Thérèsianfest!

I am sure there is no need to remind you whose feast it is today.  Those who know me know I am head over heels in love with this ravishing beauty, St Thérèse of Lisieux.  One of the Church's most popular Saints, Thérèse appeals to people of all ages and situations.  There are many stories about Thérèse and her intercession from heaven.  She was very much the pin up of soldiers during the First World War and many of them testified to various miracles taking place on the battlefield as they called on her help.  Since then she has grown in popularity. In recent years, the pilgrimage of her relics around the world have increased the number of her devotees. I remember the relics' first visit to Ireland - I was in seminary and managed to get to three venues to venerate them.  In fact, thanks to that visit I was encouraged in my vocation and resolved to continue my studies - as you may know Irish seminaries are very difficult places for orthodox seminarians.

If you have not read Thérèse's works I would urge you to.  Start with her autobiography.  There are many translations: the Institute of Carmelite Studies have produced the definitive translation.  But for a good read it is hard to beat Fr Ronald Knox's translation - this was the first one I read and I would recommend it for beginners.  In reading her writings you meet her face to face as she allows you into her soul and there brings you into an encounter with her Beloved - the Lord.  In her writings not only can we gain insights into her life, but also valuable insights into the human condition: in those pages we see that Saints really do represent humanity and show us the way to God.

First edition of Story of a Soul

One of the more interesting insights into Thérèse's life and experience was revealed by the composer John  Tavener.  As he was writing an opera about Thérèse he visited the monastery in Lisieux to meet some sisters who knew her sisters to see if he could glean any material which he could use.  In conversation with him, one of the older sisters spoke of Thérèse as "the little atheist".  We may be shocked by this, but as we look at those last eighteen months of her life we see that she experienced the same darkness and silence many atheists experience: she sat at the same table as unbelievers. 

Of course this was the dark night St John of the Cross spoke about, but also a grace which allowed her understand what many modern men and women experience in their lives.  It is because she endured this, among other things, that she stands not only as a thoroughly modern Saint, but also one who can speak in a direct way to the men and women of our time and lead them to Christ.  The image of Thérèse as the little sentimental plaster saint is not accurate at all.  Though she expressed herself in the language of her time which might lead us to think of her as pious, in reality she was strong; a woman who battled for faith, was purified in the crucible of love and achieved tremendous holiness through a daily toil to practice virtue, a truly heroic virtue.

St Thérèse in death 

In Rathkenny this evening we will be having a special Feast Day Mass with the blessing of roses and veneration of her relics and those of her parents, Blesseds Louis and Zelie.   I will remember all of you who frequent this blog in my Mass.  Happy feast day!  May our sister in heaven shower you with her roses today!



St Thérèse's canonisation banner