Teresa Demjanovich

Sister Miriam Teresa, born Teresa Demjanovich (March 26 1901–May 8 1927) was a United States Roman Catholic Sister of Charity.

Teresa Demjanovich was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, on March 26, 1901, the youngest of seven children. At an early age she ardently desired to dedicate her life to religion.

Teresa completed her grammar school education at the age of eleven, she received her high school diploma in January 1917, from Bayonne High School (at that time located in the present day Robinson School). [cite web | title=History of Robinson School| url=http://www.bhs.bboed.org/schools/robinson/history.htm | accessdate=2008-01-15] [ ] At this time she wished very much to become a Carmelite, but the lingering illness of her mother kept her at home as nurse and housekeeper.

After her mother’s death in November, 1918, Teresa was strongly encouraged by her family to attend the College of Saint Elizabeth at Convent Station, New Jersey. She began her college career in September, 1919. She received her college degree with highest honors in June, 1923. As always, she longed for the religious life, but various circumstances made her uncertain regarding which community she should enter. Meanwhile she accepted a teaching position at the [http://www.academyofstaloysius.org Academy of Saint Aloysius] in Jersey City (now known as the Caritas Academy) [cite web | title=CARITAS ACADEMY TO OPEN IN JERSEY CITY, SEPTEMBER, 2006 | work= | url=http://www.scnj.org/news_display.asp?ID=47 | accessdate=2006-06-25] . Not until December, 1924, was she certain that she should become a Sister of Charity, and with her decision she knew she had very special work to do in this Community. Just what the nature of the work was to be she did not know until several months after her entrance, February 11, 1925.

Teresa’s spiritual director in religion, Father Benedict Bradley, a Benedictine (died December 29, 1945), discerning her remarkable gifts, directed her, with the consent of the Mother Superior, to write a series of conferences which, published posthumously, form the volume entitled GREATER PERFECTION.

Teresa’s life in religion was short, but filled with much work and suffering. Like Therese of Lisieux, she apparently lived a long time in a short space. She died May 8, 1927.

Since her death Sister Miriam Teresa has made many friends all over the world. Favors and cures attributed to her intercession are continually being reported.

In the latter part of 1945 a communication was received from Rome authorizing Bishop McLaughlin of the Paterson Diocese, in which diocese the General House of the Sisters of Charity is located, to institute an ordinary informative process concerning Sister Miriam Teresa’s life and virtues. Rev. Stephen W Findlay, O.S.B, Delbarton School, Morristown, NJ, was appointed procurator, and the official investigation began early in 1946.cite book | first=Teresa | last=Demjanovich | title=A Blueprint for Holiness: Selections From the Writings of Sister Miriam Teresa | publisher=Sister Miriam Teresa League of Prayer | location=Convent Station, New Jersey | year=1979 | pages=29-31 ]

Dr. Silvia Correale is the present Postulator for the Cause of Sister Miriam Teresa in the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Sister Marian José Smith, S.C. is the Vice Postulator. cite journal | title=The Director's Column | author = Sister Marian José Smith, S.C. | journal=Sister Miriam Teresa League of Prayer Bulletin | month=October | year=2003 | volume=57 | issue=3 | pages=2 ]

References

Publications by Sister Miriam Teresa

*cite book | editor=Charles C. Demjanovich | title=Greater Perfection: Being the Spiritual Conferences of Sister Miriam Teresa | origyear=1928 | publisher=P.J. Kenedy & Sons | location=New York
*cite book | editor=Charles C. Demjanovich | title=The Seventieth Week | year=1954 | publisher=St. Anthony Guild Press | location=Paterson, New Jersey
*cite book | title=Mediations on the Stations of the Cross | publisher=Sister Miriam Teresa League of Prayer | location=Convent Station, New Jersey
*cite book | title=The Sacrifice of the Mass: The Greatest Means of Sanctification | publisher=Sister Miriam Teresa League of Prayer | location=Convent Station, New Jersey

Biographies

*cite book | last=Harris | first=Elizabeth | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title= Sister Miriam Teresa | origdate= | origyear=1959 | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1979 | month= | publisher=Sister Miriam Teresa League of Prayer | location=Convent Station, New Jersey | language= | id= | pages= | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=by a Sister of Charity | first= | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title= Sister Miriam Teresa | origdate= | origyear=1936 | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1957 | month= | publisher=Benzinger Brothers | location=New York | language= | id= | pages= | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=Conklin | first=Margaret | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title=An American Teresa | origdate= | origyear=1946 | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1981 | month= | publisher=Color Graphic Press | location=Long Island City, NY | language= | id= | pages= | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=Chambre | first=Renée | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title=Soeur Miriam Térèsa, Apôtre de l'unité | origdate= | origyear= | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1970 | month= | publisher= | location=Québec | language=French | id= | pages= | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=Chambre | first=Marie-Thérèse | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title=Sister Miriam Teresa, Apostle of Unity | origdate= | origyear= | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1971 | month= | publisher=The Unity League | location=Mahwah, NJ | language= | id= | pages= | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=Maynard | first=Theodore | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title=Great Catholics in American History | origdate= | origyear= | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1957 | month= | publisher=Hanover House | location=Garden City, NY | language= | id= | pages=235-242 | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=Blaško | first=Štefan | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title=Miriam Teresa - Faithful in a Little | origdate= | origyear= | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1984 | month= | publisher=Maria - Magazine | location=Toronto | language= | pages= | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=Šencik, S.J.| first=Štefan | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title=Kvet z Bardejovskích Záhdnov (Flowers of the Fields of Bardejov) | origdate= | origyear= | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1974 | month= | publisher= | location=Rome | language=Slovak | id= | pages= | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=Šencik, S.J.| first=Štefan | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title=Ne Ceste Za Väcšou Dokonalostóu (Towards Greater Perfection) | origdate= | origyear= | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=1981 | month= | publisher= | location=Rome | language=Slovak | id= | pages= | chapter= | chapterurl=
*cite book | last=Middleton | first=Kathleen M. | authorlink= | coauthors= | editor= | others= | title=Bayonne Passages (from the "Images of America" Series) | origdate= | origyear= | origmonth= | url= | format= | accessdate= | accessyear= | accessmonth= | edition= | date= | year=2000 | month= | publisher=Arcadia | location=Charleston, SC | language= | id=ISBN 0-7524-0563-2 | pages=72-75 | chapter= | chapterurl=

External links

* [http://www.scnj.org/teresa/index.htm Sister Miriam Teresa League of Prayer] - official website.

Articles

*cite journal | author=Ward Miele | title=Documents for beatification sent to Congregation officials in Rome | journal=The Catholic Advocate | year= | volume= | issue=July 28, 2004 | pages= | url=http://www.rcan.org/advocatearchive/072804/news4.htm
*cite journal | author=KAREN DEMASTERS | title=Q & A; This Saint May Take A While To March In | journal=NY Times | year= | volume= | issue=July 12, 1998 | pages= | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E1DC1631F931A25754C0A96E958260&scp=2&sq=sister+miriam+teresa&st=nyt
*cite journal | author=Al Sullivan | title= One step closer to God: Bayonne native on path to possible sainthood | journal=Hudson Reporter | year= | volume= | issue=November 8, 2004 | pages= | url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=12651767&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523584&rfi=8
*cite journal | author=Brendan I. Koerner | title=Saint Makers | journal=US News and World Report | year= | volume= | issue=January 11, 1999 | pages= 52–60 | url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/990111/archive_000039.htm
*cite journal | author=KEVIN COYNE | title=Persevering for a Saint of Their Own | journal=NY Times | year= | volume= | issue=March 23, 2008 | pages= | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/23colnj.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=sister+miriam+teresa&st=nyt