Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway

In July 1895: Therese has offered herself to Merciful Love on June 9.  She is now working as assistant to the portress and as a "remunerated painter," painting small objects for the community to sell.  in her scant free time, she is writing the first manuscript of her memoir.

In Carmel, the nuns, and, outside, the Guerin family were preparing for the entrance of Therese's cousin, Marie Guerin, who was to be called Sister Marie of the Eucharist.  Three years older than Therese, she had sensed a religious vocation since her first communion.  It was only on the day Therese received the veil, September 24, 1890, that her vocation to Carmel was confirmed.  Her parents, Isidore and Celine Guerin, loved the youngest of their two daughters very much.  Jeanne, their only other child, had married and moved to Caen, and they found the sacrifice of Marie very hard.

The Guerins were settled at their summer estate, La Musse, near Evreux, and were entertaining houseguests.  They knew it would be their last visit there with Marie.  On July 10, 1895, Madame Guerin wrote to her husband's oldest niece, Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart (Marie Martin):

  For me, what increases my sorrow considerably is seeing my husband sad and suffering. He is however very admirable in his submission! But men are not made to suffer! Women can bear suffering for much longer. . . .

         But if you know a mother’s heart, you will see that in addition to her sorrow, she suffers more for her child than for herself; she trembles as the great day approaches. Poor little child, being raised to such a great grace!

          Dear Marie, do ask that I be given the gift of prayer so that God might make us saints and, if he is ready to accept my dear little one to be his Spouse, that she might become a little saint, and become more perfect every day. Well, my dear Marie, in a word, may Jesus pray in us.

     Read the full text of Madame Guerin's letter to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, July 10, 1895, on the Web site of the Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux.  Stay tuned for another momentous event in the Martin-Guerin family circle before Marie's entrance.