St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY(Elizabeth Catez) was born in 1880 in the military camp of Avor, near Bourges, France, where her father was an officer. Her early years belied her future as the calm, peaceful, and prayerful person she was to become. Her volatile temperament and outbursts of anger as a child were, as her younger sister Marguerite recalled, “terrible to behold.” Gradually, Elizabeth learned to control her anger. Gifted with a definite musical talent, at eight she was enrolled in the conservatory of Dijon, where she soon became one of its outstanding students and won many prizes for her piano playing. She developed into a warm, affectionate young woman who made friends easily, loved beautiful clothes and fancy hats, traveling, parties, dancing and hiking, and was highly sensitive to the beauties of nature and the arts while maintaining a fruitful apostolate of youth work, teaching catechism and visiting the sick and elderly.
At fourteen, she consecrated herself to God and placed herself and her future in the hands of the Blessed Virgin. Her confessor, the Dominican Father Valle, began to instruct her on the doctrine of the indwelling of the Holy Trinity in the soul. For Elizabeth, this was the revelation that was to characterize her entire spiritual life. A few days after her 21st birthday, she entered the Carmel of Dijon, where she became an exemplary religious. Elizabeth has been called a prophet of the presence of God dwelling in our souls.
Elizabeth lived only five years in Carmel. She died of Addison’s Disease at 26 on November 9, 1906. Pope Francis canonized her on October 16, 2016. The Order celebrates her feast on November 8.
The spiritual legacy of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is rich and timely. In today’s culture which is surrounded with noise, St. Elizabeth’s witness promotes silence, recollection and adoration. The foundation of her spiritual life rests on the graces of Baptism and the indwelling of the Trinity. To be a “house of God”, a dwelling for God, was the ambient in which St. Elizabeth lived her life of contemplative prayer. She proposes this to all the baptized as a wellspring of prayer and holiness.
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity had a remarkable gift for music. At an early age her mother enrolled her at the conservatory of Dijon where she studied piano assiduously. Elizabeth was passionate about music and spent 5 hours every day at the piano, practicing. Her natural talent, coupled with her dedication won astonishing accomplishments for the young teenager. She was something of a child prodigy, with a promising career as a pianist ahead of her. But Elizabeth’s heart lie somewhere else.
From the day of her First Communion, Jesus had “stolen” her heart. She knew that she was to give herself to Him forever. Although she was prevented from entering the Carmel of Dijon until she was 21, her decision was unshaken.
Music was to play an important role in her spiritual life, as well. One unique quality tat it formed in her was a capacity for interior listening. St. Elizabeth described her soul as a lyre upon which the Holy Spirit would produce divine harmonies. Despite her great love for the piano and for music, Elizabeth was able to leave this all behind for a greater love, for the Divine Spouse who was calling her to live in the silent music of love and hidden prayer for the Church.
Listen below to some of Elizabeth’s favorite pieces, which she performed:
Chopin: Ballada En Sol Mineur N°1, Op.23
Demiér: Le Chant Du Nautonier
St. Elizabeth has been called a prophet of the presence of God dwelling in our souls. She found the perfect model of how to respond to this Presence in Mary. “The Virgin kept all these things in her heart. Her whole history can be summed up in these few words. It was within her heart that she lived.” Elizabeth loved to call Mary Gate of Heaven, because she saw Mary as standing at the threshold of her soul, opening a way into this mysterious Divine Presence. Imitating Mary, she became a faithful adorer in spirit and in truth of the Trinity dwelling in her soul.