Fr. Otillio Rodriguez of the Infant Jesus was born in Mantinos, Palencia, Spain; the son of Constantino and Maria-Concepcion (Cuesta) Rodriguez. Upon his ordination, Father served in the Province of Burgos in Northern Spain. 

At the time of General Francisco Franco, Father left Spain and came to America where he lived at the Carmelite Monastery in Washington, DC. A dedicated student of the writings of St. Teresa of Avila and eager to see the Teresian Carmelite heritage spread to the United States, Fr. Otilio recommended to Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D., that he translate the writings of St. John of the Cross for Americans. He assured Fr. Kieran that the translation would not take long. Although initially reluctant, Fr. Kieran agreed and with Fr. Otillio’s help, the two friars began the translation in Fall of 1957. What Fr. Otilio believed would only take six months, instead took much longer with the works of St. John of the Cross successfully translated in 1964.

With the translation of St. John of the Cross widely accepted by both scholars and general readers, the two friars turned their attention to a much larger body of work – translating the writings of St. Teresa of Avila into American English.

In the late 1960s, Fr. Otilio was called to Rome to head the Teresian Historical Institute at the Discalced Carmelite’s International College, now named Teresianum, where he later also served as Rector. He and Fr. Kieran continued their collaboration by mail and during the summer months when Fr. Otilio returned home to the United States. At this point on, Fr. Kieran assumed more of the responsibility for the translation, especially when Fr. Otilio’s health gradually began to fail. When Fr. Otilio died June 17, 1994, at the age of 83, his dream of promoting the Teresian heritage in the United States was largely fulfilled. At the time of his death, people not only in America but throughout the entire English-speaking world were reading the Kavanaugh and Rodriguez translations of the writings of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross.

At his passing, then Superior General, Fr. Camillo Maccise, OCD wrote of Fr. Otilio:

Fr. Otilio was a great Teresian Carmelite. One of the characteristics of his person was his great love for the order. He rendered notable services to Carmel, both in his Province of Burgos and in the Province of Washington and in the Teresianum, as Rector.

On behalf of the Order, I thank the Lord for the gift of the life and vocation of Fr. Otilio. I also thank the Provinces of Burgos and Washington. The last years of Fr Otilio’s life passed in serenity, thanks to the understanding of the Rectors and the community... May the Lord bless their charity.