so he turned to one of his favorite saints for help: St “I prayed to Thérèse to intercede for me so that I could see what the Lord’s will was in this — and I prayed for a sign,” he told OSV News about the 19th-century French Carmelite nun (1873-1897) who promised to spend her heaven doing good on earth after doing a prayer service at a church where he knew no one a woman approached him with a little triptych of St “Things like that have happened many many times in my life,” the bishop said of the intercession of St whom he has had a devotion to since he was a teenager The bishop and other experts spoke with OSV News about St Thérèse — a saint beloved worldwide for her “little way” of childlike trust and confidence in God’s merciful love — and her impact on the church ahead of the 100th anniversary of her canonization on May 17 Her path to sainthood is a remarkable one: At age 15 she entered the cloistered Carmelite community at Lisieux where she remained until she died of tuberculosis at 24 Thérèse is for everyone,” Mary Therese Lambert international development director of the Society of the Little Flower “She teaches us that God doesn’t expect perfection That we don’t have to accomplish great things but rather do small things with great love.” “Her message is not one of pressure — it’s one of peace surrender and hope,” Lambert added about St also known as “The Little Flower.” “I believe she continues to whisper to people’s hearts: ‘You are loved This message appears in the writings of St who became well-known through her autobiography “Story of a Soul,” read by millions she is one of four women named a doctor of the church for her significant contributions and her words appear multiple times in the Catechism of the Catholic Church Several popes have expressed a devotion to her including Pope Francis who canonized her parents and wrote an apostolic exhortation about her and her “timely witness” that “endures in all the grandeur of her little way.” titled “C’est la confiance,” by quoting St Thérèse: “C’est la confiance et rien que la confiance qui doit nous conduire à l’Amour” or “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love.” “sum up the genius of her spirituality.” When looking at her impact on the church and her doctrinal contributions “Some people will say that it is simply ‘doing ordinary things with extraordinary love,” Discalced Carmelite Father Steven Payne chair at the Center for Carmelite Studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington We would be misunderstanding the mature Thérèse if we started tallying up these ‘ordinary things’ (as she did in childhood) thinking they could somehow earn us heaven.” say that Thérèse’s ‘little way’ really consists in abandoning ourselves with complete trust to God’s infinite merciful love throwing ourselves into the arms of Jesus,” he added “Then it will be out of gratitude for that completely unmerited merciful love (not to try to earn it) that we carry out those ‘ordinary things with extraordinary love.'” With this “little way,” Lambert added that St Thérèse “helped reframe holiness not as something reserved for mystics or martyrs but as something we can live out in our daily lives.” Father Payne also recognized the saint’s influence in “the transformation of Catholic spirituality leading up to Vatican II’s emphasis on the ‘universal call to holiness'” for all “For a while in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council there was a certain turning away from what seemed like an outdated and overly sentimental piety sometimes associated with devotion to the Little Flower,” he said “But the publication of a ‘critical edition’ of her writings and more careful studies led to a deeper appreciation of her profound message sometimes obscured for contemporary readers by her flowery language.” He pointed to the many vocations to religious life that she inspired as well as the saints and important figures she influenced from St Faustina Kowalska to Servant of God Dorothy Day She has not only inspired many active congregations or ecclesial movements but also surfaced as the subject of plays Thérèse in some place of honor?” he asked “She is certainly one of the best known and most loved saints in the church today.” Thérèse’s impact will continue — and perhaps even increase — in the future “I just see her ‘little way’ as being a permanent part of the whole patrimony and legacy of the church until the end of time,” Bishop Hying said “I think her star will only shine brighter with time as successive generations of people come to love her He encouraged people to befriend this beloved saint and ask for her intercession adding that “she always has room and time for one more person to help.” Lambert also saw an increased need for her message Thérèse’s message of simplicity and trust will only become more vital,” Lambert said “She offers a spirituality of presence in a time of distraction “I believe she will continue to guide the Church’s pastoral mission — especially in reaching the lonely the disillusioned and those who feel far from God,” she added her understanding of spiritual dryness and her confidence in God’s love make her a bridge to those who are seeking healing.” not only through answered prayers but also through transformed hearts “Over the next century,” she said Thérèse will continue to inspire a new generation of saints — ordinary people who discover  Print Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media Catholic Media Assocation Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association The Associated Church Press (OSV News) — While millions of pilgrims hope to make their way to Rome for the Jubilee Year Catholics in France and Spain will also have reason to stay in their countries as their respective churches prepare to commemorate two of the Catholic Church’s most popular saints: Sts Thérèse of Lisieux has planned a series of events throughout the Holy Year culminating with the May 17 celebration to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the canonization of the famed French saint affectionately known by devotees as The Little Flower Teresa of Àvila will be opened to the public for veneration for the third time in over four centuries The last time her relics were opened to the public was in 1914 The event follows a one-year study of the saint’s relics by researchers who found her body incorrupt since her death in 1582 Both saints are doctors of the church and members of the Carmelite order Dubbing the yearlong event as a “Theresian Year,” the French sanctuary said the “story of Therese’s life and posterity” inspired the spiritual and cultural events planned for the year “on the theme of joy in holiness.” who named her Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin she joined the Carmelite sisters in 1888 at the age of 15 after receiving approval from her bishop and took the name Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face Her desire for holiness only increased during her time as a Carmelite sister “The Story of a Soul,” she often compared herself to other saints and would often doubt she could ever obtain their degree of sanctity “You know it has ever been my desire to become a saint that I am as far removed from them as the grain of sand is remote from the mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds,” she wrote it did not stop her from seeking out “a means to get to Heaven by a little way,” in which the Carmelite nun hoped to obtain sanctity through small acts of holiness “You must practice the little virtues but God never refuses the first grace—courage for self-conquest; and if the soul correspond to that grace she at once finds herself in God’s sunlight,” she wrote I am entering life,” she wrote to her missionary spiritual brother before she died in 1897 at the age of 24 of tuberculosis which was published one year after her death the process of canonization was opened in 1914 and on May 17 John Paul II declared her a doctor of the church In his apostolic letter “Divini Amoris Scientia,” (The Science of Divine Love) John Paul said that also Saint Thérèse did not have “a true and proper doctrinal corpus,” her writings showed “a particular radiance of doctrine” that presented “a teaching of eminent quality.” was carried out by Italian doctors and scientists in August 2024 postulator general of the Order of Discalced Carmelites who was present when the silver reliquary containing her relics was opened the body was “in the same condition as when it was last opened in 1914.” the Order of the Discalced Carmelites in Spain announced that the relics would be opened to the public for veneration from May 11-25 at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Alba de Tormes the Carmelites said the upcoming event was “historic and unique” and would not happen again for a very long time “We hope that it will be a reason for pilgrims to come closer to Jesus Christ and the church an evangelization for all visitors and a greater knowledge of St Teresa of Jesus to enrich us all with the example of her life while invoking her intercession,” the Carmelites said is part of a process of canonical recognition authorized by Pope Francis that began in 2022 and will conclude May 26 and her remains will be returned to its tomb Teresa of Ávila played a key role during the Counter Reformation in encouraging the renewal of spiritual and monastic life and also reforming the Carmelite Order Her call to a return to a more contemplative lifestyle inspired many with whom she established the Discalced Carmelites Known for her theological writings on spiritual life such as “The Interior Castle” and “The Way of Perfection,” she was proclaimed a doctor of the church by St In a 2021 video message commemorating the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of St Pope Francis said she “was outstanding in many ways.” it should not be forgotten that her recognized relevance in these dimensions is nothing more than the consequence of what was important to her: her encounter with the Lord her ‘determined determination,’ as she says to persevere in union with him through prayer.” Junno Arocho Esteves writes for OSV News from Malmö Thérèse: Pope Francis got a white rose when he left hospital© Vatican Media A white rose was placed on Pope Francis' tomb on Sunday the rose is a symbol of the bond between Francis and St the French saint for whom the Argentine pontiff had a particular devotion The Holy See's official media outlet reports that a few days after his discharge from Gemelli Hospital – on March 23 – the Pope received a white rose from Lisieux "He kept it on a nightstand next to his bed," it reads This is rooted in something that the young saint promised: “I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens; I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth.” Thérèse might have spoken of "roses" as a metaphor for the graces she would intercede for many of the faithful attest that actual roses seem to come in response to their prayers to the saint In fact, Pope Francis himself had this experience, as he described to journalists on his way to Manila in 2015 Thérèse of the Child Jesus that if she takes care of some problem I asked her watch over this journey and to send me a rose Pope Francis found in St. Thérèse a faithful friend and an example. He wrote an apostolic exhortation about the saint in 2023 “C’est la confiance et rien que la confiance qui doit nous conduire à l’Amour.” “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love.” These striking words of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face say it all They sum up the genius of her spirituality and would suffice to justify the fact that she has been named a Doctor of the Church “nothing but confidence,” is the sole path that leads us to the Love that grants everything the wellspring of grace overflows into our lives the Gospel takes flesh within us and makes us channels of mercy for our brothers and sisters Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news Millions of pilgrims arrive in Rome for the Jubilee of Hope But Catholics from France and Spain also have reasons to stay in their countries Because two of the most popular saints of the Catholic Church will be celebrated: Therese of Lisieux and Teresa of Avila mystic and founder of the Discalced Carmelites and the first woman to be declared a doctor of the Church (OSV News files/Nancy Phelan Wiechec/Crosiers) Teresa of Lisieux has planned events in France to celebrate throughout the Holy Year to 'the little flower' Thérèse of Lisieux culminate with a celebration on May 17 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the canonization of the famous French saint In the same month, the relics of Saint Teresa of Avila will be open to the public for its veneration for the third time in more than four centuries The event follows a year-long study of the saint's relics by researchers They found her body incorrupt since her death in 1582 The French shrine has said that the "story of Therese's life and posterity" has inspired the spiritual and cultural events planned for the year "with the theme of joy in holiness." The saint was the youngest of nine children the daughter of Saints Louis Martin and Celia Guerin she joined the Carmelite sisters in 1888 at the age of 15 She took the name Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face Her desire for holiness only grew during her time as a Carmelite sister 'The Story of a Soul,' she often compared herself to other saints And she often doubted that she could ever attain her degree of sainthood "You know that it has always been my desire to become a saint that I am as far from them as the grain of sand far from the mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds," she wrote this did not prevent her from seeking "a means to reach Heaven by a little way" In it the Carmelite nun hoped to attain holiness through small acts of holiness but God never refuses the first grace: courage for self-conquest it immediately finds itself in the light of God's sun," he wrote I am entering into life," he wrote to his missionary spiritual brother before dying in 1897 of tuberculosis at the age of 24 Due to the impact of Thérèse's autobiography which was published a year after her death the canonization process was opened in 1914 In 1997, St. John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church. In his letter apostolic 'Divini Amoris Scientia' Teresa did not have "a true and proper doctrinal corpus" But her writings showed "a particular radiance of doctrine" This presented "a teaching of eminent quality" On the other hand, Pope Francis published on October 15, 2023 the Apostolic Exhortation '.C'est la confiance', which you can see hereon the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth postulator general of the Discalced Carmelite Order was present when the silver reliquary containing her relics was opened He said the body was "in the same condition as when it was last opened in 1914." the Order of the Discalced Carmelites in Spain announced that the relics would be open to the public for veneration from May 11 to 25 Location: the Basilica of the Annunciation in Alba de Tormes the Carmelitas said the upcoming event was "historic and unique" and would not happen again for a long time "We hope it will be a reason for pilgrims to come closer to Jesus Christ and the church An evangelization for all visitors and a greater knowledge of St To enrich us all with the example of her life while invoking her intercession," said the Carmelites is part of a process of canonical recognition authorized by Pope Francis that began in 2022 and his remains will be returned to his tomb Teresa of Avila played a key role during the Counter-Reformation in fostering the renewal of the spiritual and monastic life and also in reforming the Carmelite Order Her call for a return to a more contemplative lifestyle inspired many with whom she founded the Discalced Carmelites Known for her theological writings on the spiritual life such as "The Interior Castle" and "The Way of Perfection" she was proclaimed Doctor of the Church by St Pope Francis said she "was outstanding in many ways." that her acknowledged relevance in these dimensions is but the consequence of what was important to her her 'determined determination,' as she puts it to persevere in union with Him through prayer." Junno Arocho Esteves writes for OSV News from Malmö, Sweden. This text is a translation of an article first published in OSV News. You can find the original article here here Subscribe to Omnes magazine and enjoy exclusive content for subscribers Therese is a magnificent manifestation of "the Feminine Genius" and a "Wise Woman" in the fullest sense of the words.  Pope St Pius X called her "the Greatest Saint of Modern Times" before Pope St John Paul the Great declared her a Universal Doctor of the Church Therese's spiritual doctrine is easily understood and can be practically applied in our very occupied day-to-day lives.  Her counsel can ably assist us in enduring and embracing difficulties in prayer and patiently putting up with people who challenge us Retreat cost is $285 and financial assistance may be available.  Please check out the flyer below and click here to download it For further information or to register for this retreat, please contact Father John Riley Father John Riley has been a priest for over 30 years and beyond.  He has taught and led hundreds of conferences and laity around the country and as far afield as Calcutta India.  His first love is helping people seek and find Jesus Christ by treasuring and pondering the Gospels in deep quiet prayer.  Fr Riley currently serves as Spiritual Director for the Arlington Diocese's San Damiano Retreat Center in White Post 200 North Glebe RoadArlington, VA 22203[email protected](703) 841-2500  Catholic Diocese of Arlington © 2025 | Protecting Our Children | Privacy Policy Thérèse had a profound experience of intimate union with God which she described as a “complete conversion.”  Almost a year later in a papal audience during a pilgrimage to Rome she asked for and obtained permission from Pope Leo XIII to enter the Carmelite Monastery at the young age of 15 she devoted herself to living a life of holiness doing all things with love and childlike trust in God but decided to make an effort to be charitable to all She performed little acts of charity always and little sacrifices not caring how unimportant they seemed These acts helped her come to a deeper understanding of her vocation She wrote in her autobiography that she had always dreamed of being a missionary a martyr – yet she was a nun in a quiet cloister in France I understood that the Church had a Heart and that this Heart was burning with love I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer the martyrs would have shed their blood no more I understood that Love comprised all vocations that it embraced all times and places...in a word at last I have found it...My vocation is Love!” Thérèse offered herself as a sacrificial victim to the merciful Love of God on June 9 the feast of the Most Holy Trinity and the following year on the night between Holy Thursday and Good Friday she noticed the first symptoms of Tuberculosis Thérèse recognized in her illness the mysterious visitation of the divine Spouse and welcomed the suffering as an answer to her offering the previous year She also began to undergo a terrible trial of faith which lasted until her death a year and a half later I love you,’ are the seal of her life,” said Pope John Paul II millions have been inspired by her ‘little way’ of loving God and neighbor Many miracles have been attributed to her intercession She had predicted during her earthly life that “My Heaven will be spent doing good on Earth.” Saint Thérèse was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1997 - 100 years after her death at the age of 24 She is only the third woman to be so proclaimed after Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Teresa of Avila 'You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions CNA is a service of EWTN News, Inc. Madison Catholic Herald Official newspaper of the Diocese of Madison Tim Renz was installed as the pastor of the newly merged St The merger of the parish had been announced last month The Installation Mass was celebrated at St Mary Magdalene Church in Johnson Creek and St Francis Xavier Church in Lake Mills — make up the parish Watertown Catholic School and its two campuses Father Renz gave a profession of faith and oath of fidelity in front of the congregation will continue to serve the parish as parochial vicars “I am grateful to the many parishioners who came to my installation as the pastor of our new parish,” said Father Renz “It was great to see their support not only of me but of Bishop Hying and the parish itself.” He went on to say that “The Installation Mass is a reminder that all that we are doing is for the greater glory of God and the building of His Kingdom “We profess the Creed together recognizing that all that a parish does must be for the mission of becoming better disciples of Jesus Christ and creating new disciples.” “Although this is my fourth assignment as a pastor it is the first time I have been installed at a Mass What struck me was that the parishioners witnessed me in a very public fashion profess the Creed and take the Oath of Fidelity who is the parish director of operations and a member of the pastoral council said “The warmth yet magnitude of the installation celebration filled me with excitement “It was a powerful reminder that we are called to continue growing not just as a parish but as witnesses to the Catholic faith and that we will do that by showing others what it means to love She added that “The memories and traditions we’ve created as individual parishes now link us together into one we are entrusted with the gift of moving our new parish forward.” For content prior to 9/19/2008, use our old search engine or browse older editions Access our e-Edition here. For more information, contact the Catholic Herald office at 608-821-3070 or email: [email protected] Click here for information and materials to promote the Catholic Herald in your parish Copyright © 2001-2025 Diocese of Madison, Catholic Herald. All rights reserved. Website created by Leemark.com and Catholic Herald staff using Telegram theme The Carmel of Lisieux chapel, containing the tomb of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Chatsam via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Share The Carmel of Lisieux, in France’s northwestern Normandy region, announced July 18 that it was affiliating with a Carmelite federation covering northern France “Following discernment between the Carmelite community of Lisieux and the Carmelite order in the face of the difficulties encountered by the sisters in maintaining their daily life the Carmelite community of Lisieux is now affiliated to the Fédération Thérèse-Elisabeth des Carmélites de France-Nord involving profound changes in the life of the Carmel,” it said The Carmel said that due to the changes, Lauds (morning prayer) and Vespers (evening prayer) will generally no longer be celebrated in the Carmel chapel from July 17. But Masses will continue to follow the current timetable According to the French Catholic newspaper La Croix the community has 14 sisters but has not received new vocations for several years The newspaper said that eight sisters are expected to leave the Carmel, with some resettling in retirement homes. Six will remain to ensure the continuity of the community founded in 1835 The Fédération Thérèse-Elisabeth des Carmélites de France-Nord, which brings together 32 Carmelite foundations in France seeks to “foster communion and mutual aid” between monasteries as well as to promote “the contemplative life specific to Carmelites.” a French Carmelite mystic who died in 1906 will serve as the Lisieux community’s major superior She will oversee the Lisieux Carmelites with the help of a council while a local superior oversees the community’s day-to-day life Sister Marie-Gabrielle told La Croix: “There is no question of closing the Carmel of Lisieux.” She added: “We want to take the time to reflect on the future of the Carmel and the community that will inhabit it.” The Vatican’s Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has approved the Carmel of Lisieux’s new affiliation Leave a comment Thérèse — also known as the Little Flower — is a Doctor of the Church and one of the most popular saints of the 19th century Almost 150,000 people a year visit the Carmel where St Thérèse lived from 1888 to her death in 1897 Visitors to the Carmel of Lisieux are permitted to enter the chapel and shrine, which contains the tomb of St beneath a life-sized recumbent statue of the saint reputedly called “the greatest saint of modern times” by Pope Pius X Access to other parts of the Carmel — such St. Thérèse’s last cell and the infirmary where she died — is restricted. But virtual tours are available on the community’s website Pilgrims also typically visit the Basilica of Sainte-Thérèse de Lisieux, which can accommodate 4,000 people, and Les Buissonnets located just outside of the center of the town with around 20,000 inhabitants Since 1994, St. Thérèse’s relics have been taken to almost 70 countries The Sanctuary of Lisieux will celebrate a “Teresian year” in 2025, in honor of the centenary of St The Carmel of Lisieux, whose sisters come from Rwanda, Israel, and Réunion expressed gratitude for its supporters’ prayers as it navigates “this important stage in faith and hope Thérèse renew their deep friendship with their Carmelite sisters and assure them of their prayers in truth and charity so that the Carmel of Lisieux may remain a source of grace and intimacy with the Lord,” the community said According to the website of the Discalced Carmelites — the branch of the Carmelite order to which St. Thérèse belonged — there are around 11,500 Discalced Carmelite nuns worldwide, in 98 countries. The sisters devote themselves to a contemplative life of prayer in cloistered communities. “The fact is certainly reassuring that vocations still continue firmly in the west of Europe, especially in Spain, France, and Italy,” the website says.  “Unfortunately, more and more communities are suffering from the lack of new vocations, including some who cannot continue and must take the painful decision to be suppressed.”  “Joys, just as much as sorrows, are a sign of the times, which invite us to discern God’s will and to fulfill it faithfully in a new situation.” ReplyShare9 more comments...LatestNo posts The cloistered Carmelite community that shaped the life of St. Th\u00E9r\u00E8se of Lisieux has said it is facing \u201Cprofound changes,\u201D amid a decline in numbers. The Carmel of Lisieux chapel, containing the tomb of St. Th\u00E9r\u00E8se of Lisieux. Chatsam via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Share The Carmel of Lisieux, in France\u2019s northwestern Normandy region, announced July 18 that it was affiliating with a Carmelite federation covering northern France \u201CFollowing discernment between the Carmelite community of Lisieux and the Carmelite order in the face of the difficulties encountered by the sisters in maintaining their daily life the Carmelite community of Lisieux is now affiliated to the F\u00E9d\u00E9ration Th\u00E9r\u00E8se-Elisabeth des Carm\u00E9lites de France-Nord involving profound changes in the life of the Carmel,\u201D it said The Carmel said that due to the changes, Lauds (morning prayer) and Vespers (evening prayer) will generally no longer be celebrated in the Carmel chapel from July 17. But Masses will continue to follow the current timetable According to the French Catholic newspaper La Croix The newspaper said that eight sisters are expected to leave the Carmel, with some resettling in retirement homes. Six will remain to ensure the continuity of the community founded in 1835 The F\u00E9d\u00E9ration Th\u00E9r\u00E8se-Elisabeth des Carm\u00E9lites de France-Nord, which brings together 32 Carmelite foundations in France seeks to \u201Cfoster communion and mutual aid\u201D between monasteries as well as to promote \u201Cthe contemplative life specific to Carmelites.\u201D will serve as the Lisieux community\u2019s major superior while a local superior oversees the community\u2019s day-to-day life Sister Marie-Gabrielle told La Croix: \u201CThere is no question of closing the Carmel of Lisieux.\u201D She added: \u201CWe want to take the time to reflect on the future of the Carmel and the community that will inhabit it.\u201D The Vatican\u2019s Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has approved the Carmel of Lisieux\u2019s new affiliation Leave a comment Th\u00E9r\u00E8se \u2014 also known as the Little Flower \u2014 is a Doctor of the Church and one of the most popular saints of the 19th century Th\u00E9r\u00E8se lived from 1888 to her death in 1897 Th\u00E9r\u00E8se\u2019s siblings \u2014 Marie and C\u00E9line \u2014 also lived in the community Visitors to the Carmel of Lisieux are permitted to enter the chapel and shrine, which contains the tomb of St beneath a life-sized recumbent statue of the saint reputedly called \u201Cthe greatest saint of modern times\u201D by Pope Pius X Access to other parts of the Carmel \u2014 such St. Th\u00E9r\u00E8se\u2019s last cell and the infirmary where she died \u2014 is restricted. But virtual tours are available on the community\u2019s website Pilgrims also typically visit the Basilica of Sainte-Th\u00E9r\u00E8se de Lisieux, which can accommodate 4,000 people, and Les Buissonnets Since 1994, St. Th\u00E9r\u00E8se\u2019s relics have been taken to almost 70 countries The Sanctuary of Lisieux will celebrate a \u201CTeresian year\u201D in 2025, in honor of the centenary of St The Carmel of Lisieux, whose sisters come from Rwanda, Israel, and R\u00E9union expressed gratitude for its supporters\u2019 prayers as it navigates \u201Cthis important stage in faith and hope Th\u00E9r\u00E8se renew their deep friendship with their Carmelite sisters so that the Carmel of Lisieux may remain a source of grace and intimacy with the Lord,\u201D the community said According to the website of the Discalced Carmelites \u2014 the branch of the Carmelite order to which St Th\u00E9r\u00E8se belonged \u2014 there are around 11,500 Discalced Carmelite nuns worldwide The sisters devote themselves to a contemplative life of prayer in cloistered communities \u201CThe fact is certainly reassuring that vocations still continue firmly in the west of Europe more and more communities are suffering from the lack of new vocations including some who cannot continue and must take the painful decision to be suppressed.\u201D  which invite us to discern God\u2019s will and to fulfill it faithfully in a new situation.\u201D Subscribe now In Best of the Week Nine-year old Thérèse Martin is a mass of contradictions: she can be sweet and sensitive her father and her four older sisters try to make a happy home for her But when her sister Pauline shares some wonderful news…Therese goes on the rampage You can find more episodes here Subscribe: RSS Relevant Radio is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Thérèse's life through reading her autobiography others have encountered her in the modern cinema there have been a total of three mainstream live-action adaptation's of St The following movies are not documentaries Available on Formed and through Ignatius Press This is the acclaimed dramatic feature film made in France in 1960 that tells the story of St Thérèse of Lisieux from childhood to her death as a Carmelite nun at age 24 Thérèse that accurately portrays the saint's story and her unique spirituality in a very appealing performance by French actress France Descaut The movie offers numerous glimpses into Thérèse's "little way" of spiritual childhood which was her particular charism that helped make her a Doctor of the Church including situations of conflict between Therese and her mother prioress regarding her conviction of striving for perfection with confidence and trust in the mercy and love of God this film is an unsung cinematic gem that captures the spirit and life of the beloved St This French film was listed on the Vatican's "film list" that was published in 1995 Currently it is only available in a DVD format and is not readily available via streaming options Therese and her sisters are all nuns in a Carmelite convent Her devotion to Jesus and her concept of “the little way” to God are shown clearly A sense of angelic simplicity comes across without fancy lights A pampered child from a middle-class 19th-century French family Thérèse Martin journeys to Rome to beg Pope Leo XIII for permission to enter the Carmelite monastery at the unheard-of age of 15 Once admitted she experiences the joys and rigors of monastic life and makes the surprising yet simple discovery that holiness can be achieved by small acts of love and compassion – a spiritual path she calls her “Little Way.” With a soundtrack composed by a cloistered Carmelite nun this film is a beautiful retreat into the world of St an ordinary girl with an extraordinary soul canonized 100 years ago (Photos)© Sanctuaire Saint Thérèse Thérèse has deeply influenced Catholics in France and worldwide for the 100th anniversary of her canonization the Sanctuary of Lisieux has planned spiritual and cultural events in the town where she lived and died Thérèse pronounced her final vows in September 1897 when she was only 17 She became a Carmelite sister named Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus at the Carmel de Lisieux in Northern France She died seven years later at the age of 24 and writings have inspired countless believers and seekers over the years Her autobiography "Story of a Soul," explains her Little Way with simplicity and canonized her a little over two years later on May 17 Thérèse a doctor of the church on October 19 Here are three places to visit to appreciate her life in Lisieux The rooms of this red brick house have not been altered Her family called the house "Les Buissonnets," which translates as "The Little Bushes." said that the recorded commentary about St Therese’s life in her home — where she resided for the longest period of her life — is available in several languages “It was here in Les Buissonnets that Therese experienced three moments of grace:   - the grace of the smile of the Blessed Mother [May 13 when she was 10 years old],- the Christmas of her conversion [December 24 when she was on the eve of her 14th birthday],- her praying for the murderer Pranzini [in 1887 The house is open daily from 10 am to 12 pm (except Sunday morning) and from 2 pm to 4 pm he told the bishop that he hoped the Basilica would be "very big with a seating capacity for 4,000 pilgrims Over 2 million visitors pass through the Basilica each year with its Art Deco-style details and imposing dome the Basilica is impressive and beautiful: stained glass windows and colorful mosaics brighten the interior with 17 side chapels dedicated to various countries I asked Laurence about the altar in the American chapel the first saint of the United States canonized in 1946 she arrived in the US at the end of the 19th century to help the Italian migrants there She became an American citizen in 1909 and died in 1917 in Chicago it is also possible to enjoy a short visit with Mother Cabrini use the elevator: you can explore all four levels of the sacred space Therese’s parents (also saints) are buried The Basilica of Saint Thérèse is open from 9:30 am to 6 pm from October to February and from 9:30 am to 9 pm from May to August It is a good idea to check the website before your visit in case the times change Behind the Basilica is the Carmelite Chapel Saint Thérèse arrived at the Carmel in Lisieux on April 9 leaving her family home just over a mile away to live with her spiritual sisters and her primary occupation was sweeping the stairs and the dormitory Thérèse lived and died has remained intact over the years but is not open to visitors the Saint Thérèse Memorial beside the chapel allows visitors to appreciate the miracles and healings she performed you can see photos of her life at the convent six Carmelite sisters still live at the Carmel To commemorate the anniversary, the sanctuary has planned spiritual and cultural events throughout the year and a rich program on the theme of joy and holiness You can reserve at L'Ermitage,” or the “Foyer Saints Louis & Zélie Martin,” two reception houses for pilgrims Run by a community of religious sisters (Servants of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus) as well as a lay staff pilgrims can stay here for personal retreats or pilgrimages They are also open for lunch during your family walk as you trace the life of St Thérèse To see more images of the places mentioned in this article NEW YORK (OSV News) — Ahead of World Mission Sunday Oct and the Pontifical Mission Societies USA are uniting to offer a global novena to St The global initiative “invites the faithful to join in nine days of prayer reflecting on the mission and spirit of St starting on October 11th,” the Pontifical Mission Societies USA said in an Oct who is the patroness of the missions despite never having left France remains a model of love and dedication to the Church’s global mission.” pro-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization’s Section for First Evangelization offering daily reflections “to inspire hearts and deepen prayer,” the organization said interim director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA told OSV News that “as Pope Francis has invited all of us to pray for the church in mission territories Thérèse of Lisieux “is an opportunity for Catholics worldwide to unite in prayer and mission supporting the church where it’s most in need.” with members of the international Pontifical Mission Societies network leading additional reflections in Portuguese Thérèse’s life and her profound dedication to spreading the Gospel through small acts of love and faith,” the Pontifical Mission Societies USA said in a statement Known for her “little way,” St Thérèse “continues to inspire Catholics worldwide to contribute to the Church’s missionary efforts everyday actions,” the organization added The novena will be available for free on the Hallow app “inviting participants from all over the world to pray alongside these mission leaders in their native languages and special features to journey spiritually with the patroness of the missions,” the statement added by registering for the novena they will get three months of premium service for free “We’re deeply grateful to Hallow for partnering with us to make this novena accessible to so many,” Father Andreassi told OSV News “Their commitment to helping Catholics deepen their prayer life has been invaluable in making this initiative a truly global effort.” Participants can also follow the novena on the Pontifical Mission Societies’ social media channels: Instagram consists of four mission societies designated as pontifical by Pope Pius XI in 1922 The network supports the church’s missionary activities in over 1,150 mission territories The Society of the Propagation of the Faith supports the evangelization efforts of the local church; the Missionary Childhood Association educates children about their role in the church’s missionary outreach; the Society of St Peter the Apostle trains the next generation of missionary clergy and consecrated religious; and the Missionary Union of priests and religious focuses on forming clergy religious and pastoral leaders more deeply in their role as evangelizers “This novena is part of an international effort by the Pontifical Mission Societies that work with the Dicastery for Evangelization to invite all to the banquet of the Lord,” Father Andreassi said “World Mission Sunday reminds us that many still don’t know that Christ came for all and it gives us the chance to sustain the work of missionaries who are bringing that life-changing message to the farthest corners of the world,” he added “These funds support communities where the Church is young or persecuted,” the Pontifical Mission Societies USA said Thérèse of Lisieux autobiographyVoyage Comics | With Permission For years, Voyage Comics has been producing art of the highest quality for graphic novels that illuminate the lives of saints like St. Kateri Tekakwitha and St. Joan of Arc While they are highly researched for the sake of presenting the most accurate depictions of their lives they are usually presented as third-person narratives Voyage is publishing a classic piece of literature that brings readers the story of the life of St as told by the saint herself in her autobiography Voyage’s release of Story of a Soul by St. Thérèse of Lisieux comes as a part of Voyage Classics a series that publishes classic works of literature that elevate modern life Voyage gives these classics a facelift with custom typeset and original works of art Voyage preserves valuable and historic books to be enjoyed by generations to come Story of a Soul is the perfect addition to Voyage Classics as the saint’s autobiography highlights her attraction to the sea – as well as the spiritual symbolism she found behind it – and this fits well with Voyage’s maritime motif Voyage points to a particularly relevant quote from the writings of St Thérèse of Lisieux to illustrate her views:  Does not the Wise Man tell us: ‘Life is like a ship that passeth through the waves; when it is gone Founder of Voyage Comics Philip Kosloski explained that Voyage’s Story of a Soul pays tribute to the remarkable artistic ability of the 19th-century saint from cover to cover which focus on a ship sailing towards the Sacred Heart Kosloski explained that much of the inspiration for Voyage’s tribute to St Thérèse of Lisieux’s artistic nature came from a 1996 coffee table book titled Thérèse and Lisieux The book is said to contain a wealth of information on the saint not found elsewhere “One set of paintings that struck me when I first read it were a series of pictures she painted that revolved around a ship sailing in the ocean Thérèse illustrates one of her favorite themes: the heavenly body which allows the boat to sail in total security is the heart of Jesus.’” This new edition of Story of a Soul is currently available for pre-order on the Voyage Comics website Voyage is holding a sale for Story of a Soul that will last until September 8 Learn more about Story of a Soul at Voyage Comics Spring Campaign in Full Swing!Join us to reach our $60,000 goal Mass Propers for Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: says the Lord; whoever comes to me will never hunger Preface II of Easter: It is truly right and just but in this time above all to laud you yet more gloriously when Christ our Passover has been sacrificed Through him the children of light rise to eternal life and the halls of the heavenly Kingdom are thrown open to the faithful; for his Death is our ransom from death and in his rising the life of all has risen every people exults in your praise and even the heavenly Powers sing together the unending hymn of your glory we believe that we shall also live with Christ Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: O God who open wide the gates of the heavenly Kingdom to those reborn of water and the Holy Spirit pour out on your servants an increase of the grace you have bestowed they may lack nothing that in your kindness you have promised who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit » Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books! After taking part in the Crusades against the Albigensians he used his inheritance to free Christian prisoners held by the Moors He later founded the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Mercedarians) beginning in 1218 devoted to ransoming Christians John the Apostle was taken to Rome under the Emperor Domitian and plunged into a cauldron of boiling oil; by a striking miracle he came out safe and sound from this torture This disposition to forgive did not die with St but has continued to be one of the most characteristic virtues of the saint Benedict as related in the Dialogues of St that he was continuously and severely persecuted by a delinquent priest who lived in the neighborhood of the monastery in order to protect the virtue and the vocations of his disciples Benedict decided to abandon the site of his monastery and move to another location He and his monks had hardly left their monastery when word was brought that the persecutor had died suddenly Contrary to the expectation of the messenger who brought the news Benedict broke out in loud lamentations that his enemy had died suddenly and had not had an opportunity to repent The saints see so much more clearly than we the relative unimportance of the hardships and injustices we suffer in this world and the importance before all else of the sinner's being converted and repenting of his sins How long and how persistently we harbor grudges in our hearts against those who have offended us How difficult we find it to forgive freely and from our hearts Yet we proclaim ourselves to be Christians and to practice all the Christian virtues Do we forget that our Lord told us that if we expect our prayers to be heard and our sacrifices to be pleasing in the sight of God and go first and make peace with our brother Nor is the disposition to forgive our enemies peculiar only to the saints and martyrs of the ancient Church; nor should we expect it to be and if His disciples were commanded to forgive their enemies in His day Father Pro was executed in Mexico some years ago he was asked by his executioner if he had anything he wished to do or anything he wished to say before the sentence was executed Father Pro said that there was; he wished to be given an opportunity to pray for his executioners and to give them his blessing before he died During the persecutions in Spain during the late civil war one of the religious who was to be put to death by the communists was led to his death with his hands bound asked to be allowed to give his blessing to the members of the firing squad It is said that the officer in charge of the guard untied his hands and then swiftly struck off the hands of the priest with his sword raised his right arm and traced the sign of the cross over the heads of his murderers This is the true sign of the authentic martyr the characteristic mark of the true saint of the Church Who His own self bore our sins in His body upon the tree" (Epistle) The redemption of man as accomplished by Christ might have been accomplished in other ways but none of them would have been as perfect as the way Christ chose God might have forgiven man outright without requiring any satisfaction for sin This would have been a splendid manifestation of the infinite mercy of God but it would have ignored His infinite justice God might have refused redemption and forgiveness altogether and this would have been in complete conformity with His justice but it would not have satisfied His infinite mercy Perfect redemption required that both God's mercy and justice be satisfied Any act of satisfaction on his part would only have been of limited and finite value An act of reparation offered by a divine person would have been adequate since it would not have been offered by the offending party The only possibility of a perfect redemption was for the divine person to become incarnate could perform acts of infinite value; since he was a human being He could act in the name of the human race and offer an act of reparation which would be both adequate and authentic But the martyrdom of the latter Apostle called for a scene worthy of the event was not a sufficiently glorious land for such a combat whither Peter had transferred his Chair and where he died on his cross and where Paul had bowed down his venerable head beneath the sword alone deserved the honor of seeing the beloved disciple march on to martyrdom with that dignity and sweetness which are the characteristics of this veteran of the Apostolic College In the year 95 John appeared before the tribunal of pagan Rome the worship of a Jew who had been crucified under Pontius Pilate He was considered a superstitious and rebellious old man and it was time to rid Asia of his presence sentenced to an ignominious and cruel death A huge cauldron of boiling oil was prepared in front of the Latin Gate The sentence ordered that the preacher of Christ be plunged into this bath The hour had come for the second son of Salome to partake of his Master’s chalice the boiling liquid lost all its heat; the Apostle felt no scalding when they took him out again he felt all the vigor of his youthful years restored to him Thérèse’s feast day is not on September 30Fr when a saint is recognized in the Catholic Church their feast day is assigned to the day of their death. This day would technically be the anniversary of their entrance into Heaven In other words it would be their "heavenly birthday." as the Church has canonized thousands of saints over the centuries and it is impossible to assign each saint on the liturgical calendar to the precise date of their death Thérèse were to be celebrated on her date of death The 2004 Roman Martyrology mentions her on this day: anniversary of the death of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus Thérèse on September 30 is that it is also the feast day 0f St Jerome on the universal calendar of the Catholic Church as he is recognized as a Doctor of the Church who is the "Apostle of the Franks." This was a major feast in France at the time October 2 was taken by the feast of the Guardian Angels and so initially her feast was celebrated on October 3 but was the closest "open" day in the Church's universal calendar Thérèse was becoming one of the most popular saints of modern times and when the liturgical calendar was reordered Remigius (who was not as well-known in the universal Church) was removed from the general calendar and St This was the closest the Church could get to September 30 Some say that October 1 was her first "full" day in Heaven though technically there are no "days" in Heaven Thérèse with a day that made the most sense and which respected other important days on the calendar Season 3 of Ascension Press’s Catholic Classics podcast And because those of us within the pro-life movement sometimes find ourselves discouraged and wondering how we can return our culture to one that respects life We often look to saints for their example and encouragement Their words and their trust in God inspire us and soothe our hearts so that we can continue fighting the enemies of life This October, like never before, we will hear the words of a young saint who battled trial after trial and never gave in to discouragement. Her example serves as a beautiful model for how we can face trials in our own lives. And as she lay sick in bed, she promised to continue helping us from heaven, saying I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens; I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth.” For over one hundred years, St. Thérèse of Lisieux has sent roses to the discouraged and interceded for the downtrodden. Now, in Season 3 of Ascension Press’s Catholic Classics podcast we can hear her words of love and encouragement O.P.—a Dominican friar of the Province of Saint Joseph and co-host of the first two seasons—and Fr OCD—a Discalced Carmelite of the Province of the Immaculate Heart of Mary—present Story of a Soul and bring to life her “little way.” Michael-Joseph Paris and explore his deep love for St Ascension will release a new episode every day until the 28th Thérèse’s words will then be read by a female French narrator so that readers can imagine Thérèse herself speaking the priests will discuss the text and help the listener not only understand her words but apply them to their daily lives Michael-Joseph invites listeners to join in a novena prior to the beginning of the podcast as there will be nine special novena episodes with short prayers leading up to October 1 Thérèse of Lisieux and her “little way” Marie-Francoise-Therese Martin was born in France in January 1873. Though she was a sickly child she knew she wanted to join the Carmel convent Her young age prohibited this until she was finally admitted at age 15 who had also joined the convent and was now prioress yet she held such complete trust in God and in His plan for her that she never became discouraged She understood that she was small and sickly and would never do monumental things in life “I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way And that little way became what she was known for Thérèse died of tuberculosis in September 1897. In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church, saying that Thérèse’s “ardent spiritual journey shows such maturity and the insights of faith expressed in her writings are so vast and profound that they deserve a place among the great spiritual masters.” Her profound words and the lessons she can impart are why Story of a Soul resonates with so many and her ability to overcome the discouragement she faced that deeply impacted Fr he hit a low point in life and began to pray and read the Gospels the more he began to understand the deep love of God The unparalleled joy he felt and the desire to do God’s will led him to discern a vocation to the priesthood He became a diocesan priest and later felt called to Carmel and Thérèse’s life and her little way brought him immense joy and confidence in God helping him come to the realization that God “is the only reality worth seeking.” Michael-Joseph professed his final vows in Carmel in 2023 and now serves as the subprior and director of postulants in the community of Holy Hill in Wisconsin asking if he would be interested in interviewing for co-host of the podcast Having just finished rereading Story of a Soul Michael-Joseph couldn’t help but feel that Thérèse had a hand in this “I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth.” and she understood that her intercession would draw people closer to God there have been countless stories of people whose prayers have been answered with a “shower of roses.” Michael-Joseph shared a beautiful story about a woman who knew that her neighbor had tragically lost a teenage daughter She wanted to offer her condolences but was unsure if she should as she didn’t know the family very well and feared intruding on their sorrow Thérèse for guidance and then just felt that she should stop by their home When she knocked on the door and introduced herself for they too had been praying a novena to St Michael-Joseph reflected on these and other stories and said with love that is “just like her” and that Thérèse’s intercession shows “a pure love and tenderness.” He is hoping that people come to know this love and tenderness through her writings as he explained that she “has so much to teach us”—a confidence in the mercy of God the belief that God can do incredible things in our lives and the trust that God can and will do great things in us Thérèse had many reasons to become discouraged Her life and her writings teach us who God is and how He wants to come to us Her authentic love of God and her little way serve as examples for how we should live her little way in our own lives and within the pro-life movement for it is often not in the grand things that we build a culture of life but in the little ways—in our homes the Story of a Soul podcast will help us get to know the heart of St to strengthen our relationship with God as we work to shine His light and love to others This is all that the little girl in her little way ever wanted • Visit Ascension to download the reading plan If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter “The Glorious Palms of Martyrs”: On the Damascus Martyrs of 1860 Fighting slavery like a saint: The story of St All comments posted at Catholic World Report are moderated While vigorous debate is welcome and encouraged please note that in the interest of maintaining a civilized and helpful level of discussion comments containing obscene language or personal attacks—or those that are deemed by the editors to be needlessly combative or inflammatory—will not be published Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" … otherwise you might be forced to take seriously the foolishness that seems to dominate the internet, the airwaves, and the supposedly serious, important newspapers of note. So, as something of a humor break (and, […] You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ Sign up to receive a weekly email with news (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[3]='MMERGE3';ftypes[3]='text';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[4]='MMERGE4';ftypes[4]='text';fnames[5]='MMERGE5';ftypes[5]='text';fnames[6]='MMERGE6';ftypes[6]='number';fnames[7]='MMERGE7';ftypes[7]='radio';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); La Croix offers an opportunity to discover or rediscover sanctuaries that attract many pilgrims dedicated to the saintly couple Louis and Zélie Martin parents of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus A tour through the town invites visitors to walk in the footsteps of these modern saints from their childhood to their meetings and workplaces the Alençon sanctuary is focused on families lost four of them before they reached the age of reason the Martins resonate with families facing difficulties A new generation of pilgrims in their 30s and 40s still in the early years of marriage and parenthood then we came here to Alençon for a retreat and we had our first child,” they recounted The Normans are parents of four children aged five to ten months they visit the sanctuary every year at the beginning of summer “It's our way of starting the vacation and thanking God “honoring the family in all its realities,” said Grégoire Moreau These retreats are primarily intended for couples hoping for children His motto: “Comfort those who are doing well Margaux and Thibault know the Alençon sanctuary well because “they owe it a lot.” After marrying young their honeymoon didn't last and was clouded over in the months following their union “We just couldn't get along,” said the young woman from Lyon The couple's daily life quickly became strained—he moved in with a friend Margaux went to Alençon and asked the Martin couple for “the grace of marriage.” A year later the couple was doing better and had reunited under the same roof many couples and families come to lay down their personal and professional burdens “Louis and Zélie demonstrated that one could become a saint very simply by honoring family and professional responsibilities without doing great deeds,” continued Guy Fournier Through the importance they placed on hospitality and charity modern examples of a path to holiness within marriage and family life the Martin couple illustrated the possibility of “following the entirety of Christ's life” while remaining entirely in the world They can also reach out to people affected by mental illness as Zélie's writings reveal her struggles with anxiety and depression and Louis ended his life in a psychiatric hospital “The holy spouses Louis Martin and Marie-Azélie Guérin practiced Christian service in the family creating day by day an environment of faith and love which nurtured the vocations of their daughters among whom was Saint Therese of the Child Jesus The radiant witness of these new saints inspires us to persevere in joyful service to our brothers and sisters trusting in the help of God and the maternal protection of Mary may they now watch over us and sustain us by their powerful intercession.” Homily by Pope Francis during the canonization of Louis and Zélie Martin in 2015 Thérèse unleashed a spiritual revolutionManuel Cohen / AFP It’s simply revolutionary," explains Carmelite priest Denis-Marie Ghesquière to Aleteia “We didn’t have to wait for Thérèse’s beatification to be able to recite it as a prayer — what’s more with a plenary indulgence granted by the Church!” Why such haste? Why does St. Thérèse's offering of herself to God's merciful love express the essence of a fully realized Christian life And in what sense does it mark not only a summit of her spirituality we must go back to that day in Lisieux: June 9 Thérèse was living the most luminous period of her life. Her sister Céline had finally entered the Carmel of Lisieux this decision was not as clear as it has been for her other sisters who were already Carmelites Thérèse had a new responsibility within the community that she was very happy about Mother Agnes asked Thérèse to write down her childhood memories Her retrospective look at her life helps her realize how much Jesus loved her first even before she responded with her own love She was about to experience a moment of enlightenment June 9 that year promised to be a beautiful summer day. At 5:30 a.m., daylight was streaming through the window of Thérèse's cell, while silence still reigned in the community. "Ah, it's the feast of the Holy Trinity," Thérèse noted joyfully before going to breakfast As she prepared for the 8:00 Mass, Thérèse recalled the obituary of a Carmelite sister, read the day before in the refectory. Sister Ana Maria de Jesus had spent her life feeling guilty, repeating that "she didn’t have enough merits." (The Jansenist heresy had affected the spiritual life of the faithful in France at this time.) Thérèse had been deeply affected by this news and couldn’t stop thinking about it What was the origin of this fashion among the nuns of offering themselves as victims to God’s justice to divert to themselves the punishments reserved for unrepentant sinners Although such an attitude was "great and generous" and mortifications didn’t frighten her little Thérèse sensed the ambiguity of such exercises which often prevented people from responding to the call of love "How can we forget that, in any case, mercy prevails over justice, because Jesus paid for all sins? Between justice and mercy that very morning the Carmelite nun felt ready to take the opposite path She understood that Jesus wanted to be loved For Thérèse it was a true revelation: Jesus she offered herself interiorly to his merciful love Thérèse led her surprised sister Céline to the reception room of the convent I would like to offer myself and Céline to the merciful love of God." quickly explained to Céline what she was talking about Then she returned to her cell to write the text of the offering Céline was convinced of the importance of what was happening This is fundamental for Thérèse: Her offering is in communion with Celine It means that she is in communion "with all" and "for all." On Tuesday, June 11, kneeling with her sister before Our Lady of the Smile she prayed the offering again from the bottom of her heart But this time the offering became missionary because it was for the salvation of others You can read the full text of the Act of Offering to Merciful Love here.  Powered by ATC Online LLP Thérése of Lisieux’s profound offering of herself© Office Central de Lisieux Thérése of Lisieux as an inspiration to the Church going so far as to name her a "Doctor of the Church." In his letter, "The Science of Divine Love," he explains how even though she never "taught" any specific doctrine about God her writings are infused with deep theological concepts "a particular radiance of doctrine shines forth from her writings which grasp the very heart of the message of Revelation in a fresh and original vision presenting a teaching of eminent quality." John Paul II then points out a particular passage for her writings that is inspiring is the merciful love of the three Divine Persons especially in her Act of Oblation to Merciful Love is the experience of being the Father's adoptive children in Jesus; this is the most authentic meaning of spiritual childhood Thérése received an inspiration after having received the Holy Eucharist and proceeded to write down this oblation pointing us back to the true source of our faith Offering of myself as a Victim of Holocaust to God's Merciful Love I desire to Love You and make you Loved to work for the glory of Holy Church by saving souls on earth and liberating those suffering in purgatory I desire to accomplish Your will perfectly and to reach the degree of glory You have prepared for me in Your Kingdom Since You loved me so much as to give me Your only Son as my Savior and my Spouse the infinite treasures of His merits are mine begging You to look upon me only in the Face of Jesus and in His heart burning with Love all the merits of the saints (in heaven and on earth) I offer You, O Blessed Trinity! the Love and merits of the Blessed Virgin, my Dear Mother told us in the says of His mortal life: "Whatsoever you ask the Father in my name he will give it to you!" I am certain I feel in my heart immense desires and it is with confidence I ask You to come and take possession of my soul I cannot receive Holy Communion as often as I desire are You not all-powerful? Remain in me as in a tabernacle and never separate Yourself from Your little victim I want to console You for the ingratitude of the wicked and I beg of you to take away my freedom to displease You may Your Divine Glance cleanse my soul immediately consuming all my imperfections like the fire that transforms everything into itself especially the grace of making me pass through the crucible of suffering It is with joy I shall contemplate You on the Last Day carrying the sceptre of Your Cross Since You deigned to give me a share in this very precious Cross I hope in heaven to resemble You and to see shining in my glorified body the sacred stigmata of Your Passion I hope to go and enjoy You in the Fatherland but I do not want to lay up merits for heaven I want to work for Your Love Alone with the one purpose of pleasing You and saving souls who will love You eternally I shall appear before You with empty hands to be clothed in Your own Justice and to receive from Your Love the eternal possession of Yourself in one instant prepare me to appear before You In order to live in one single act of perfect Love I OFFER MYSELF AS A VICTIM OF HOLOCAUST TO YOUR MERCIFUL LOVE, Asking You to consume me incessantly allowing the waves of infinite tenderness shut up within You to overflow into my soul and that thus I may become a martyr of Your Love after having prepared me to appear before You finally cause me to die and may my soul take its flight without any delay into the eternal embrace of Your Merciful Love at each beat of my heart to renew this offering to You an infinite number of times until the shadows having disappeared I may be able to tell You of my Love in an Eternal Face to Face Thérèse of the Child Jesusand the Holy Face Official Priest Appointments: July 2025Archdiocese of Denver Everything you need to know about incorruptibilityCatholic News Agency 'What should I give up for Lent?': 10 Creative Ideas for a Season of Unexpected GrowthMarie San Jose Advertising Past Issues Events Obituaries Privacy Policy Lea nuestra publicación en español the Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux will unveil a plaque at the cathedral to honor 138 little-known nuns La Croix presents several profiles of these men and women some of whom courageously risked their lives to save Jews and members of the Resistance The Battle of Normandy took place 80 years ago. Among the 13,000 civilians who lost their lives in Normandy during the D-Day landings the Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux will honor 138 nuns A plaque bearing their names will be unveiled at a Mass celebrated in Bayeux Cathedral on June 8 which aims to give a new face to the men and women who disappeared in the rubble of the Liberation the Abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Pré was devastated by the Allied bombing raids that destroyed much of the town The surviving nuns gathered amid the flames the ruins of the monastery founded in 1050 by a relative of William the Conqueror pray the office.’ And on the morning of June 7 Twenty-one Benedictine nuns died in the bombing This “extraordinary and courageous woman,” according to Father Marie she willingly responded to the request of a lawyer from Pont-l'Évêque after the persecution of the Jews began and opened the monastery guesthouse to young Jewish women The other nuns referred to them as “our mother's friends.” The abbey was denounced in a collaborationist newspaper and having written a right of reply to protect Saint Mechtilde and the nuns Maître Féquet was arrested and deported to Dachau Another Benedictine nun killed by the bombings that day was Mother Lioba Baker who “shouldn't have been there,” said Father Pascal Marie This Notre-Dame-du-Pré nun was indeed of English origin the Germans arrested any religious belonging to the Allied nations,” recalled the Norman priest more than 20 nuns were interned in camps in Besançon and Vittel This is proof that Mother Mechtilde had hidden not only Jews but also her sisters in her community The inscription on the door of the presbytery in Ouilly-le-Tesson (Calvados) was written by the parish priest this Oblate of Mary Immaculate first served as a missionary in Canada before returning to France in 1923 for health reasons Abbé Bousso was preparing a burial in his church when he was arrested by the Gestapo along with other members of the resistance network to which he belonged "Father Pascal Marie explained: ”Since 1943 he had been hiding young resistance fighters from the Obligatory Labor Service (set up by the Vichy regime forcing them to go and work in Germany in exchange for the return of prisoners) A small resistance group formed around him before joining a larger network The arrested resistance fighters were taken to Caen prison the Germans brought 86 prisoners out of their cells and executed them in a small courtyard,” continued Father Marie was Little Sister of the Poor at the convent in Lisieux during the bombing raid that devastated the city “Ma maison,” the hospice of the Little Sisters of the Poor Thirteen of the community's 17 nuns and 60 elderly residents were killed blocked by a huge bookcase that fell on her,” recounted Father Pascal Marie who had been working tirelessly for several hours then come and look after me.' When they returned after sharing a tin of sardines unearthed by a rescued nun Sister Pacifique was dead,” continued Father Marie The parish priest of Honfleur found other vivid accounts of nuns killed in the bombing sometimes at the bedside of the wounded they were caring for Sister Saint Philibert (in civilian life Yvonne Halley) was killed in the Caen bombardment on June 7 at the age of 32 along with 15 other nuns from her community after a day spent tirelessly caring for the wounded Her family members will be at the Mass in Bayeux on June 8 will also attend the Mass in memory of her sister a Providence de Lisieux nun who died at the age of 23 on June 7 Madeleine took the habit in September 1943,” she recalled She disappeared in the flames of her convent along with 19 other nuns from her congregation." The bodies of the Sisters of Providence were not found until 17 years later during excavation work “Many families were unable to mourn immediately after the war as there were no graves or memorial sites,” confirmed Father Marie was hiding airmen in his church tower when he was arrested on July 3 as the fighting in this corner of Normandy lasted until the end of August The priest's body was found in a mass grave in 1946 Abbot Leclerc worked hard to feed the children at the oratory during the war he provided translation services for the British who parachuted into the region Involved in the Resistance and aware that he was risking his life decided in 1943 to file a will with a notary bequeathing the family inheritance to “needy Catholic charities.” In the 1960s his inheritance was used to build the Secours Catholique building in Caen The story of Jacques Leclerc resurfaced in 2019 at a market in Marrakech found a chalice for sale bearing the name of Abbot Leclerc He then investigated to find a Jacques Leclerc ordained in 1941 and to understand how his chalice ended up in Morocco The sacred object is believed to have been stolen by the French mistress of the Gestapo officer who had the Norman priest executed and fled to Morocco after the end of the war in Germany The restored chalice will be used at the Mass celebrated in Bayeux Cathedral on June 8 Among the other sacred vessels to be used at the June 8 Mass will be a chalice belonging to Abbot Jean Daligault who was also a priest of the Bayeux diocese did not live through the Normandy Landings he was arrested by the Gestapo on August 31 a fishing village between Trouville and Honfleur this priest-artist created tiny works during his deportation — 200 of which have been found and are now on display at the Musée de la Résistance et de la déportation (Museum of the Resistance and Deportation) in Besançon and the Mémorial de Caen — which bear witness “to Nazi barbarism but also and above all to the spiritual strength and artistic instinct of which man is capable in the face of the most absolute adversity,” Father Marie explained.  “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to love.” It was these words, written in September 1896 by Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, which inspired the title of Pope Francis' new Apostolic Exhortation.  that “sum up the genius of her spirituality and would suffice to justify the fact that she has been named a Doctor of the Church” (2) Francis explains his decision to publish the Exhortation today and not on a date linked to the life of the Saint is that he wants the message to “transcend those celebrations and be taken up as part of the spiritual treasury of the Church" (4) The date of the publication falls on the memory of St Teresa of Avila to mark St Therese as the "mature fruit" of the spirituality of the great Spanish saint Pope Francis retraces the steps by which the Popes came to recognise the extraordinary value of Therese’s spiritual witness who allowed her to enter the convent at the age of 15 who proclaimed her a saint in 1925 and in 1927 patron saint of missions who declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997 during the Synod on the Family.  More recently I devoted one of my weekly General Audience talks to her" (6) the Saint from Lisieux wrote: "Jesus is my one love" (8) the Pope observes that her encounter with Jesus "summoned her to the mission" so much so that she did not conceive "her consecration to God apart from the pursuit of the good of her brothers and sisters." Teresina expressed her missionary spirit in this way: "I feel that the more the fire of love burns within my heart (...) the more also the souls who will approach me (poor little piece of iron useless if I withdraw from the divine furnace) the more these souls will run swiftly in the odour of the ointments of their Beloved for a soul that is burning with love cannot remain inactive" (12) Pope Francis then goes to the heart of Therese’s spirituality that 'little way' also known as the way of spiritual childhood The saint wrote: "the elevator which must raise me to heaven is your arms but rather I had to remain little and become this more and more” (16) that we should place heartfelt trust not in ourselves but in the infinite mercy of a God who loves us unconditionally and has already given us everything in the Cross of Jesus Christ Therese never uses the expression - common enough in her day - “I will become a saint." (20) the need to have everything under control " (23) the trust and therefore the abandonment in God that Therese promotes "sets us free from obsessive calculations constant worry about the future and fears that take away our peace.” “If we are in the hands of a Father who loves us without limits," she continues " this will be the case come what may; we will be able to move beyond whatever may happen to us and his plan of love and fullness will come to fulfilment in our lives" (24) The spiritual life of the young Carmelite was not without trials and struggles she experienced the great “trial against the faith” (25) At that time atheism was greatly on the rise and she "felt herself a sister to atheists" (26) She believed in God's infinite mercy and in Jesus' ultimate victory over evil: her trust obtained the grace of conversion on the gallows of a multiple murderer "This is one of the loftiest insights of Therese,” says the Pope "one of her major contributions to the entire People of God.  In an extraordinary way and drew from them the light of her limitless hope." (27) St Therese wants to "gladden" the Lord "She possessed complete certainty that Jesus loved her and knew her personally at the time of his Passion," writes Pope Francis "he contemplated the love of Jesus for all humanity and for each individual as if he or she were the only one in the world " (33) He goes on to say: "Therese practised charity in littleness and she did so in the company of the Virgin Mary from whom she learned that “to love is to give everything Therese inherited " a great love for the Church and was able to plumb the depths of this mystery " (38) She writes in Story of a Soul: " I understood that the Church had a Heart and that this Heart was burning with love.  I understood it was love alone that made the Church’s members act " I have found my place in the Church: in the Heart of the Church Pope Francis comments: "This heart was not that of a triumphalistic Church He adds: "This discovery of the heart of the Church is also a great source of light for us today.  It preserves us from being scandalized by the limitations and weaknesses of the ecclesiastical institution with its shadows and sins and enables us to enter into the Church’s “heart burning with love” which burst into flame at Pentecost thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit." (41) The interior trials experienced by St Therese which at times pushed her to the point of asking herself "if heaven really existed" (42) led the saint to "to pass from a fervent desire for heaven to a constant burning desire for the good of all " (43) and to the resolution to continue her mission even after death "In this way," we read in the Exhortation," she arrived at her ultimate personal synthesis of the Gospel one that began with complete trust and ended in total abandonment for the sake of others." (44) "that brings us to love and thus sets us free from fear.  It is trust that helps us to stop looking to ourselves and enables us to put into God’s hands what he alone can accomplish Doing so provides us with an immense source of love and energy for seeking the good of our brothers and sisters.” (45) In the last chapter, the Pontiff explains that this Apostolic Exhortation is an opportunity to recall Evangelii gaudium’s message that in a missionary Church preaching “has to concentrate on the essentials most appealing and at the same time most necessary " (47) For Francis "the specific contribution that Therese offers us as a saint and a Doctor of the Church … consists in leading us to what is central and says: " we need constantly to appropriate this insight of Therese and to draw from it consequences both theoretical and practical personal and communal.  We need boldness and interior freedom to do so.” (50) the Pope recalls the main aspects of Therese’s "little way" and their relevance In a time marked by focus on one's own interests she shows us the beauty of making life a gift indicates the value of simplicity and littleness and the absolute primacy of love overcoming "a legalistic or moralistic mindset that would fill the Christian life with rules and regulations and cause the joy of the Gospel to grow cold." (52) The Exhortation closes with a short prayer in which ever confident in God’s immense love for us so that we may imitate each day your “little way” of holiness.” (53) Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here © Photo by Oliver Sjöström from https://ollivves.com by St. Thérèse of Lisieux Foreword by Bishop Robert Barron Translated by John Clarke, O.C.D Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897) was a French Carmelite nun who Pope Pius X called “the greatest saint of modern times.” Endearingly referred to as the Little Flower she is known for her “little way” of doing small things with great love Bishop Robert Barron is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and the host of CATHOLICISM award-winning documentary about the Catholic faith Pope Francis announced his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles he appointed Bishop Barron the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (Minnesota) Ordained in 1986 in the Archdiocese of Chicago Bishop Barron received a master’s degree in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in 1982 and a doctorate in sacred theology from the Institut Catholique de Paris in 1992 The Mercies of the LordSurrounded by LoveThe Trip to Le MansHer Character“I Choose All!”  Her Mother’s DeathLisieuxHer Father’s TendernessFirst ConfessionFeasts and Sundays with the FamilyProphetic VisionTrouville Chapter III: The Distressing Years (1881–1883) Pupil at the AbbeyHolidaysCéline’s First CommunionPauline at CarmelStrange SicknessThe Blessed Virgin’s Smile Pictures and ReadingFirst CommunionConfirmationMalady of ScruplesMadame PapinauChild of MaryNew Separations Chapter V: After the Grace of Christmas (1886–1887) Her First ChildThe Imitation of Christ and Abbé ArminjonHer Desire to Enter CarmelShe Confides in Her FatherUncle’s Change of HeartThe Superior’s OppositionThe Visit to Bayeux Paris: Notre-Dame des VictoiresSwitzerlandMilan LoretoThe ColosseumAudience with Leo XIIINaples Chapter VII: The First Years in Carmel (1888–1890) Confession to Father PichonThérèse and Her SuperiorsThe Holy FaceReception of the HabitIllness of Her FatherLittle Virtues  Chapter VIII: Profession and Offering to Merciful Love (1890–1895) Reception of the VeilMother Geneviève and ThérèseInfluenza EpidemicRetreat of Father AlexisMother Agnes as PrioressPapa’s DeathCéline’s Entrance into CarmelEnd of Manuscript A The Secrets of JesusVenerable Mother Anne of JesusAll VocationsStrewing FlowersThe Little BirdThe Divine EagleEnd of Manuscript B Thérèse and Her PrioressThe Divine ElevatorThe First HemoptysisThe Table of SinnersThe Call to the Foreign MissionsWhat Is Charity Chapter XI: Those Whom You Have Given Me (1896–1897) Novices and Spiritual BrothersGod’s InstrumentsThe Little BrushThe Power of Prayer and SacrificeSister St EpilogueAppendicesLetter Thérèse Carried on Her HeartAct of Oblation to Merciful LoveThérèse’s Explanation of Her Coat of Arms Word on Fire Catholic Ministries is a nonprofit global media apostolate that supports the work of Bishop Robert Barron and reaches millions of people to draw them into—or back to—the Catholic faith Stay up to date on new products and content from Word on Fire Therese of Lisieux is pictured at the historic St “Joy is not found in the things which surround us 20211028T1511-FAITH-ALIVE-42-2-1511074 cr.jpg things are ramping up in anticipation of Christmas That means we are well on our way to that great celebration of our faith and the hope that accompanies it it can be hard to keep our focus on the true meaning of the season and not on all the noise that surrounds it and drowns out the message of Christ’s birth Sometimes it feels like the overwhelming message of the Christmas season has become bigger faster — the complete opposite of what the season of Advent should be about — a quiet birth in a tiny manger have found myself caught up in the whirlwind of the Christmas season there are presents to be bought and wrapped cookies to be baked and decorating to be done and there’s also that whole Advent thing going on too That’s just the way the Christmas season is I discovered that last year during the pandemic Suddenly there were no gatherings that needed trays of cookies And was it really necessary to overly decorate for people who would not see it I began to rethink the season and realized that my view of the season was seriously out of line During one of my many COVID-19 inspired cleaning sessions I found a prayer booklet about this saint and doctor of the church tucked away in the back of my bedside table I browsed through the first few pages and became reacquainted with St Thérèse and the way she encountered Christ in the simple Who better to bring me back to the basics than this saint who embodied the concept of simplicity “Joy is not found in the things which surround us but lives only in the soul.” What a great message for this time of year the more I was reminded to find the joy in the many little incarnations of Christ in my everyday life Thérèse found such examples from within the walls of her monastery I could do the same from the confines of my home having a picture-perfect Christmas card with just the right message decorating my house in a way that would make Pinterest-obsessed people jealous and buying a perfect present for someone seemed a bit less important the hope and joy of Christmas still would come Thérèse spurred me to be more patient and focused during the days of the Advent season I began to seek out small ways to welcome the hope of Christmas and its message into our home Each card we received became an opportunity to pray for the sender Thérèse and her little way became my guide Walking through the Christmas season with St Thérèse reopened my eyes and helped me refocus on hopefully she will once again help me to patiently await the birth of Christ in all its simplicity Thérèse’s own words: “Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions a mother of four ranging in age from 11 to 23 Arlington Catholic Herald200 N. Glebe Rd.Suite 615Arlington, VA 22203703-841-2590800-377-0511 Website Design and Development by New Target Pope Francis has published a new Apostolic Exhortation entitled 'C'est la Confiance' (It is the Confidence) The title was inspired by the words of St Therese written in September 1896: "It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to love" Pope Francis says these words: "sum up the genius of her spirituality and would suffice to justify the fact that she has been named a Doctor of the Church" because he wants the message to "transcend those celebrations and be taken up as part of the spiritual treasury of the Church" The date of the publication falls on the memory of St Teresa of Avila to mark St Therese as the "mature fruit" of the spirituality of the great Spanish saint Pope Francis retraces the steps by which the Popes came to recognise the extraordinary value of Therese's spiritual witness I devoted one of my weekly General Audience talks to her" the Saint from Lisieux wrote: "Jesus is my one love" the Pope observes that her encounter with Jesus "summoned her to the mission" so much so that she did not conceive "her consecration to God apart from the pursuit of the good of her brothers and sisters." Therese expressed her missionary spirit in this way: "I feel that the more the fire of love burns within my heart ... the more also the souls who will approach me (poor little piece of iron for a soul that is burning with love cannot remain inactive" Pope Francis then goes to the heart of Therese's spirituality The saint wrote: "the elevator which must raise me to heaven is your arms but rather I had to remain little and become this more and more" Therese never uses the expression - common enough in her day - "I will become a saint." the need to have everything under control " - the trust and therefore the abandonment in God that Therese promotes "sets us free from obsessive calculations constant worry about the future and fears that take away our peace." "If we are in the hands of a Father who loves us without limits," she continues " this will be the case come what may; we will be able to move beyond whatever may happen to us and his plan of love and fullness will come to fulfilment in our lives" she experienced the great "trial against the faith" and she "felt herself a sister to atheists" "This is one of the loftiest insights of Therese," says the Pope "one of her major contributions to the entire People of God and drew from them the light of her limitless hope." "She possessed complete certainty that Jesus loved her and knew her personally at the time of his Passion," writes Pope Francis "he contemplated the love of Jesus for all humanity and for each individual as if he or she were the only one in the world " Pope Francis goes on to say: "Therese practised charity in littleness from whom she learned that "to love is to give everything Therese inherited "a great love for the Church and was able to plumb the depths of this mystery " She writes in Story of a Soul: "I understood that the Church had a Heart I understood it was love alone that made the Church's members act " Pope Francis comments: "This heart was not that of a triumphalistic Church He adds: "This discovery of the heart of the Church is also a great source of light for us today It preserves us from being scandalized by the limitations and weaknesses of the ecclesiastical institution with its shadows and sins and enables us to enter into the Church's "heart burning with love" which burst into flame at Pentecost thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit." which at times pushed her to the point of asking herself "if heaven really existed" led the saint to "to pass from a fervent desire for heaven to a constant "In this way," we read in the Exhortation," she arrived at her ultimate personal synthesis of the Gospel one that began with complete trust and ended in total abandonment for the sake of others." "It is trust that brings us to love and thus sets us free from fear It is trust that helps us to stop looking to ourselves and enables us to put into God's hands what he alone can accomplish Doing so provides us with an immense source of love and energy for seeking the good of our brothers and sisters." In the last chapter, the Pontiff explains that this Apostolic Exhortation is an opportunity to recall Evangelii gaudium's message that in a missionary Church preaching "has to concentrate on the essentials most appealing and at the same time most necessary " For Francis "the specific contribution that Therese offers us as a saint and a Doctor of the Church … consists in leading us to what is central and says: " we need constantly to appropriate this insight of Therese and to draw from it consequences both theoretical and practical We need boldness and interior freedom to do so." Pope Francis concludes by recalling the main aspects of Therese's "little way" and their relevance overcoming "a legalistic or moralistic mindset that would fill the Christian life with rules and regulations and cause the joy of the Gospel to grow cold." ever confident in God's immense love for us so that we may imitate each day your "little way" of holiness." www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20231015-santateresa-delbambinogesu.html Tags: St Therese of Lisieux, Exhortation Ealing Abbey: The Creative Little Way of St Therese this Lent Israel: Bishop expresses concern after stone attack on parish at Mass The Popemobile of Peace: Pope Francis' final gift to Gaza We offer publicity space for Catholic groups/organisations. See our advertising page if you would like more information ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community As our audience increases - so do our costs You can support our journalism by advertising with us or donating to ICN ‘If You Love Me’: Our Calling to Accept Jesus’ Love and Mercy Proclaiming Risen Jesus as ‘My Lord and My God’ Is Work of All Christians We Proclaim Christ’s Invitation to New Life By Susan Hines-Brigger • Catholic News Service • Posted December 3 That means we are well on our way to the celebration of the Incarnation and the hope it brings it can be hard to keep our focus on the true meaning of the season and not on all the noise that surrounds it and drowns out the message of Christ’s birth faster — the complete opposite of what the season of Advent should be about — a quiet birth in a tiny manger And I’m sorry to say that all too often I and there’s also that whole Advent thing going on too That’s just the way the Christmas season is but lives only in the soul.” What a great message for this time of year the more I was reminded to find the joy in the many little incarnations of Christ in my everyday life Thérèse’s own words: “Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions but at the love with which we do them.” CatholicPhilly.com works to strengthen the connections between people families and communities every day by delivering the news people need to know about the Catholic Church you and hundreds of other people become part of our mission to inform form in the Catholic faith and inspire the thousands of readers who visit every month Please join in the church's vital mission of communications by offering a gift in whatever amount that you can ― a single gift of $40 Your gift will strengthen the fabric of our entire Catholic community and sustain CatholicPhilly.com as your trusted news source PREVIOUS: Chesterton: Advent waiting is a gift NEXT: Prepare way for Jesus who breaks into history and our everyday lives USCCB: Statement of USCCB on Vatican’s Document Addressing Pastoral Blessings Pope Francis’ May 2023 Prayer Intention | Watch Video Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Returns to Roots Dan Tarrant Brings God to the World Through Catholic Filmmaking The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is officially celebrating in the 2022-2023 biennium the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest saints of all time by the General Conference of UNESCO member countries and educational contribution to humanity of Thérèse Martin (her given name) She dedicated her life to God in the cloistered convent of Lisieux have worked and continue to work in the fields of education science and the building of peace," explains Fr who is known throughout the world,” adds the priest “contributes to the promotion of universal values with her works and her testimony she speaks a language that transcends borders: that of Love." where the Carmelite monastery of the saint was located considers that "the recognition of Thérèse of Lisieux by UNESCO opens new perspectives for the spread of her message of life and love to 'the most remote islands,' as Thérèse of Lisieux herself said or the 'peripheries,' in the words of Pope Francis." John Paul II named Thérèse of Lisieux a Doctor of the Church on October 19, 1997, and dubbed her "doctor of the science of love."  only four women have received this recognition in 2,000 years of history All four bear witness to the richness of contemplative life for the Church and the world: one was a Benedictine and the remaining two were Carmelites.  The rector of the Shrine of Lisieux emphasizes that the declaration of Thérèse as a Doctor of the Church means that "her doctrine and the path she traces are addressed to all of humanity.” This teaching is summarized as the "science of love,” a science he says "transcends all times and all places and is found in all cultures." The "science of love," which we can learn from St "unites all men and women of this world because it corresponds to the search for the meaning of our world to the search for what is deepest in human beings The "science of love," which Thérèse understood and expressed is based on the realization that love for God and others does not depend on a person's great abilities on the ability to accept one's own fragility and the love of God for each person describes this "science" as requiring an act of trust: "Trust like that of a child who abandons himself into the hands of God." whose mission is to continue to radiate the message of Thérèse from Lisieux believes that UNESCO’s proclamation allows her message to reach people of different cultures and religions the spiritual closeness of Thérèse allows many people” throughout the world “to benefit from this same invitation to follow this path of inner freedom which is simply the path of spiritual childhood discovered by Thérèse of Lisieux She shares her experience of it with those of our contemporaries who receive her message and allow themselves to be touched." This "science of love" of Thérèse of Lisieux "helps those who try to live it It builds the person and cultivates a spirit of peace," concludes the rector of the shrine Visit the slideshow below to enjoy some rare photographs of St By Caroline de SuryPARIS (OSV News) — Nearly 30,000 pilgrims flocked to Lisieux for the so-called Theresian feasts 8 in France’s northern Normandy region Pilgrim groups were pouring in from all over the world to Lisieux — including pilgrims from the United States Not many of them however may know that one of the most devout worshippers of “The Little Flower,” as St was “The Little Sparrow” — the legendary French singer — Édith Piaf According to the new rector of the Sanctuary of St 9,000 people attended the official opening ceremony Oct the feast of one of the Catholic Church’s favorite saints It was “a record attendance,” he said The Lisieux sanctuary is France’s second-largest pilgrimage site after Lourdes foreign pilgrims started to come to Lisieux again marking 150 years of since the birth of “The Little Flower” and the 100th anniversary of her beatification Thérèse’s relics were taken from the Carmel and brought in procession into the Lisieux basilica dedicated to her “The emotion of the pilgrims was palpable,” Msgr “There is something about Thérèse that attracts people this is due to “a kind of ‘democratization’ of the path to holiness that she suggests.” He explained that “many are touched by the idea that every little thing in life can be a pathway to God if it is done with love.” “All her life conveyed an absolute trust that Jesus can save anyone,” despite him being rebuffed by people Such a large number of pilgrims has a strong impact on Lisieux that she is one of the most recognizable French figures in the world and for the years 2022-2023 has been chosen as one of the 60 personalities celebrated by UNESCO that honors people from around the world who have worked in the fields of peace this recognition “opens up new prospects for spreading her message of life according to the expression of Pope Francis.” Thérèse’s life was filled with everyday crosses and suffered from anxiety and depression for years after her death Then her “second mother,” her older sister Pauline which Thérèse thought was another heavy loss Miraculously cured of her hypersensitivity she herself joined the Carmelite nuns in 1888 in what the doctors described as terrible suffering from tuberculosis In an extraordinary path-crossing of two French giants “The Little Flower” had a big fan in ”The Little Sparrow,” Édith Piaf was the stage name of the legendary French singer hers is the most recognizable French voice in history known especially for performing “Milord” and “La Vie En Rose.” she was cured of her blindness after visiting St Thérèse’s grave in Lisieux (three years before the Carmelite’s beatification) As a child brought up by circus performers she suffered abuse from her alcoholic father who beat her it was a woman from the brothel run by Édith’s grandmother who brought little Édith to Lisieux often wearing a cross around her neck with the little black dress she wore for her performances Édith was born just 18 miles away from Lisieux which also celebrates the jubilee of the 60th anniversary of the legendary singer’s death on Oct A French comedian and writer Pierre Fesquet gave a talk in Bernay Oct 11 on “Édith and the Miracle of Lisieux.” He also is the author of a book focused on Piaf’s spirituality “Édith Piaf is mysteriously linked to Thérèse,” Fesquet told OSV News and arrived in Lisieux at the time of Thérèse’s canonization “Édith had unfailing faith just like Thérèse despite repeated suffering and shattered dreams of love and she gave herself completely to her faith,” Fesquet added used to quote her saying: ‘The little black dress I wear on stage is like St and she did not mince her words when she wanted to say things,” Fesquet pointed out She often went into churches to pray and she offered large sums of money to parish priests so they could repair the churches She was also very considerate of the homeless she came across.” “Édith Piaf is a kind of illustration of what St Thérèse said about trusting in God despite one’s faults She did not have a church funeral when she died whom she had unknowingly saved from suicide stayed to pray beside her bed for three days She gave a lot of hope to people who felt miserable.” The town of Bernay will celebrate Piaf until January 2024 prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints will come to Lisieux to close the jubilee of St Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris Feminism and Eternity: In Conversation with Sister Elizabeth Johnson” examines how many of the contemporary feminist theologian’s concerns are legitimate and echoed in the thought of the 19th century Carmelite the embrace of the classical conception of God – as seen in Thérèse’s life and thought – does not hinder but aids women in the quest for the living God Her background and training made this impossible The basic philosophical stances of much feminist thought were alien to her Thérèse did not read history as a pattern of male domination that she desired to subvert She did not question the hierarchical structure of the Church Neither did she reject the formulation of doctrine that she received through her family Thérèse’s theological thought and spiritual experience situate her squarely within the classic Catholic theological tradition some of the concerns and attitudes found patterned throughout feminist writers and in particular Sister Elizabeth Johnson While neither Johnson nor Thérèse reject theological reasoning Johnson suggests that God and the true identity of the human person are often discovered together through the changing history of oneself .. it transpires as the ultimate depth and radical essence of every personal experience such as love loneliness and death.” Classical Catholic theology would question whether awareness of God in one’s own life is a more “primordial” revelation than that given in scripture and tradition but would not deny that God’s hand should be experienced in each human life Thérèse herself did experience God personally Part of the value of reading her autobiography is to see how the closeness of God pervades every part of her life Thérèse allows her growing experience of God to “cut through” the sometimes misleading jargon of pious language to reach the truth that it hides [For example,] Thérèse rejects the term “merit,” while describing its true essence She rejects an understanding of merit that involves proving one’s own worthiness to God and “earning” heaven What she describes is true merit – to cooperate with God’s freely- given love so as to grow in love A deeper ability to love is the true reward gained Johnson’s and Thérèse’s opinions differ dramatically on the question of God’s eternity Johnson gives a list of classical attributes of God that she finds problematic omnipotent.” Johnson objects to the origin of these divine attributes which she considers to be imaginative projections by men of what they consider to be their greatest strengths She claims that this understanding of God is “the quintessential embodiment of the solitary ruling male ego On the question of eternity Thérèse offers a lived rebuttal to Johnson The idea of eternity shines through Thérèse’s life precisely in the elements of her theology highlighted as being most connected to a feminine self-awareness: her relationships her attentiveness to the embodied details of daily life her rejection of what is oppressive and her self-acceptance the knowledge of God as eternal enriched her feminine experience of the supernatural God as eternal can be seen also in the places where Thérèse “resists” or breaks through the oppressive When Thérèse comes up against unjust restrictions in Italy it is her unbounded trust in God that allows her to transgress them She is God’s daughter and should not be barred from the treasures of the Church her trust in God that ultimately allows her to transcend them Considering Thérèse alongside Johnson shows that while many of the premises of Johnson’s feminist theology are incompatible with the dogmatic theology of the Catholic tradition some of Johnson’s insights point to uniquely feminine concerns that can be incorporated into orthodox theology It is both possible and appropriate for theological inquiry to ask questions about personal life experience what affirms the goodness of womanhood and how to find the living reality sometimes hidden behind pious language The life of Thérèse helps the Catholic theologian who wants to work within the magisterial tradition to appreciate legitimate concerns raised by feminist theologians and to value their insights while still holding to the classical understanding of God as unchanging and infinitely blissful The full article “St. Therese of Lisieux, Feminism and Eternity: In Conversation with Sister Elizabeth Johnson” is available on Project Muse Thérèse’s beatification in 1923Shutterstock the remarkable story of a French Carmelite nun and it wasn't long before people began to seek her intercession Her canonization process was already opened in 1914 and reports of miracles began to flood in to the Vatican offices two miracles were verified that paved the way to her beatification in 1923 in the year she would have turned 50 years old According to the Society of the Little Flower "in 1923 the Church approved of two spontaneous cures unexplained by medical treatment Germain was cured of the stomach ulcers she had between 1913 and 1916 a 23-year-old seminarian who was dying from advanced pulmonary tuberculosis 'The destroyed and ravaged lungs had been replaced by new lungs carrying out their normal functions and about to revive the entire organism which will disappear within a few days under a regularly assimilated diet.'”  Pius XI subsequently beatified Thérèse of Lisieux on April 29 It only took two years to verify two more miracles that led to her canonization on May 17 Servant of God Dorothy Day is having a real cultural moment, as even secular publications like The New Yorker and The New York Times are writing about her fascinating life Meanwhile, the good work she began with the Catholic Worker Movement continues to grow and help countless people in Catholic Worker houses around the world Day wrote extensively during her life, including several books, and she founded the Catholic Worker newspaper. Among her books is a biography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, which I’ve been reading with my book club Day shared a funny story in the preface about how she didn’t like St. Thérèse’s writings at all when she first encountered them. Her confessor recommended she read St. Thérèse’s famous The Story of a Soul shortly after her conversion “Here is a book that will do you good” … The book he now handed me was The Little White Flower an unbound book which had a tan cover with a not too attractive picture of a young nun with a sweet insipid face holding a crucifix and a huge bouquet of roses … She was very young and her writing seemed to me like that of a school girl I wasn’t looking for anything so simple and felt slightly aggrieved at Father Zachary handing out what they felt suited their intelligence; in other words I almost laughed out loud at that description The Story of a Soul is considered a beloved spiritual classic but Day certainly did not see it that way at first I dutifully read The Story of a Soul and am ashamed to confess that I found it colorless What kind of saint was this who felt that she had to practice heroic charity in eating what was put in front of her in following the strict regime of the convent of Carmelite nuns which she had joined at the age of fifteen Day had read of saints “stretched on the rack Thérèse writing about the “mortification” in a splash of dirty water from the nun doing laundry beside her “Joan of Arc leading an army fitted more into my concept of a saint,” she wrote.  She dreamed of enormous acts of heroic sacrifice and changing the world on a vast and impressive scale Thérèse’s “little way” seemed silly and childish to her at the time as Day continued the daily grind of her work serving the poor she began to realize just how vitally important St These small moments of daily love and sacrifice are where the greatest change in the world really happens.  but we will face countless situations when we can react in anger or bite our tongues we have countless opportunities to choose impatience or kindness All these little acts of love add up to something more powerful than we can even see on earth This realization of the power of the “little way” changed Day’s whole perspective. She came to truly love St. Thérèse’s spirituality and writings, so much so that she wrote a book to introduce more readers to her.  Day explained why she wrote yet another biography of St I wrote to overcome the sense of futility in Catholics On the one hand Thérèse was “the little grain of sand” and on the other “her name was written in heaven”; she was beloved by her heavenly Father In this time when the evil in the world can seem all-consuming and suffocating “In these days of fear and trembling of what man has wrought on earth in destructiveness and hate,” Day wrote by A good friend is someone who you enjoy spending time with and the memories are a plenty; but a spiritual BFF (best friend forever) is someone who knows your heart and ministers to you as Jesus himself would one of my favorite undergraduate professors mentioned in passing that Saint Therese is known for stalking those who she wants to be friends with One time I bought a used book off of Amazon and when I opened it Turns out she does pursue those who she wants to advocate for and she really took my petitions to Jesus during my rough twin pregnancy my hope is that today is the beginning – or the continuation – of friendship with this beautifully wise saint who wants to “spend [her] heaven doing good on earth.” Here are some quick one-liners (or two) from your spiritual BFF to give you that little boost to keep fightin’ on “I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses where each one has its own mission and is different from the others in its qualities and sanctity.” (emphasis added) While a field of roses is beautiful and probably smells amazing – it’s pretty much one note Think of a field of wildflowers; the combination of all the different sweet smells plus the different colors and shapes and sizes reflect a symphony but the perfect combination of notes elevates the soul to something beyond itself “You cannot be half a saint; you must be a whole saint or no saint at all.” (emphasis added) Did your parents ever tell you not to half-a** a job Therese was the inspiration behind that phrase “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.” Just think of how one smile or wave can change someone’s day like paying for coffee; just acknowledging their existence with a smile is enough to let a stranger know they matter “Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions as at the love with which we do them.” I could pick up some trash on the sidewalk with a heart full of pride hoping that someone recognizes my good deed or I could pick up the trash with a humble heart and the disposition of being a good steward of the land like God called us to in Genesis and ultimately will cultivate a deeper love of the Lord within me “The world is thy ship and not thy home.” the kids find the crayons and decorate your walls especially if they all happen in a close period of time the only thing that will count is our reaction to each situation “Only God can see what is in the bottom of our hearts; we are half-blind.” which are the elevator to carry me to Heaven.” by There really isn’t any way to sugarcoat it  They’re as close to us as our friends here on earth and are available to talk any time of the day When it comes to my relationship with the saints and each offers a unique story and journey to a holy life and the ultimate goal of Heaven  I have to say that my list of top saints would include Edith Stein Pope John Paul II and Pierre Giorgio Frassetti Cecilia and Theresa of Avila and you have yourself a pretty good saint mix if I do say so myself All of my favorite saints crash onto the scene of Catholicism and give me amazing examples of an in-your-face Catholicism that exploded and invaded their entire life  I am inspired by Pope John Paul II’s rugged outdoors life and incredible evangelization skills  I am emboldened by Edith Stein’s writings on women  I wanted to learn to ski just to be closer to Pierre Giorgio  I wanted to change the course of history and people’s lives like Maximilian Kolbe  I wanted to be a great saint – and I surrounded myself with amazing role models                But when I chatted with people about their favorite saint one beautiful lady kept popping up in conversation and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that I couldn’t stand Saint Therese of Lisieux  Her gentle smile that seemed to find me in every chapel that I went to – a stray holy card there and I was struggling with my biggest vice of pride  She was tidy and calm and I was internally wrestling and externally the definition of chaos Therese’s Story of a Soul was easy to read I was all over the place and often disorganized  I struggled to relate to her story to sainthood as more of my friends sang the praises of Christ working through Saint Therese in their life I realized that I needed to give her another chance – or rather stop shutting off my heart to what Christ was trying to tell me through her Then I realized why I didn’t get along so well with Saint Therese – she challenged me too much “I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifices to all ecstasies  To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul.” I would rather hear things like “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”  YES Yet Therese kept hitting me with amazing quotes that dug at me day in and day out I was looking at things with a very broad scope vantage point lens nudging my finger on the zoom button of that camera constantly pulling my vision closer and closer to the individuals who were closest to me  She kept saying that they were my mission – my mission in my backyard…and I didn’t want to have a thing to do with that  There wasn’t any glory …I thought Yet Therese kept proving me wrong – especially when I discovered what she was the patron saint of who went into a cloistered convent is the patron saint of missionaries But it was true – this little saint who pushed herself along her little way was rippling out and effecting many more than just those in her four convent walls  And I was being challenged to do the same Am I saying that God isn’t asking big things from you  But I am saying that maybe the stage where you’re called to start that role in His plan is looks a lot like the dinner table at your house  Or that 2:00 am conversation with a dear friend who needs to know that she’s loved  Or a little brother who needs challenged in his faith life  Maybe it’s not big…maybe it’s doing the smallest right and doing it all for love take on the courageous cross of great love Bernard Bro and and Kathryn Harrison give us two vivid depictions of St self-immolating woman of Lisieux have little in common Thérèse of Lisieux made the first record of her life written in obedience to her Carmelite superior is the primary source of the saint’s latest biographers Dominican Fr Bernard Bro and bestselling author Kathryn Harrison Published in French two years after Thérèse’s untimely death her Historie d’une Âme has passed through 89 editions and been translated into 60 languages The autobiography’s definitive English edition (Story of a Soul) appeared in 1996 rendered from original manuscripts by scholar John Clarke Clarke’s translation of Thérèse’s autobiography proved indispensable to Harrison depends entirely upon previously published materials in English The subject of Bro’s and Harrison’s Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was the last child of Louis and Zélie Martin were extraordinarily pious throughout their lives even by the provincial standards of 19th-century rural France They seemed altogether “untouched,” Harrison remarks its optimism and humanism.” Before they met and married to live reclusive lives devoted to prayer and adoration But meet they did upon Alençon’s Bridge of St and were later sacramentally joined in a life “governed,” as Bro describes it guided by real abandonment to the divine will.” With money earned from Zélie’s profitable lace-making business whom they believed to be God’s true representatives In well-intentioned imitation of Joseph and Mary the devout couple initiated their marriage with a naïve vow of celibacy a priest corrected their misunderstanding of what God expected of their shared vocation for at length the Martins produced nine children “I am madly in love with children,” Zélie wrote presciently a few days before Thérèse’s birth on January 2 but it will soon be time for this to end.” Zélie was nearly 41 and soon to suffer the excruciating pangs of breast cancer of which she died four and a half years later leaving her youngest child in the care of Marie were the sole offspring of Zélie and Louis to survive childhood was bestowed the vocation denied their mother for whom Pauline had become a second mother The child fell so ill and feverish that many thought she would die She was cured suddenly after seeing the statue of Mary in her bedroom smile at her a grace she tried unsuccessfully to keep a secret from those who badgered her about the details of the miraculous event and who finally dismissed it as a story made up by an imaginative little girl seeking attention Leaving Thérèse and Céline at home to care for their declining father the two other sisters soon followed Pauline’s lead Marie added another Martin to the local Carmel; Léonie joined the Poor Clares Thérèse also longed for the cloistered life she apprised her father that she would join the nuns of Carmel as soon as they would have her What she had received from the Benedictines who educated her and from her favorite books The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis and End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Life to Come by Abbé Arminjon “so much as confirmation of all she had learned as a child of Zélie and Louis Martin: the joys and tribulations of the present world counted for nothing All that mattered was preparing for the next life.” For Thérèse the obvious way to prepare for the world to come was to retreat from the diversions of the world into which she had been born disinclined to burden her convent with a callow adolescent rejected Thérèse’s first application for admission Thérèse waited faithfully for an opportunity to join Pauline and Marie Her chance came when Louis Martin and Céline took Thérèse on a pilgrimage to Rome the Martins were granted an audience with Pope Leo XIII They were forbidden in advance to speak to the Holy Father Thérèse prostrated herself before her last hope and begged his Holiness to open the doors of Carmel to her the Pope preferred to leave the decision to the superior who finally consented after being persuaded by the Vicar General who had witnessed and been impressed by Thérèse’s audacious determination and Thérèse entered the Lisieux Carmel on April 9 When she had been some two years cloistered observed: “The angelic child is seventeen and a half the religious perfection of an old perfected novice and possession of herself; she is a perfect religious.” This observation was recorded on the occasion of Thérèse’s profession of faith Thérèse wrote a customary letter addressed to the Eternal Groom my Divine Spouse,” to allow her to die a martyr: “Give me martyrdom of heart or body or rather give me both.” Her wish was apparently granted for after having lived as a Carmelite for less than a decade Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face also known as the “Little Flower,” died on September 30 after a brief life of 24 years and a prolonged illness from tuberculosis the agonizingly painful torments of which she refused to alleviate with readily available morphine preferring the “narcotic promise of Christ,” as Harrison puts it could save a soul.” Twenty-six years after her death her sainthood was proclaimed in the speediest canonization to date in the history of the Catholic Church Bro and Harrison give us two vivid depictions of St Harrison’s was written for the Penguin Lives Series to “whet and then satisfy curiosity.” They are meant But when faced with Thérèse’s curious desire to be consumed in a glorious martyrdom Harrison insists on satisfying readers with psychoanalysis the Absolute remains a figment of the Cartesian mind “would say that Thérèse gave the name God to her internal strategy for survival.” Perhaps but a believer would say nothing of the sort “Thérèse did not merely love to love,” Bro rightly avers but the Word and the Father who gave her his Son.” Truly she loved and prayed to a real presence with an existence separate from and hers is a book penned for a skeptical age Bro’s which appeared originally in French in 1996 is a work composed for and in the light of eternity Although its underlying hope was realized in 1997 when John Paul II officially declared Thérèse a Doctor of the Church Bro’s book remains a needful corrective to what the author refers to as “biographies of Thérèse that proceed no farther than descriptions of love on the psychological or psychoanalytical order.” One cannot help thinking of Harrison when reading in Bro’s conclusion: “To those who would like to believe that she despised the world that she was a victim of an erroneous dualism Bro wrote Saint Thérèse of Lisieux for Catholic minds of an orthodox kind his hagiography will appeal to a very limited audience the orthodox Christian who has learned to ignore the secularist discourse of popular biographies and to enjoy and glean what truths they disclose between the lines Thérèse may or may not have anything to say to Harrison but Harrison has many instructive things to say about Thérèse despite its historical relativism and behaviorist humbug depicts its subject in a style compelling and praiseworthy Even though Harrison fails fully to appreciate the strength and depth of her subject’s sacramental vision especially as it was consummated in the throes of a transfiguring death hers is nonetheless the work of a gifted writer with a penchant for biographical narrative professor at the Pontifical Faculties of Saulchoir and one of the world’s foremost authorities on Thérèse His attitude toward his subject is religious and otherworldly overcomes the natural temptation to use what he calls “interpretive frameworks” that “flatten or justify” in order to “get hold of a reality that surpasses us.” While Harrison portrays the life of an unenlightened grotesquely courageous girl on the fringe of the 19th century Bro depicts the life of a magnanimous soul whom Pope Pius X called the “greatest saint of modern times,” a soul whose passion for Christ was so violent that she “threw her whole life off-center,” and whose recorded words and deeds “move us off center and oblige us to find our bearings once again” in the whirl of time All comments are moderated and must be civil Comments that are critical of an essay may be approved but comments containing ad hominem criticism of the author will not be published comments containing web links or block quotations are unlikely to be approved Keep in mind that essays represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Imaginative Conservative or its editor or publisher Thank you for this enlightening exposition I appreciate your thorough exploration of the two biographers So much in the writings of our current age encourage superficial reading I am often so bombarded with text and thoughts What I appreciate about this is the depth and meaningfulness of the content This is what I learned to love about literature in your class God has given us a major gift in our ability to think Honest pursuit of True Wisdom involves reflection Thank you for reawakening in me what you helped me experience long ago Praying for the Lord to continue to bless your work on this site and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" The Imaginative Conservative is sponsored by The Free Enterprise Institute (a U.S Your donation to the Institute in support of The Imaginative Conservative is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law Thérèse of Lisieux accomplished little in her short life on earth she followed her older sisters into a Carmelite monastery She wasn’t a missionary or teacher or nurse or miracle worker she had a profound hope that God would use her to spread his love after her death my mission of making others love God as I love him my mission of teaching the little way to souls,” she said my heaven will be spent on earth up until the end of the world I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth.” is one of the most well-known and beloved saints turned into the autobiography “The Story of a Soul,” have inspired thousands with her “little way” philosophy Many who are touched by her faith pray a novena to her for a special request then wait to receive a rose as acknowledgment that their request has been granted Her deep spirituality and intercession have inspired devotion around the world chaplain at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria has followed in the footsteps of Thérèse by going on a pilgrimage that mirrored one she made with her family to Rome He traveled with seminarians Mike Sampson and Tim Banach as well as Father Richard E The group flew into Paris and then went to Alençon they traveled to Lisieux where the family later lived and where Thérèse’s entered the convent her room or the place where she attended Mass,” said Father Morey not just geographically but we forget their humanity I think being able to see the childhood home or seeing the church where she prayed made it a lot more real.”  Visitors to her home learn that Marie-Francoise-Thérèse Martin was born Jan Thérèse was the youngest of their nine children her mother died and her older sisters became mother figures to her her bishop and the mother superior of the Carmel Lisieux convent denied Thérèse’s request to enter religious life due to her young age Thérèse begged Pope Leo XIII to allow her to enter early she entered the novitiate the next year at age 15 Father Morey appreciated both the sights of France and Italy and St such as her emphasis on trusting in the love of God but she shows us that very simple faith and trust is enough to get us started and then it’s just a matter of being faithful,” he said “Even though she wanted to become a great missionary even though she wanted to do all these great things for God We don’t have to do big things but rather it’s about being in relationship with the God who loves us.” a parishioner of All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas Thérèse through a former girlfriend who was named after the French saint “We prayed to her together and I started learning more about her and I thought ‘I just can’t leave this behind.’ I was forming a spiritual relationship with St Reading the book “33 Days to Merciful Love” by Father Michael Gaitley further cemented Lopez’ love for the saint His prayer life especially was influenced by the “little way.” I couldn’t pray because I was aiming for something I just couldn’t reach I was trying to talk to God (by) having a formal conversation,” he said Thérèse and asking her to lead me to Christ in the way that she met him I can sit in front of Our Lord and appreciate him not just because I’m looking at him but because he’s looking at me.” Thérèse refers to herself as many tiny things: a little bird even a little paintbrush that Jesus uses to paint his image But she’s most popularly known as the little flower and is often portrayed with flowers flowers are often symbols for acts of love “No other means have I of proving my love than to strew flowers; that is to avail of the very least actions and do them for Love I wish to suffer for Love’s sake and for Love’s sake even to rejoice; thus shall I strew flowers.” her cousin Mary was in a terrible car accident and was taken to the hospital for treatment Her aunt Georgene had a great devotion to St Thérèse and began to pray a novena for her daughter’s recovery “She’s always done the novena and gotten a sign of roses or she hasn’t gotten a sign of roses and realized it wasn’t going to be affirmed,” said Gorfida “After about a week of Mary being in the hospital between life and death,” a priest Georgene had never seen before walked into the hospital room ‘Mary is giving the roses to Mary in heaven.’ (My cousin) had tears running down her face and then she died.” The family never discovered the identity of the priest “I had never experienced a death before of someone close to me I came back from the funeral and went back to my life and thought Where’s Dad?’ I just wanted to know where he was,” she said I want to know that he’s in a much better place was approached by one of his female students but she didn’t like him and didn’t want to lead him on So she asked Peter to take the rose to his wife instead “I came home from work and that rose was waiting for me,” said Gorfida Thérèse’s little life has changed the world through her beautiful words and what many believe are her powerful acts of heavenly love on earth The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is officially celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Thérèse Martin – St. Thérèse of Lisieux she became a Discalced Carmelite nun and lived until the age of 24 in the cloistered Carmelite convent of Lisieux rector of the Shrine of Alençon (Thérèse’s hometown) UNESCO also hopes this tribute brings greater visibility and justice to women who have promoted the values ​​of peace through their actions and works Given the fame of Thérèse de Lisieux in the Catholic community (the city of Lisieux being the second place of pilgrimage in France after Lourdes) the celebration of her birthday can be an opportunity to highlight the important roles women play in society It also reinforces UNESCO’s stress on the importance of culture in the promotion of universal values ​​and as a vector of interreligious dialogue The posthumously published works of the Carmelite saint and doctor of the church are considered as important as those of other French writers of the 19th century including Émile Zola and Guy de Maupassant A woman of heroic virtue, Thérèse lived during the peak of the industrial revolution. And although she entered the Carmel in 1888 when she was just 15 years old (and died in 1897, only 9 years after she became a nun), “her works show an integral humanism advocating for solidarity, justice, and peace between peoples, at the service of a call to universal love,” UNESCO's press release reads The publication of the critical edition of her works was honored by the Académie Française in 1989 with the Grand Prix du Cardinal Grente Thérèse de Lisieux teaches us how to blossomImmaculate | Robert Schneider | Shutterstock | Collage by Aleteia With spring upon us we can enjoy the beauty of nature as it blossoms all around us And just like the fauna and flora we see thriving around us can use this beautiful season to blossom on a personal level the Church has a myriad of holy men and women who can inspire us on our way to being our best selves Below are five ways inspired by her life that will lead you on a journey of faith that is distinctively yours you can flourish and bear fruit according to His divine plan Just as St. Thérèse expressed, we are not all called to be roses in the garden of life It's important to recognize that each person is uniquely created by God with individual talents understanding that it may differ from others' and strive to blossom according to the gifts and mission entrusted to you one must cultivate virtues that reflect the teachings of Christ Thérèse emphasized the "little way" of humility and simplicity teaching that even small acts done with great love can lead to spiritual growth allowing these virtues to nourish your soul and help you flourish Just as flowers need sunlight and water to thrive our souls require nourishment through prayer and contemplation seeking communion with God and guidance from the Holy Spirit who found solace and strength in her deep prayer life trusting in God's providence and surrendering to His will Thérèse's "little way" also emphasizes serving others with joy and love in the ordinary tasks of daily life Look for opportunities to practice charity and selflessness By imitating Christ's example of humble service you can experience personal growth and contribute to the flourishing of others Personal blossoming is a lifelong journey of growth and learning Remain open to God's guidance and the promptings of the Holy Spirit allowing yourself to be transformed and renewed each day whose spiritual insights continue to inspire and guide the faithful on their path to holiness