1. The canonical norms concerning the procedure to be followed in the Causes of Saints are stated in the Apostolic Constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister promulgated by John Paul II on 25 January 1983 (AAS LXXV, 1983, 349-355).

2. To initiate a Cause it is necessary that at least five years pass after the death of the candidate. This is to allow for greater balance and objectivity in the evaluation of the case and to allow the emotions of the moment to decant. There must be a clear conviction among people about his/her sanctity (fama sanctitas) and about the efficacy of his/her intercession with the Lord (fama signorum).

1. The canonical norms concerning the procedure to be followed in the Causes of Saints are stated in the Apostolic Constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister promulgated by John Paul II on 25 January 1983 (AAS LXXV, 1983, 349-355).

2. To initiate a Cause it is necessary that at least five years pass after the death of the candidate. This is to allow for greater balance and objectivity in the evaluation of the case and to allow the emotions of the moment to decant. There must be a clear conviction among people about his/her sanctity (fama sanctitas) and about the efficacy of his/her intercession with the Lord (fama signorum).

PLEASE NOTE

1) In order to be able to consult the Positio please fill in the request form on this page.

2) If your request is accepted, we will then send you the conditions and directions for consulting the document.

The Venerable Servant of God, Maria Carmen of the Most Holy Trinity (Civil name: Carmen Caterina Bueno) was born in Itu, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, on November 25, 1898. Her parents were Teotônio Bueno and Maria do Carmo Bauer.

Shortly after Carmen was born, her mother, very young, had serious health problems. Little Carmen, therefore, had to move to Campinas, to be with her aunt, a widow who dedicated herself totally to Carmen’s education. The Servant of God spent her childhood in Campinas, and it was in this city that she also met Francisco Borja do Amaral, who was to become Bishop of Taubaté. In this period Carmen lived a little with her aunt and a little with her family.

In 1916, Carmen, along with her aunt, moved to Paquetá Island, Guanabara Bay. Later she entered Zion College in São Paulo and on September 23, 1917 she decided to dedicate her whole life to the Lord and to the Virgin Mary. From her youth she was distinguished by her great love for the Lord and the Church, at the same time she devoted much time to her studies; She spoke and wrote French perfectly, wrote small literary works and learned the art of painting.

The turning point of her spiritual life came after reading «A Story of a Soul» and it was then that she decided to become a Carmelite, like Saint Therese of Lisieux. On April 21, 1926, she decided to enter the Carmel of St. Joseph in Rio de Janeiro. She received the Habit on October 24, 1926 and chose to be called Sister Maria Carmen of the Most Holy Trinity as her religious name.

After her initial years in the Monastery, she exercised the office of Mistress of novices, sub-Prioress and finally Prioress Throughout this period she was known for her great humility. She was the first to undertake even the most menial tasks. She was the first to set an example of humility and patience to all nuns.

In 1949 she returned to being Mistress of Novices. It was the period in which her serious health problems began.

In 1952 she again was Prioress of the Carmel and it was at that time that the idea of founding a new monastery was born, the Carmel of the Sacred Face and Pius XII, which was established in the Diocese of Taubaté, where Monsignor Francisco Borja do Amaral was Bishop. It was August 24, 1953.

Six nuns left to accompany M. Maria Carmen, now Mother Carminha for everyone. Immediately the nuns were loved by the whole population, in particular the Servant of God was considered a saint by all. There were many people who asked to be directed spiritually by her.

On September 12, 1961, Mother Carminha gave up the leadership of the Monastery to Mother Antonietta Maria, as her health problems began to worsen seriously.

On July 13, 1966, the Servant of God had a holy death in the odour of sanctity.

The Diocesan Inquiry on the "life, virtue and reputation of holiness" was opened on February 7, 2010 and closed on November 10, 2012, at the diocese of Taubaté.

The decree on heroic virtues was promulgated on January 23, 2020.

PLEASE NOTE

1) In order to be able to consult the Positio please fill in the request form on this page.

2) If your request is accepted, we will then send you the conditions and directions for consulting the document.

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1. The canonical norms concerning the procedure to be followed in the Causes of Saints are stated in the Apostolic Constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister promulgated by John Paul II on 25 January 1983 (AAS LXXV, 1983, 349-355).

2. To initiate a Cause it is necessary that at least five years pass after the death of the candidate. This is to allow for greater balance and objectivity in the evaluation of the case and to allow the emotions of the moment to decant. There must be a clear conviction among people about his/her sanctity (fama sanctitas) and about the efficacy of his/her intercession with the Lord (fama signorum).

Anna de Lobera Torres was born in Medina del Campo (Castile) on 25 November 1545 and died in Brussels on 4 March 1621.

In 1570, with the religious name of Anna of Jesus, she was introduced personally by St. Teresa into the first monastery of the Reform in Avila.  During the same year, she followed the Holy Mother to Salamanca, and made her First Profession there on 22 October 1571.  She was again conducted by St. Teresa for the foundation of Beas in Andalusia and then, under holy obedience, went on to open a foundation in Granada (1582).  This was the only Monastery during the lifetime of Teresa that was not founded by the Saint herself.  We are also aware  St. John of the Cross’ deep esteem for Anna.  He called her a “seraphim” and dedicated his Commentary on his Spiritual Canticle to her.  In 1586 Anna founded the Monastery in Madrid, where she worked very hard to have the first edition of the works of St. Teresa published (1588) and where she had her first struggles to defend the Norms for the Teresian Constitutions.  From there she proceeded to Salamanca (1584) where she was elected Prioress in 1586.

In 1604, under the guidance of Pietro Berulle, she moved into France with Blessed Anna of St. Bartholomew and four other Nuns.  She founded the monasteries of Paris (1604) and Pontoise and Dijon (1605).  Following on a disagreement with Berulle who seemed to want to diverge from the ideals of St. Teresa for French Carmels, plus her desire to be directed by Discalced Carmelite Friars, Anna accepted an invitation from the Archdukes of Belgium to move into Flanders.  There she founded the Monasteries of Brussels, Louvain and Mons (1607).  She retired to Brussels where she experienced intense interior and physical sufferings before dying there in 1621.  She had acquired the reputation of great sanctity, which was embellished by numerous graces and miracles. 

Her Cause for Beatification was introduced immediately after her death, but for various reasons, only arrived at a recognition of her heroic virtues on 28 November 2019.  On 14 December 2023, His Holiness Pope Francis recognised a miracle which occurred at the moment of  the death of Anna of Jesus and was attributed to her intercession.

The solemn ceremony of her Beatification by Pope Francis took place in Brussels on 29 September 2024.