34 Catholic Mystical Theology

In modern Catholicism, mystical theology means supernatural prayer directed beyond the intellectual capacities of the soul toward a union with God in love. The 16 th century Spanish mystics, Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross, provide the key concepts in this theology, such as the prayer of quiet, the prayer of union, spiritual marriage, and the dark night of the soul. Many of Teresas concepts were applied to the devotional life of the laity in 17 th century France by Saint Francis de Sales. The boundaries of mystical theology were set by Romes condemnation of Quietism and semiQuietism, with the consequence that Catholic mystics may never reject the active virtues or the desire for happiness.