When the legendary St. Teresa of Ávila needed spiritual counsel during the Spanish Inquisition, she did not turn to St. John of the Cross or St. Peter of Alcántara, but to the lesser-known St. John of Ávila. 

This priest who was canonized by Pope St. Paul VI the same year as St. Teresa would be named the 34th doctor of the Church in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. 

St. John, who was known in his day as the “Apostle of Andalusia,” is the latest focus of the EWTN Original Doctors of the Church series. This 30-minute episode explores his life and influence in 16th-century Spain, where he shone even among other better-known luminaries such as Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Borgia, Peter of Alcántara and the great St. Teresa.

Doctors of the Church: St. John of Ávila premieres at 4 a.m. ET, Monday, May 5; 9 a.m. ET, Tuesday, May 6; and 5 p.m. ET, Friday, May 9, on EWTN. (Find EWTN at EWTN.com/everywhere.)

This episode contains some wonderful stories about the saint. Here is a sneak peek of three of them.

Story No. 1: Like St. Francis, John was born to wealthy parents, albeit in 1499, which was a little over three centuries later. While his parents may have had high hopes for him materially, John’s sights never wavered from the priesthood. When John’s parents died, they left him a large estate. How did John respond? Like most people who inherit money, John held a huge party — but unlike most people, John included 12 homeless men and gave all his money away!

Story No. 2: John was obedient to Church authority. As a young priest, John had a burning desire to become a Spanish missionary in the New World. He asked the archbishop of Seville to send him there. Instead, the archbishop tried to convince him to stay in Spain. But when he failed to persuade him, the archbishop used the authority of his office to order John to remain in  Spain — and John immediately let his dream go. His new mission was to serve and to convert his fellow Spaniards who had suffered much under Moorish rule. While the mission given to him was different than the one for which he hoped, John would learn that he was uniquely suited for it.

Story No. 3: While John would become a famous preacher and reformer, he didn’t start that way.  During his first sermon, John famously froze, unsure of how to begin. However, in that tense moment, John turned inward, praying, “Christ, I give You whatever skills I have. Tell me what I have to do.” After that, John began to preach — and never stopped. His passionate homilies drew crowds so vast that churches couldn’t contain them, forcing people to gather in plazas and streets to hear him speak.

Also learn about John’s time in prison, his love for the Eucharist, his passion for education, which laid the foundation for seminaries, the miracles that occurred during his Masses, his correspondence with some of the greatest Catholic figures of his time, and much more.

St. John of Ávila died in 1569, leaving a legacy of reform, education and holiness. While his saintly contemporaries — Ignatius, Francis and Teresa — often overshadowed him, his contributions to the Church and his call to religious and laity for deeper faith and greater service were no less monumental.

Tune in, and be inspired by this mighty-if-lesser-known doctor of the Church!

Michelle Laque Johnson is director of communications at the EWTN Global Catholic Network and author of Walking the Way of the Cross for Caregivers; this is a shortened adaptation from the “EWTN Wings” weekly programming email. To have info about EWTN shows and specials sent directly to your inbox, sign up at EWTN.com/wings.