#savesouls — Public Fediverse posts

Quote of the day, 9 February: St. Thérèse

It was December 25, 1886, that I received the grace of leaving my childhood, in a word, the grace of my complete conversion. We had come back from Midnight Mass where I had the happiness of receiving the strong and powerful God.

Upon arriving at Les Buissonnets, I used to love to take my shoes from the chimney corner and examine the presents in them; this old custom had given us so much joy in our youth that Céline wanted to continue treating me as a baby since I was the youngest in the family. Papa had always loved to see my happiness and listen to my cries of delight as I drew each surprise from the magic shoes, and my dear king’s gaiety increased my own happiness very much.

However, Jesus desired to show me that I was to give up the defects of my childhood and so He withdrew its innocent pleasures. He permitted Papa, tired out after the Midnight Mass, to experience annoyance when seeing my shoes at the fireplace, and that he speak those words which pierced my heart: “Well, fortunately, this will be the last year!”

I was going upstairs, at the time, to remove my hat, and Céline, knowing how sensitive I was and seeing the tears already glistening in my eyes, wanted to cry too, for she loved me very much and understood my grief.

She said, “Oh, Thérèse, don’t go downstairs; it would cause you too much grief to look at your slippers right now!”

But Thérèse was no longer the same; Jesus had changed her heart!

Forcing back my tears, I descended the stairs rapidly; controlling the poundings of my heart, I took my slippers and placed them in front of Papa, and withdrew all the objects joyfully. I had the happy appearance of a queen.

Having regained his own cheerfulness, Papa was laughing; Céline believed it was all a dream! Fortunately, it was a sweet reality; Thérèse had discovered once again the strength of soul which she had lost at the age of four and a half, and she was to preserve it forever!

On that night of light began the third period of my life, the most beautiful and the most filled with graces from heaven. The work I had been unable to do in ten years was done by Jesus in one instant, contenting himself with my good will which was never lacking.

I could say to Him like His apostles: “Master, I fished all night and caught nothing” [Lk 5:5]. More merciful to me than He was to His disciples, Jesus took the net Himself, cast it, and drew it in filled with fish. He made me a fisher of souls.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Manuscript A, folio 45 r°–v°

Note: St. Thérèse mentions “the strength of soul which she had lost at the age of four and a half.” Saint Zélie Martin died when St. Thérèse was aged four and a half. “After she had a hemorrhage, it was at the very beginning of Tuesday, August 28, 1877, at exactly thirty minutes after midnight, after a very short agony, that Madame Martin died gently.” Our thanks to expert Maureen O’Riordan for providing these details of St. Zélie’s precious death.

Thérèse & Foley, M 2005, Story of a Soul: The autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Study edn, translated from the French by Clarke, J, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Photo 3 in the series of photographs of St. Thérèse was taken by Monsieur Poupet in February 1886, when Thérèse was 13 years old. Her Christmas conversion occurred several months later, on the night of December 25, 1886. This photograph was donated to the Carmel of Lisieux in 1917 by the family of Mr. Poupet, a photographer from Alençon. The photograph had been retouched by Céline in gouache and pencil but was later returned to its original state by professional restorers. Image credit: © Archives, Carmel of Lisieux via Discalced Carmelites (All rights reserved)

#CélineMartin #charity #Christmas #conversion #saveSouls #sinners #soul #StThérèseOfLisieux #StZélieMartin #StLouisMartin #tears

Quote of the day, 1 February: Madame Acarie

In 1590, during a morning mass at Saint Gervais Church, Madame Acarie fell into ecstasy for several hours. As the phenomenon recurred frequently thereafter, she feared that it might be the work of a demon. Doctors prescribed bloodlettings that left her exhausted.

She met Benet Canfield during the summer of 1592. This Englishman, who had converted to Catholicism and become a Capuchin friar, was an eminent expert on Rhineland mysticism: “He removed her doubts and showed her that everything that happened within her was from God and the effects of grace.”

Until her death, she experienced ecstasies during which she felt as though she were “dying softly.” From 1593 onward, she suffered the torments of Christ’s Passion each week, yet without any visible wounds.

Father Coton writes on the subject: “She bore the stigmata on her body in such a way that at certain times—especially on Fridays, Saturdays, and Lenten days—she felt extreme pains in her feet, hands, side, and head, as if they had been pierced and she had been suspended.”

Madame Acarie was now continually united with Christ, carrying in her prayer a genuine passion for the salvation of sinners. Moreover, she experienced complete trust in God’s Providence, which guided her in everything she did. Her total surrender to God gave her the courage to face difficulties that might otherwise have seemed insurmountable.

Indeed, she entered the most trying period of her life: “A soul can never do well unless it throws itself, without reservation, into the arms of divine Providence, because then God seems bound by His promise to assist it.”

Olivier Rousseau, o.c.d.

Carmelite Online Retreat: Advent 2020, Week 3
“Mystic and Woman of Action: Faith in the Impossible”

Note: Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, better known in France as Madame Acarie, was born in Paris on 1 February 1566.

Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: The Madonna and Child appearing to Blessed Mary of the Incarnation is an oil on canvas painting attributed to Pierre Delestres, ca. 1750. It is part of the collection of artworks at the Discalced Carmelite monastery of Pontoise that depicts Madame Acarie.

#BlessedMaryOfTheIncarnation #DivineProvidence #ecstasy #JesusChrist #MadameAcarie #passion #saveSouls #stigmata #surrender #union

O My God! Most Blessed Trinity, I desire to Love you and make you Loved, to work for the glory of Holy Church by saving souls on earth and liberating those suffering in purgatory. I desire to accomplish your will perfectly and to reach the degree of glory you have prepared for me in your kingdom. I desire, in a word, to be a Saint, but I feel my helplessness and I beg you, O my God! to be yourself my Sanctity!

Saint Therese of Lisieux

Prayer 6, Act of Oblation to Merciful Love (excerpt)

Note: We recall the realization of St. Thérèse’s desires on 17 May 1925 when she was canonized by Pope Pius XI in St. Peter’s Basilica. You can view photos of the canonization celebrations in Lisieux and Rome on the website of the Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux.

Thérèse, Gaucher, G & Kane, A 1997. The Prayers of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux: The Act of Oblation, ICS Publications, Washington, DC.

Featured image: This glorious image from Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome was captured by photographer Edgar Chaparro. Image credit: Edgar Chaparro / Unsplash (Stock photo)

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/05/16/tej-17may25/

#anniversary #canonization #church #desire #freedom #glory #God #greatSaints #helplessness #love #purgatory #sanctity #saveSouls #StThérèseOfLisieux

Consider the words of our Carmelite saints, for that is what we have come here to do. We have come to Carmel to save the whole world not just some souls… we have come to Carmel in order to take the world in our arms and lift it up with all our strength so that it can glimpse God in all his goodness.

Recall our founding father, Elijah! Did he spiritually stir up Palestine or did he sluggishly seek only his own peace and quiet? When God spoke to him at prayer, telling him of the distress of the people of Israel and the sins of their royal rulers, he listened attentively and went off immediately, despite the personal consequences.

He trudged across the country, proclaiming truth to those who needed to hear it. He sometimes sparked bitter opposition. He risked his life, but did not waver. He offered his time, his life, his very self, without calculating the cost.

The same was true of Saint John of the Cross and Father Anthony [Fray Antonio de Jesús de Heredia].

Recall the little cradle of our Reform. That humble little house exhibited extraordinary poverty. The friars enjoyed no comforts. Their chapel was a loft whose roof tiles let snow in on them during the winter. Nonetheless, they spent long periods there in prayer.

Then, each morning they went out to the neighboring villages to proclaim God’s goodness. Thus, at the very beginning of our Reform, we discover two hearts aflame with a desire to tell others the secret of Christ’s love. In this way, they renewed our apostolic traditions in accordance with their ancient origins.

Now, let us turn our attention to our spiritual mother, Saint Teresa of Avila. You are familiar with her passionate writings concerning Protestants, Calvinism, and heresy in France. Recall how urgently she wanted to come to the aid of those souls who were being lost.

Likewise, consider Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. She was seized by a powerful urge to go off on the foreign missions. The missionary magazines which she read made her heart beat with intense emotion. She came to realize, however, that as a Carmelite, her apostolic engagement would be both deeper and wider, since it would be reduced to essentials. At the outset of her religious life, she straightforwardly said: “I have come here to save souls” [Ms A 69r].

How, then, shall we accomplish the work of salvation that awaits us?

We must carry out our duty of saving the world and do it first of all by loving and adopting sinners. I deliberately say “love them” and “adopt them.” In all honesty, nothing is more distressful to me than to hear about people who do not practice their religion. However, I also hear about professedly charitable men, women, and even religious, who speak shamefully of those who identify themselves as Socialists or Communists.

Yet we are ultimately to blame that these people have left the church. It is not their fault; it is ours. We are the culprits; as priests and nuns, we have failed in our mission. We have been unable to make Christ known to them. All who had this responsibility have failed, especially the so-called “elite” with their money, prestige, and social position. We are all responsible for those who have abandoned their religion.

Servant of God Jacques de Jésus (Lucien Bunel)

Conference 13, The Apostolate (excerpt)
Saturday evening 11 September 1943

Jacques, P 2005, Listen to the silence: A retreat with Père Jacques, translated from the French and edited by Murphy F, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: The Constitutions of the Discalced Carmelite friars refer to the prophetic ministry that Père Jacques mentions (cf. C-002). Bishop Silvio José Báez, o.c.d. is one friar who has responded to the challenge issued by Père Jacques: “He sometimes sparked bitter opposition. He risked his life, but did not waver. He offered his time, his life, his very self, without calculating the cost.” Image credit: Bishop Báez Facebook page (used by permission)

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/04/05/jacques-savesouls/

#BishopSilvioJoséBáez #DiscalcedCarmelite #Elijah #FrayAntonioDeJesús #friars #ministry #PèreJacquesDeJésus #prophetic #salvation #saveSouls #StJohnOfTheCross #StTeresaOfAvila #StThérèseOfLisieux