I wonder if it is my imagination or do you see different things in this old photo of St Therese? ( A for instance up to the right in the sky above the Cross... the Sorrowful Virgin?)
I was lying awake praying and thinking about a comment St Therese made one time, 'Since I was a child I do not believe I spent more than three minutes without thinking about God'. This is totally amazing when you think about it and opens a huge door way into the holiness of the saints soul. It is clear that she was not a saint but a saint amongst saints, a very great saint indeed. It seems almost impossible that someone could be not only holy but so very,very holy indeed all her entire life from childhood. But could it have been true? Thinking about it and weighing up last night I consider that it was. Firstly in that she came from what has been called a , Nest of saints'. Her mother and father were both saints and there are real efforts to have her sisters cause for canonisation placed forward. In certain times and places God seems to make special efforts to prepare for and bring forward super saints. Lights among lights and with St Therese the Good Lord seems to have performed such a prodigy. The devil certainly recognised this since from a very young age he directly attacked her. Only through the miraculous intervention of the Blessed Virgin was she spared. In addition we have the evidence of her writings which led to her being declared a Doctor of the Church. Such Wisdom did not appear from nowhere ; it could only have come from a soul habitually in the presense of God. But we also have the evidence of her life itself. She lived and breathed God every second. It was as though she were a compass always turned in God's direction. Amazing. What is her message for today? I think it is a Great Reproach to the Modernist lie that we all the same. St Therese reminds us that we are not all the same ; she points the way to astonishing mountains of holiness and call for us to follow .
One book that is very well worth reading is. 'St Terese: Her last conversations.' One thing comes across so clearly is the total agony she was in physically and spiritually. She asked the nursing sisters to keep her tablets away from her in case she was tempted to commit suicide. One remark she made is very telling. 'I never thougt it was possible to suffer so much, Never, never, never'. Grim. But even if you look at photos of her before she went into decline you can see the pain. I remember one time a Carmelite Nun saying that her vocation was to hang on a Cross. St Therese did this in spades. She was a real warrior. Thats why sometimes when I see over sugary sweet portrayals of her I find them a little off putting. They are so very far from the reality.
St Therese reminds me of Esther in OT. She was raised in a Catholic culture where fear of God was big and devotion could be quite rigid but she was unafraid to approach the Throne and God came off the throne and came to meet her. She was a had the heart of a warrior and she opened a new path for us all. Her way looks deceptively simple but is very profound and is total self giving.
Padraig, Thank you for posting this. I love this video. I learned things about St. Thérèse of Lisieux that I never heard before. This video is about another blessed that I never heard of before and he discusses a book that she wrote that sounds very interesting. I am wondering if you have ever heard of it or if anyone else here may have read it and what their thoughts are on it. The book is called "Seasons of the Soul" by Blessed Conchita (Blessed Concepción Cabrera de Armida). Thank you again. Blessed Conchita: the Mexican Eagle! - Fr. Mark Goring, CC
I only started to hear about Conchita after she was named blessed but thought her wonderful. I must try and get this book and read it. These last few days I have been thinking a lot about an incident in the life of At There's of Los Andes. She came out of the grotto at her Carmel crying. I suspect Our Lady appeared and told her she was shortly to die and come to heaven and perhaps be declared a saint I am only guessing but I suspect it is a good guess How extraordinary and interesting are the lives of the saints
I'm new to Catholicism, and last week "discovered" St. Therese. I'm (obviously) only just starting to read about her: "The Story of a Soul." Next I'll be reading: "St. Therese: Doctor of the Little Way." I receive a daily devotional from https://www.littleflower.org/therese/, and ordered a Little Flower Prayer Pouch which, yes, I intend to carry on my person.
Arrived today! It's very well crafted, small and beautiful. Soon I'll begin reading "Mornings with St. Therese."
I began reading it last night (supposed to be over morning coffee, but I couldn't wait). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/162282248X/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2 It's a real treasure. I've known a lady (passed away years ago) who reminds me of St. Therese.
It looks like a treat. I love the books on her by people her knew her, her family and fellow nuns, their recollections. https://www.amazon.com/Therese-Lisieux-Testimonies-Process-Beatification/dp/0901810843
Thank you! I had made a mental note of another book on St. Therese that I'm wanting to read, but forgot the title. That is the book!
I think there are a few nice films on utube on her life, though some of them are foreign language. But when you know her story it is easy to follow along.
I have a St Therese story. About 20 years ago I had a major and self inflicted psychiatric episode. It was self inflicted, completely burning the candle at all ends but I have no doubt I was badly hounded by many demons who wanted me dead. I was unable to sleep for maybe three days and I became psychotic, towards the end I was seeing demons. I needed hospital and even in there I remained bad for a while, I didn't want to be alive. My parents were stunned because up to that I was generally doing well, had a good job, did well in college, lovely girl friend etc. My poor mother thought she was going to loose me, I was a mess. My mother had and still has a very strong devotion to St Therese. One evening while I was in hospital she went for a walk in our quite country road, she was very down probably crying, she reached out and touched a flower on a white thorn tree and just as she did she felt a message coming from St Therese telling my mother that I was going to be alright and not to worry. My mother would not be the most mystical of believers but this she said was very real and I believe her. I made a full recovery after a brief depression and learned a lot from my lesson. St Therese is very active if we ever need her.
Thank you for sharing your story. I am soon to read "Shower of Heavenly Roses: Stories of the Intercession of St. Therese" https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0824522567/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 St. Therese came to my awareness "like a gentle bolt out of the blue", meant to be; so I'm looking forward to reading more stories like yours and these others.
I find that episode difficult to discuss so thanks for your kind words. But enough about me this thread of for St Therese who like Padraig correctly describes as a saint among saints.
