ÁVILA, JUAN de, blessed. — Born at Almodóvar del Campo (Spain) in 1499 or 1500 and died at Montilla (province of Córdova) on 10 May 1659. He was a spiritual master, a great preacher, and a promoter of the Catholic restoration.
Having pursued his studies at Salamanca and Alcalá, where he studied under Domenico de Soto, he wished to go on the missions in America. But the archbishop of Seville, Hernando de Contreras, retained him in his diocese. The preaching of b. A. was denounced to the Inquisition, which issued an acquittal in 1533. From Seville he went to Cordova and then to Granada, where in 1537 he collaborated with the archbishop Gaspare Avalos in organizing the university. There b. A. gathered most of his disciples, secular priests of austere life devoted to popular missions, spiritual direction, and the education of youth in the various colleges he founded in Andalusia. The principal one was the University of Baeza, begun in 1538. This “priestly school” of b. A. bore a strong resemblance to the Society of Jesus, which he greatly favored. Many saints enjoyed b. A.’s friendship and spiritual direction, among them s. Giovanni di Dio, s. Francesco di Borgia, and s. Teresa di Gesù. He was beatified by Leo XIII on 6 April 1894.
The masterpiece of b. A. is the treatise on the Audi Filia, a jewel of Spanish mystical literature. Other writings include the correspondence, sermons on the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit, and Our Lady, and exhortations to priests. He also wrote memoranda on ecclesiastical reform for the Council of Trent.