. She has affected my life profoundly. She has helped me to embrace my own path with more peace, more humility, and more trust. Her life continues to inspire me to live with greater faith, love, and trust, knowing that God is present in every small act of goodness.
Thank you to our dear Carmelite nuns of Antwerp Carmel, Mother Elizabeth and Community. Through them I found a friend and companion in my spiritual journey. I thank them for allowing me to wear the mantle of Blessed Anne during my birthday month, and every time I wear it, even for a few minutes, I feel her embrace. Visiting them in Belgium, driving from Germany, and my experiences with the nuns made her story tangible and forged this deep connection, leaving a lasting imprint on my understanding of Carmelite spirituality.
Taken together, these reflections show how Blessed Anne continues to accompany those who turn to her — not through spectacle, but through the quiet ways in which grace takes root: in healing, in renewed courage, and in the rediscovery of hidden strength. Her life of service, humility, and unwavering trust leaves its mark gently, yet unmistakably, on those who encounter her. This is the heart she leaves in us: a heart steadied for fidelity, widened for compassion, and quietly kindled with the love of God.
