Happy Feast of Saint Therese!

We finished the 9 days of prayer to Saint Therese yesterday. Now we are just waiting for those "little rose petals from heaven" to come upon us. What a blessing to believe in the Communion of Saints.
How did we ever live without knowing that our brothers and sisters in heaven can and do intercede for us?

Today my wife, Deborah, takes to the blog and writes about St. Therese of Lisieux.(this is re-posted from last year)

The first overtly Catholic book I ever read was The Story of a Soul, the autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux.  That was the beginning of a relationship with her that continues to grow stronger all the time.  As an Evangelical Christian, I never believed that Catholics “worshiped” saints, but I did think that interacting with dead people in any way was necromancy and therefore a grave sin.  But once I understood the truth about how Catholicism understands the Church and our connection with those in heaven, I was excited about getting to know all these amazing brothers and sisters in Christ.

Much like any earthly friendship, my relationship with St. Therese has grown over time.  As I said it started with reading her autobiography more than 10 years ago.  Over the years I began reading more about her life and studying her writings.  After we officially returned the Catholic Church in 2004,  we discovered  a  Carmelite Monastery just over the mountain from our home.  We started visiting there on Sundays when they have a service which ends with a prayer and veneration of a relic of St. Therese.   There is also at the monastery,  a little gift shop with books, statues and rosaries. 

One year we made a visit to the monastery right before leaving on a trip to Haiti.  I purchased the book  “The Whole World Will Love Me,” and brought it along on our trip.  One night in Haiti when I went back to my room to read a little before bed, I had a palpable feeling that St. Therese was with me.  I can only explain it as the feeling that you have when you have just been reunited with a childhood friend.  I spontaneously said “You are with me aren’t you?”  and something inside me just knew it was true.  I was thrilled and honored to be visited by such an amazing woman and spent the rest of the trip filled with joy and peace.  

When I got back home that year my devotion to St. Therese increased dramatically.  On my next visit to the monastery I picked up a little booklet of quotes from her.  There is a simple quote for each day of the year.   Whenever I am anxious I always “bring St. Therese with me.”  I imagine her holding my hand and joining me on all of life’s adventures.  With her by my side I know I will have strength on my own “little way.”

I am still offering free third class relics of Saint Therese to anyone who wants one . Just e-mail me your snail mail to dobrodoc1 (at) gmail (dot) com.  These are a small piece of cloth that I touch to a first class relic and attach to a prayer card.