I have nothing but love and admiration for my Saintly Carmelite Sister, St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. What? You've never heard of her? I'll bet you've heard of St Edith Stein. I just saw a blog post 'Seven Secrets of St Edith Stein' and I was triggered!
This has bothered me for a long time. Why is she denied her name in Religion in virtually every popular reference?
I've never heard of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux being called St Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin. Or Mother Teresa being referred to as St Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu. Why is St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross always St Edith Stein?
Many years ago, an Orthodox Priest friend of mine was the Russian Archeparch of Chicago's secretary. The Cathedral and Archeparchial Palace were across the street from a convent that served as a retirement home for elderly Catholic nuns.
One night, Hieromonk Hilary came home quite late. On the steps of the Cathedral he found an elderly nun sobbing bitterly. Concerned, he asked her what was the matter. Between her sobs, she replied, 'They have taken away my name!' For her entire life in Religion, 60 years or more, she had been called 'Sister Mary Luke' or 'Sister Mary Alphonse' or something similar. In the chaos of the aftermath of Vatican II, her Order had decided to use birth names instead of names in Religion. The Sisters were not given a choice. Their names were stripped from them.
St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross is not here to protest being stripped of her name, so I will protest for her.
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