Narnette Redrendo September 20, 2023 News

The STEFTI family, together with the entire Catholic Church, will be celebrating the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux on October 1.  She is the patron saint of our school and for the past 22 years since its establishment as an educational institution, St. Therese has always been our model of childlike innocence and in many ways, we emulate her confident trust and unconditional love towards Jesus Christ.

Let us once again, reconnect with our dear patroness, St. Therese as we share to you interesting facts about her.

What kind of a child was she?

Little Therese was blond, blue-eyed, affectionate, stubborn, and alarmingly precocious. She could throw a giant-sized tantrum. Her bubbling laughter could make a gargoyle smile. She flies into frightful tantrums; when things don’t go just right and according to her way of thinking, she rolls on the floor in desperation like one without any hope.
 

Just like any of us, right? But no, she was much more.

She grew up surrounded with the love of her devoted parents.  As a family they always prayed, attended the liturgy, and did practical good works.  These are the reasons of her fervent love of Jesus – she always desired to please Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

How was St. Therese as a student?

Classes bored her. She worked hard, and loved catechism, history and science, but had trouble with spelling and mathematics. She was not interested in ordinary games and dances of other children. She was at ease only with her sisters, most specially Pauline, and very few others.

Pretty much like some of us, right? But, no.  She was much more.

She was very intelligent that the nuns accelerated her level from the group of eight-year-olds to classes for fourteen-year-olds.

Where was St Therese at 15? In Junior High?

  Therese was not yet fifteen when she approached the Carmelite authorities again for permission to enter the convent. Again, she was refused because of her age. The priest-director told her to see the bishop as he was only a delegate.  Just before the interview, Therese had put up her hair, thinking this would make her look older. Still, the bishop did not grant her request. Then, together with her father, she decided to see the Pope himself.
 
‘Most Holy Father, I have a great favor to ask you! Holy Father, permit me to enter Carmel at the age of fifteen.’

Now, no way could we have her tenacity to push for what she desired.  She was a lot more.

With tearful goodbyes, she left her family and became a nun at fifteen and three months old. From her father’s ailing condition until his death, she began to understand and share with the sufferings of Christ. Therese spent the last nine years of her life at the Lisieux Carmel. She lived a simple life in the monastery working in the sacristy, cleaning the dining room, painting pictures, composing short plays, writing poems and living an intense community prayer life.


What’s with Her Little Way?

Therese was aware of her littleness. “It is impossible for me to grow up, so I must bear with myself such as I am with all my imperfections. But I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short and totally new.”

Like all little girls in stature, she was small.  But she was a lot more.

Here are some fun-facts that tell of her experiences in the monastery and how she dealt with each in her own little way:


One day, she was washing handkerchiefs with a group of sisters. One of them splashed hot, dirty water into her face, not once, not twice, but continually. Remember the terrible temper that Therese had? She was about to throw one of her best tantrums, but said nothing! Christ helped her to accept this lack of consideration on the part of her fellow Sister, and  she found a certain peace
After doing her chores, she saw a very old nun who still did her usual tasks despite her age. Therese tried to help her along the corridors. “You move too fast,” the old nun complained. Therese slowed down. “Well, come on,” Sister urged. “You are so little. You have let go of me or I will fall.” Then the old Sister said: “I was right when I said you were too young to help me.” Therese took the insult rather good-naturedly and managed to smile. This was her “little way.”
Another nun made strange, clacking noises in chapel. The old nun was probably either toying with her rosary or had trouble with her ill-fitting dentures. The clacking sound really annoyed Therese. It ground into her brain. Terrible-tempered Therese was pouring sweat in frustration. She tried to shut her ears, but was unsuccessful. Then, as an example of her ‘little ways’, she made a concert out of the clacking and offered it as a prayer to Jesus. “I assure you,” she said, “that was no prayer of Quiet.”
Therese often fell asleep frequently at prayer. She was embarrassed by having a difficulty to remain awake during her hours in chapel with the religious community. Finally, in perhaps her most charming and accurate characterization of the “little way,” she noted that, just as parents love their children as much while asleep as awake, so God loved her even though she often slept during the time for prayers.

There you have your somewhat close encounter with our patroness, St. Therese of Lisieux. May she live in our hearts and strengthen our character as we grow in the love of Jesus.

Dear St. Therese, with your child-like ways, help us to draw Jesus closer to our hearts by doing small things with great love. Amen.

References:

https://www.littleflower.org/st-therese/who-is-st-therese/
https://mycatholic.life/books/lessons-saint-therese-wisdom-gods-little-flower/

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