Friday, May 26, 2006

St. Edith Stein Quote Of The Day

I've come across a quote of this venerable saint, also known as Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. St. Edith Stein is the Co-Patroness of Europe. She was born in 1891 in Breslau, Poland to a large Jewish family. She studied and was well versed in philosophy and phenomenology. In 1922 she converted to Catholicism and eleven years later entered the Cologne Carmel. When the Nazis conquered Holland, Edith Stein was arrested and was sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. Edith Stein died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz in 1942 at the age of fifty-one. During my spiritual journey I have started and expanded a prayer life that is now integral to me as is breathing. I've read many good books ranging from history to theology about our great Catholic faith. I've come across a few gems of authors and saints and reading up on the life of St. Edith Stein, I cam across this quote that is helping me come closer to God.:
"Only the person who renounces self-importance, who no longer struggles to defend or assert himself, can be large enough for God's boundless action."
--St. Edith Stein
To learn more about this wonderful saint click here.

4 comments:

I literally cringed when you typed "St. Edith Stein", but breathed a sigh of relief when you added her correct title, "Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross". *G*

Per usual, excellent posts!

Anonymous said...

I always feel sad when I see St. Teresa Stein referred to as "Teresa Benedicta of the Cross," because that is a mistranslation of her name.

Edyta (Edith) Stein had the religious name "Teresa Benedykta od Krzyza," which is accurately rendered in Latin as "Teresa Benedicta a Cruce." The problem is that this name means, "Teresa, blessed by the Cross" -- a signification that is totally lost to people who see it mistranslated as "Teresa Benedicta of the Cross." No doubt some folks think that she was named after St. Teresa of Avila and St. Benedict -- not knowing that the "benedicta" actually means "blessed."

Edith Stein was German. From the German website for the OCD, her name is written 04. EDITH STEIN (SR. TERESIA BENEDIKTA VOM KREUZ) 1891-1942
http://www.ocd.pcn.net/books_d2.htm#04

I am uncertain where anonymous got the other spelling from, as I had never seen her name rendered that way before. I have had a special place in my heart for her since I first heard of her in 91.

Even on the English translation of the website, her name is Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
http://www.ocd.pcn.net/ed_paten.htm

It would be interesting to see documentation of anonymous' source.

God bless!

Anonymous said...

I pray that those reading this post and comments leave with a sense that whatever this saint is called is incidental to the witness she gave to all of us of her love for God and that love for God is carried out in action with others.

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