Margaret Mostyn

Mother Margaret Mostyn (8 December 1625 – 29 August 1679), religious name Margaret of Jesus, was an English Carmelite and Prioress of the Lierre Carmel from 1654 until her death. She is remembered for her devotion to the Virgin Mary and for a series of visions that she experienced throughout her life. Early life and vocation Margaret Mostyn was one of four sisters and three brothers, born to John Mostyn Esq of Talacre Hall and Anne Fox, daughter of Henry Fox of Hurst. Her youngest brother, Edward Mostyn, became the first baronet of the family in 1670. From an early age, Mostyn was brought up and educated by her grandmother. From as young as six, she is described as showing a spiritual temperament, spending long hours gazing at religious pictures and was reported as often being "favoured with the visible presence of her angel guardian". In her teens, she expressed a desire to follow a monastic vocation, but was dissuaded by her grandmother who asked Margaret to stay and look after her. Following the death of her grandmother, Mostyn returned to live with her mother. After a period of denying her growing sense of vocation, Margaret described experiencing a vision of the Virgin Mary and St. Teresa of Avila, whilst walking in the garden at home. Mostyn reports Mary as saying: "My child, if you will be happy, follow your first vocation – St. Teresa will help you". She entered the religious life, along with her sister Elizabeth (in religion Sister Ursula), around one year later. Religious life On account of the anti-Catholic sentiment in England at the time, the sisters opted to join the Carmelite community in Antwerp, Belgium. Following a dangerous and eventful journey via Weymouth and Le Havre, the two sisters, accompanied by their brother Edward, arrived in Antwerp on 10 August 1644 and were received by the Prioress of the Antwerp Carmel, Reverent Mother Ann of the Ascension. Both Margaret and Ursula were invested on the feast of St. Lawrence by the Bishop of Antwerp, Gasper Nemius,