John of Ávila, Doctor of the Church, by Denise Clare Oliver

St John of Ávila, Doctor of the Church. Discerning your Spiritual Journey. On 7th October 2012, Pope Benedict declared St John of Avila a Doctor of the Church, making him the thirty-fourth Saint to have been given this title.  St John of Avila was a diocesan priest in sixteenth century Spain and has been honoured there since 1946 as the patron Saint of diocesan priests.  Amongst St John of Avila’s disciples were St Teresa of Avila, St Francis Borgia, St John of God, and Venerable Anne of the Cross.  Indeed, St Teresa of Avila, also a Doctor of the Church, had the account of her life and mystical experiences confirmed as authentic by St John of Avila. St John’s of Avila’s teaching was extremely beneficial in his own time, and is just as relevant today, in a time when we are called to be strong Christian witnesses for the new evangelisation.  He is a Saint for all people and all times, Pope Benedict XVI has called him a ’pioneer in pointing to the universal call to holiness’.  St John of Avila is a wise mentor for all those who desire to grow in friendship with God. This little book is an essential resource for anyone seeking a deeper and more intimate union with the loving and merciful Lord. Denise Clare Oliver studied for her doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of St Thomas in Rome. She gives talks. Denise Clare Oliver studied for her doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of St Thomas in Rome. She gives talks and retreats in the UK, Ireland and the USA, and has guided pilgrimages to Rome.