Compiled of two sections dedicated to her sisters and one to the prioress of the Carmel, Thérèse delves into the story of her life. Not long after I received a gift of her autobiography Story of a Soul. That is the beginning of how I discovered this beautiful Saint.

I resolved to learn what I could from her. A quiet resolve burned in her eyes and I could tell she was truly a woman who lived close to the Lord. She looked determined, holding bunches of roses (my favorite flower). He told me to pray to her and listen to the gentle whispering of what this great saint brings to my heart.Īs I left Confession, I saw a wall hanging of St. A Saint? Close to me? I didn’t think I was worthy of such patronage. I feel that she is so close to you, it’s like she is standing right behind you”. Father continued, “God is making her present in my mind very strongly. I vaguely remembered something about roses and Carmelites, but that was it. I could only respond with a helpless, “I don’t know.' I can state facts about a lot of different saints, but I never felt deeply connected to anyone in particular.

He caught me off guard by asking, “Who is your favorite saint?” Who am I? Who is this woman that God shaped and molded as part of His creation? I felt like this quiet girl from a small town in Michigan needed to be setting the world on fire in order to get approval from God and feel some kind of satisfaction from life.Įyes filled with love, my Priest looked at me and said, “Only God knows who you are and what He plans for you.' Suddenly his expression changed.

I brought this feeling and many other struggles to Confession with me one Saturday, thinking that the only way to be satisfied with what the Lord is currently doing in my life is to lay everything before Him, feel His grace and love, and receive some sound advice.Īs I poured my heart out to my priest, these words slipped out of my mouth: “I just feel like I don’t know who I am.” Shocked, I realized that was the truth. I felt broken in my life and my relationships, and that if I couldn’t do something “world changing” then I wasn’t living out my Christian duty the right way.

Saint therese story of a soul