St. Edith Stein

[catherine_m]

Hopefully I’m asking this in the correct thread, but could someone tell me if St. Edith Stein is a doctor of the Church. Our parish priest said at Mass the other day that there are only 3 women doctors of the Church - St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Teresa of Avila. I thought St. Edith Stein was one too?? If someone could tell me. Thanks

 

[tee_eff_em]

Hopefully I’m asking this in the correct thread, but could someone tell me if St. Edith Stein is a doctor of the Church. Our parish priest said at Mass the other day that there are only 3 women doctors of the Church - St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Teresa of Avila. I thought St. Edith Stein was one too?? If someone could tell me. Thanks

To my knowledge, your parish priest is correct.

Your confusion may stem from the nearness in time of (a) the promotion of St Therese of Lisieux as a Doctor of the Church (1997) and (b) The canonization and religious name of the former Edith Stein, St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1998).

tee

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Prior to her conversion, Edith Stein earned a doctorate in philosophy the universities of Breslau and Goettingen.

However, this does not make her a doctor of the Church.

Jim

 

[catherine_m]

Thanks Tee and Jim. Someone told me she was a doctor of the Church but they must have been mixing it up with her PhD as you say. Thanks for the replies.

 

[baltobetsy]

In his homily on her feastday, our priest said that the process for naming her a Doctor of the Church has been begun - it will include extensive study of her writings, of course. I don’t know how long that takes, but I’m sure it won’t be a very short time.

Betsy