Joseph of Jesus Mary

JOSEPH OF JESUS MARY. - Mystical theologian of the Discalced Carmelites, in the world Francesco Quiroga, b. in 1562 in Castro Caldelas (diocese of Astorga), d. at Cuenca on 13 Dec. 1629. Having earned a doctorate in utroque iure, and already a canon of the cathedral of Toledo, he took the habit of the Carmelites and was ordained a priest at Madrid (2 Feb. 1595). He was the first historiographer of the Order, an office he received in 1597. He was distinguished for a perfect ascetic life. In his writings he defended the doctrine of St. Teresa of Jesus and of St. John of the Cross.

Besides many historical works he wrote the following mystical works: Subida del alma a Dios y entrada en el parayso (2 vols., Madrid 1656, 1659, 1675, Italian version by Fr. Baldassarre [v.], Rome 1664); Concordancia de la doctrina de N. Madre S. Teresa de Jesús con la sagrada escritura, etc.; Apologia mistica en defensa de la contemplación divina (National Library of Madrid, ms. no. 4, 478); Don que tuvo s. Juan de la Cruz para guiar las almas (published in Obras de s. Juan, III, Toledo 1912, pp. 503-570); Tradado de la oración y contemplación, etc. (manuscript); Escala Mistica (manuscript); Una defensa brevisima de la doctrina de s. Teresa de Jesús y de s. Juan de la Cruz (National Library of Madrid, ms. no. 8, 273).

Ambrogio di Santa Teresa