St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897) spent the final months of her short life in the infirmary of the Carmel of Lisieux, France. Those who attended her—including three of her older sisters by birth—were living in the company of one of God's saints, one prepared for our times. This volume, St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations, serves as a sequel to St. Thérèse's autobiography, Story of a Soul. It contains the intimate words of her final conversations with her three sisters during the last months of her life, especially those three critical months in the Carmel infirmary from July to September 1897. Fortunately for us, her words were written down without the awareness that eventually a great multitude of friends of St. Thérèse would hunger for her spiritual teaching. 150 years after this great saint and Doctor of the Church was born into the world, the publication of this revised edition enables us to live in her company and enjoy her holy conversations and counsels. When we read her words with faith, her presence is at our side. She speaks to us directly, sharing her human experience: her joys, her sufferings, her love for God, and especially her trust in him amid her painful ordeal. This revised edition of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations reflects the extensive 1992 French critical edition of Derniers Entretiens in two volumes. That very complete and scholarly production has been edited here into its essential elements: + The entire text of St. Thérèse's words collected by the three main witnesses, Mother Agnes (Pauline), Sister Geneviève (Céline), and Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart (Marie); + The testimony of other witnesses when this does not repeat that of the three main witnesses; + Additional words of St. Thérèse as quoted in letters written during her last three months; + Comprehensive indexes of key names, topics, and biblical references.
Over a period of about three years toward the end of her life, St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) was asked by her Carmelite superiors to compose eight theatrical pieces for special occasions in her convent. She did not consider them mere trivial amusements. On the contrary, Therese invested herself wholeheartedly in the writing and performance of these little dramas, which provided a welcome opportunity to articulate her growing spiritual insights and share them with her religious community. Here we find echoes of her great themes, some where developed at greater length than anywhere else in her writings: Mary of Nazareth and Joan of Arc, humility and the little way, confidence and love, and so much more. In the present volume, for the first time, all eight of her plays (or pious recreations, as they are sometimes called in the French) are published together in their entirety for English-speaking readers. They open a new window onto the message of the church's youngest Doctor. Also included is a masterful general introduction by the noted Theresian expert, Bishop Guy Gaucher, O.C.D., as well as individual introductions to each play explaining it in context and significance. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
Despite their importance, the poems of St. Thérèse of Lisieux are among the least known of her writings, previously available only in highly edited selections. Here for the first time in English is the complete collection of Thérèse's poetry, faithfully translated from the French critical edition by Donald Kinney, O.C.D. Also included are a preface by Jean Guitton, a general introduction to Thérèse's spiritual and poetic development, 6 photos, and individual introductions to each of the poems, indicating its background and significance. The volume closes with the French text of the poems and a fully linked index to their major themes and images. Together with the ICS Publications editions of Thérèse of Lisieux's Story of a Soul, Last Conversations, Letters, Plays, and Prayers, this is an indispensible work for all those who love the life and spiritual message of "the greatest saint of modern times."
Complete collection of Thérèse's independent prayers, translated from the critical edition, with 9 pages of photos. "For me," wrote Thérèse of Lisieux toward the end of her life, "prayer is an aspiration of the heart, it is a simple glance directed to heaven, it is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy; finally, it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus." Besides the countless spontaneous prayers found throughout her autobiography, letters, poetry, and plays, St. Thérèse left behind 21 additional independent prayers, from every period of her life, here collected for the first time. In this book we find prayers to the Infant Jesus and the Holy Face, prayers to Mary and the saints, prayers composed in joy and sorrow, prayers written for her novices and missionary brothers. All of them reflect the Saint's passionate love of God, which she wished to share with friends near and far. The highlight of this volume is the first critical text of Thérèse's famous "Offering to Merciful Love," fully annotated. Ample background materials explain the setting and significance of each prayer. Scholars will find here essential new information for the study of the Saint's doctrine; general readers will find this book an indispensable resource for learning to pray as Thérèse did. "It is prayer, it is sacrifice which give me all my strength; these are the invincible weapons Jesus has given me. They can touch souls much better than words."
This book offers one of the most fruitful and popular practices of Christian devotion: the Way of the Cross, or Stations of the Cross, from a Carmelite perspective. The reader has the opportunity to make the Way of the Cross with five inspiring Carmelite saints: John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Thérèse of Lisieux, Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) and Elizabeth of the Trinity. In effect, the book provides five different Ways of the Cross which the reader can use for prayer. A complete set of reflections from each saint includes a brief Scripture passage, followed by a selection from the saint’s writings; footnotes identify the source document for each. These saints have a perennial message for us, helping us to mine, as St. John of the Cross described it, the deep, inexhaustible love and riches of Christ, especially demonstrated in his Passion, death and resurrection. The Way of the Cross with the Carmelite Saints is an ideal prayer resource for the Lenten season, or for personal prayer and reflection at any time throughout the year.
I Want to See God and its companion I am a Daughter of the Church are written works of Father Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus, O.C.D. A synthesis of rich doctrinal teachings with the sureness born of a deep contemplative experience, thus offering a vital doctrine to men and women. Bringing to light the dynamics of baptismal grace, Father Marie-Eugene opens up the paths of contemplation and holiness to all, in the midst of ordinary life. Both books illustrate the untiring search for God through time and the need for reliable spiritual Masters.
Letters to and from St. Thérèse of Lisieux from September 1890 (Novitiate period as a Carmelite Nun) to September 1897 (death). Translated from the critical edition by John Clarke, OCD. Includes 4 pages of facsimiles of Thérèse's letters, plus general and biblical index to both volumes. More Information This sequel to volume 1 contains all of Thérèse's letters from the end of September 1890 (during her novitiate) until her death in 1897, as well as many letters written to or about her. Here the mature Saint Thérèse shows the path of her growth as a religious and as a deep spiritual writer. The reader learns much about all of her correspondents, including her two "missionary brothers," and gains familiarity with the development of her thought and message. Fifty pages of complementary documents give us useful tools for studying the texts.
As Saint Therese lay dying in the Carmel of Lisieux, she overheard a conversation that amused her. Outside her window, two nuns were discussing what they could write in her obituary that could possibly be of any interest, since the twenty-four-year-old nun had never done anything worth noting. Therese was pleased, for she had always kept a low profile. With the posthumous publication of her spiritual autobiography in 1898, however, that low profile would vanish instantly. She became one of the most beloved saints of all time, and her influence will expand dramatically because of Pope John Paul II's declaration that she is a Doctor of the Church. Amid growing interest in her writings comes the collected correspondence between her and a humble young seminarian, Maurice Belliere. Though they never met in person, they exchanged twenty-one letters that opened a window on the heart of Saint Therese that would have remained forever closed had Maurice not written to the Mother Superior at the convent asking for a nun to pray for him. The Mother Superior chose Therese, and in these conversational letters the Little Flower reveals herself in a way that we would never have known from her autobiography. In his accompanying text, Bishop Patrick Ahern expertly leads the reader into the worlds of Maurice and Therese and reveals the full beauty of this saint's spirituality.