John of Ávila
Feast day: May 10
Born in Spain, John studied law at the University of Salamanca. After renouncing that career, he lived as a hermit for several years. In 1525, John was ordained to the priesthood. He hoped to be a missionary in Mexico, but his archbishop asked him to remain in Spain to revive the Faith in Andalusia, where John drew great crowds with his preaching. He was imprisoned briefly by the Inquisition, then continued evangelizing for the rest of his life. He was a friend of St. Ignatius Loyola and an adviser of St. Teresa of Ávila. He is also known for his spiritual writings. John was canonized in 1970 and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 2012.
