Fr. Michael D. Griffin, O.C.D. was born in Philadelphia, PA on August 22, 1924, the son of the late Herman and Mary (Griffin) Seifred. He was professed as a Discalced Carmelite Friar on September 8, 1943 and was ordained to the priesthood at St. Teresa's Church in Rome, Italy on April 23, 1950. Fr. Michael was founder and publisher of Teresian Charism Press. He was a popular speaker and author especially among the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. His biography of St. Teresa of the Andes has been published in many languages including Chinese. Fr. Michael was also a professor of Moral Theology and a chaplain at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC. An authority on St. Teresa of Avila he gave countless classes to generations of Carmelite students.