GIROLAMO della MADRE DI DIO. — Discalced Carmelite, in the world G. García (a faulty pronunciation changed this to Gracián), born in Valladolid on 6 June 1545, died in Brussels on 21 September 1614. Spiritual director of s. Teresa di Gesù and her intimate collaborator in organizing the Carmelite reform, he was the first superior (1581–85) of the new reformed province; but later, owing to disagreements with his successor on account of his great activity, he was dismissed from the Order (1592).
He went to Rome to defend himself, but without success. On his way back from Naples to Rome, he was taken prisoner by pirates and brought to Bisetta and Tunis (1593–95). After his release, Clement VIII sent him back to Africa (1595) to preach the Jubilee there, and upon his return, by an apostolic brief (6 March 1596), he was enrolled among the Carmelites of the ancient Observance, among whom he continued to lead the reformed Carmelite life. In addition to having sent (1584) the first Carmelite missionaries of the nascent reform to the Kingdom of the Congo, Fr. G. carried out extensive activity through his works, which were printed several times, namely: Estimulo de la propagación de la Fe (Lisbon 1586, Naples 1593, Madrid 1603, 1604, Brussels 1609) and Tradado de la redención de cautivos (Rome 1597, Madrid 1603, 1604, Brussels 1609), as well as through his memoranda urging the Pope to establish a special congregation of cardinals for the missions. But this missionary idea of his in Carmel achieved complete success only in the Italian branch of the reformed Carmel. In addition to the works mentioned, he wrote many treatises on asceticism 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