St. Thérèse of Lisieux studied French composition at the Benedictine abbey boarding school, Notre Dame du Pré. On 18 February 1886 she wrote "The Little Savoyard," a story that combines a tale of French mountain culture and childlike trust.
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Quote of the day, 6 February: Brother Lawrence
Brother Lawrence comforts a sick nun, saying: "God indeed knows what we need, and everything he does is for our good." Brother Lawrence urges us to recognize and accept God's loving action.
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Quote of the day, 5 February: Jessica Powers
"I am the light of the world," says the Lord. Jessica Powers writes, "I know love, not a vise. I see aright, set free in morning on this ledge of light." Join the poet as she sings of God, who is like "a thousand acres."
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Advent III — Splendor of Carmel
Well known Carmelite poet Jessica Powers explains how the image of Our Lady as a “ little light cloud rising / From Orient waters cleft by prophecy” inspires this prayer: “Cloud, encompass God and me.”
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Advent II — Justice with integrity
In the Mass for the Second Sunday of Advent, we hear the prophet Isaiah speak of justice meted out with integrity. St John of the Cross asks, “what will your all-powerful justice do with the righteous and the sinner?”
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Advent I — Let us go up
In "The Spiritual Canticle," St John of the Cross writes, “let us go forth to behold ourselves in your beauty to the mountain and to the hill,” which is to “knowledge in the divine Word, who in his height is signified here by the mountain.” Here we share excerpts from the Saint's powerful commentary.
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Quote of the day, 24 November: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity explained to Canon Angles, “I live in thanksgiving.” What a blessed ideal to adopt today and everyday. Read this excerpt from her letter and discover the secret to her attitude of gratitude.
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Quote of the day, 17 November: St. Raphael Kalinowski
On 17 November 1991, St. John Paul II presided at the Rite of Canonization for Raphael Kalinowski. A 7-year-old boy from Wadowice who was struck by a car and suffered massive brain trauma, experienced an astonishing miracle of healing. We have his story.
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Quote of the day, 15 November: Jessica Powers
“The soul is a terrible thing; it cannot die,” writes Carmelite poet Jessica Powers. Her masterful meditation on the soul’s “two destinies” is worth pondering as we commemorate All Carmelite Souls.
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 9: Our Lady, full of light
The day before she died, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity foresaw her death: “It is our Lady, full of light,” she said, “who will take me by the hand to lead me into heaven.” Thank you for joining our novena!
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 8: My mission
Elizabeth summed up her heavenly calling thus: “My mission will be to draw souls into interior recollection, by helping them to go out from themselves.”
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 7: The Eucharist, heaven on earth
In her song of praise to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, Elizabeth exclaims that it is “God in us and we in him.” For Elizabeth, the Eucharist is “heaven on earth.”
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 6: Martha and Mary
A good Teresian Carmelite, St. Elizabeth has her own concept of how “Martha and Mary” blend together: while we are in action, “the soul can remain buried in its contemplation.”
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 5: The secret of peace and happiness
“I believe that the secret of peace and happiness is to forget oneself,” St. Elizabeth says. St. Paul explains: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed… persecuted, but not forsaken.”
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 4: O blessed death in God!
St. Elizabeth quotes St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died,” before she exclaims: “O blessed death in God!”
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 3: A praise of glory is…
St. Elizabeth defines her title, “Praise of Glory” as “a soul that gazes on God;” she also uses terms like reflector, bottomless abyss, and crystal. St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians provides the original context.
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 2: I have found my heaven on earth
“I have found my heaven on earth,” Elizabeth explains, “because Heaven is God, and God is in my soul.” St. Paul explains that Christ, who descended to earth, ascended “far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.”
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St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Novena 2022, Day 1: He dwells in me
“He dwells in me—and I in Him,” Elizabeth writes to a priest. “I have only to love Him and let myself be loved.” St. Paul prays that we may we strengthened in our inner being as we are “being rooted and grounded in love.”
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