St John of Avila

Priest, writer, mystic. John was born in 1500 in New Castile to wealthy Jewish parents. He studied law at Salamanca but then gave the subject up to devote himself to prayer and penance for three years. He then went to Alcala and studied theology under Dominic de Soto.

In 1525 John was ordained. He gave away his inheritance to the poor and wanted to join the missions in Mexico. Instead he was asked to re-evanglise Andalusia which had been under Moorish influence for many years. His mission was very successful and people flocked to hear him preach. He fell foul of the Inquisition however, who found his preaching too rigorous and particularly objected to his view that the rich would be excluded from heaven. The charges were eventually dropped, and after three years imprisonment he was released to great popular acclaim.

Saint John was spiritual director to many saints, including Theresa of Avila, Francis Borgia and John of God. He wrote on many spiritual subjects. His most famous work was Audi Filia, written in 1530 for Dona Sancha Carillo, who had given up wealth and status for a life of solitary prayer.

During his last 15 years he suffered much ill health. A great admirer of St Ignatius Loyola, for a time he considered joining the Jesuits. After his death in 1569, he was buried in the Jesuit church at Montilla. He was canonised in 1970.