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Therese of Lisieux France (1873 - 1897) Timeline Christian : Catholic Poems by Therese of Lisieux Books - Links |
Therese suffered from illness all her life and died of tuberculosis in her mid-twenties, yet in her few short years she developed a humble and deep-seated devotion that has inspired generations since.
She was born into a religious family in Alencon, France. Her father was a watchmaker and her mother made lace. Therese's mother died when Therese was only four years old. Her father moved the family to Lisieux.
At the very young age of 15, Therese followed her older sister and became a nun, entering the Carmel convent at Lisieux.
Soon after her death, her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, was published. In this book, she describes her spiritual path as "the way of spiritual childhood, the way of trust and surrender." She repeatedly emphasizes that she is "little," humble, insignificant, that the individual self is nothing (while God is all).
Some post-modern spiritual seekers may object to what may seem to be her overly submissive and self-negating "Little Way," yet we should recognize the current of spiritual fierceness that runs beneath her humility. Finally we must remember that all true mystics must transcend the ego-self in order to discover the Beloved.
St. Therese of Lisieux's poetry is not as well known as her autobiography, but well worth reading to gain even deeper understanding into this deeply humble mystic.
Poems by Therese of Lisieux
Recommended Books: Therese of Lisieux
Related Links
Therese de Lisieux - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thérèse_de_Lisieux
A good, brief survey of the life and writings of Therese of Lisieux.
Saint Therese of Lisieux
http://www.thereseoflisieux.org/
A must-visit site with a detailed biography, many articles on St. Therese and her spirituality, a blog, and more.
Sanctuaire de Lisieux
http://therese-de-lisieux.cef.fr/ang/frameang.htm
The official website for Therese's sanctuary at Lisieux. Many photographs, several samples of St. Therese's writings.
Saint Therese of Lisieux
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19101997_stherese_en.html
Biography of St. Therese of Lisieux on the Vatican website.
The Story of a Soul - Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=199979&pageno=1
The complete text of St. Therese of Lisieux's autobiography online.