Venerable Theresia of the Holy Trinity

Teresa Ysseldijk (Apeldoorn, November 13, 1897 – Saint Louis, March 10, 1926), known as Maria Teresa of the Most Holy Trinity, was a Dutch Catholic religious sister of the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus who lived her religious life in Missouri. On April 27, 2026, Pope Leo XIV authorized the promulgation of the decree regarding her heroic virtues, by which she was declared venerable. Born into a Catholic family, she suffered from health problems during her childhood and lived for six years in Ochtrup, Germany, where her father died. Subsequently, the family moved to Enschede, in the Netherlands. Influenced by the religious atmosphere of her family, especially her mother, she requested admission to the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus when her health permitted. She entered the convent in Tilburg on October 2, 1917, and professed her vows on July 2, 1919. In December 1919, she was sent to America with seven other sisters. Shortly after her arrival, she was diagnosed with a serious kidney disease. She resided at the convent in St. Charles, Missouri, where she continued her religious life until her illness prevented her from performing the ordinary tasks of the community. She died on March 10, 1926, at St. Mary's Hospital in Saint Louis, United States. On November 12, 2015, the decree of validity for the diocesan process regarding her life, virtues, and reputation for holiness was granted. Pope Leo XIV declared her venerable in 2026.