GIROLAMO della MADRE DI DIO. - Discalced Carmelite, born G. García (a mispronunciation of which changed his surname to Gracián), was born in Valladolid on 6 June 1545 and died in Brussels on 21 September 1614. He was the spiritual director of St Teresa of Jesus and her close collaborator in organizing the Carmelite reform; he became the first superior (1581–85) of the newly reformed province, but later, owing to disagreements with his successor over his extensive activity, he was dismissed from the Order (1592).
He went to Rome to defend himself, but without success. On his return journey from Naples to Rome he was captured by pirates and taken to Biserta and Tunis (1593–95). After his release, Clement VIII sent him back to Africa (1595) to preach the Jubilee, and on his return, by an apostolic brief dated 6 March 1596, he was enrolled among the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance, among whom he continued to live the reformed Carmelite life.
Besides sending out (1584) the first Discalced Carmelite missionaries to the emerging reform in the Kingdom of the Congo, Fr Girolamo carried on extensive activity through his numerous printed works, namely: *Estimulo de la propaganda de la Fe* (Lisbon 1586, Naples 1593, Madrid 1603, 1604, Brussels 1609) and *Tratado de la redención de cautivos* (Rome 1597, Madrid 1603, 1604, Brussels 1609), as well as through his memorials urging the Pope to establish a special congregation of cardinals for the missions. Yet this missionary vision within Carmel met with full success only in the Italian branch of the reformed Carmel. In addition to the works mentioned, he wrote many treatises on ascetics and mysticism. All his writings were republished by Silverio di S. Teresa (3 vols., Burgos 1932–33).
Gabriele di S. Maria Maddalena – Ambrogio di S. Teresa