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On Sunday, September 29, 2024, in Brussels, Pope Francis beatified Venerable Anne of Jesus (1545-1621), a Spanish companion of St. Teresa of Avila who bravely defended Teresa's legacy and the constitution of the Order and who established the Carmelite Reform in France and in Belgium.  In 1896, she appeared to St. Therese in a consoling dream which Therese recounts in her memoir, Story of a Soul. 

An Interpretation of St. Therese's Dream

 In The Hidden Face, Ida Gorres interprets this dream.  She pairs it with Therese's earlier dream in which Mother Genevieve of St. Teresa, who founded the Lisieux Carmel, said to Therese three times:  "To you, I leave my heart."   Gorres writes:  "Therese had the consolation of knowing herself to be in accord with the great tradition of the Order, with its founders and with the deceased nun who had established the Lisieux Carmel."  Gorres then recounts the dream in which Mother Anne of Jesus appeared to Therese, and writes:  "Between these two dreams lay Therese's life in the convent: nine years of complete obedience with deep commitment and simple fidelity to the ideal of the Order as represented by its saints." 

The Hidden Face, by Ida Friederike Gorres (New York, New York: Pantheon, 1959, pp.  236-237.

A Short Video and an Article about St. Therese's Dream and about Mother Anne's life:

• For a brief and lively account of the dream and of Anne's life and  extraordinary gifts, please see Jennifer Sokol's story "Miraculous Vision: How St. Therese's Dream Pointed to Blessed  Anne's Beatification" in the Natioinal Catholic Register, September 29, 2024.

Pope Francis's homily at the Mass of Beatification

• For the remarks of Pope Francis about Blessed Anne of Jesus, see the last three paragraphs of his homily at the Mass during which he beatified Mother Anne of Jesus, who founded several monasteries of Discalced Carmelite nuns in Belgium and died in Brussels in 1621

 A  documentary in French by KTO-TV about Blessed Anne of Jesus:

The article "Blessed Zelie and Louis Martin: Companions on Our Journey," by Maureen O'Riordan, appears in Spanish as "Beatos Celia Guerin y Luis Martin: Compañeros en nuestro Viaje" to celebrate the second feast of the blessed parents of St. Therese of the Child Jesus of the Holy Face.  This article was first published to celebrate their beatication in 2008.  Special thanks to Teolindo Garcia for translating it into Spanish. 

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux: their lives and beatification from Maureen O'Riordan on Vimeo.

The first liturgical feast of Blessed Zelie and Louis Martin, the parents of St. Therese, will be celebrated on Sunday, July 12, the anniversary of their marriage in 1858. The Shrine at Lisieux has announced a two-day celebration of liturgy, prayer, and festivities.Cardinal Tettamanzi, Archbishop of Milan, will preside at a Pontifical Mass in the Basilica of St. Therese, where Louis and Zelie were beatified on October 19, 2009. See the schedule of liturgies and festivities.

In honor of the first feast of the Martin spouses, I am happy to present the photo show "Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux: Their lives and beatification" above. Please celebrate the feast by joining us in this virtual pilgrimage to the places Louis and Zelie made holy by living with such faith, hope, and love. View the historic exhibit "Story of a Family" mounted at Lisieux in honor of the beatification, with furniture, possessions, documents, and photos belonging to the Martin family. See photos of Pietro Schiliro, the Italian child healed at the intercession of Zelie and Louis, and photos of his family. View the images of the beatification ceremony and of the reliquary. Come as a pilgrim of the heart to honor the faithful servants of God, and ask for the grace to imitate them.

June 8, 2009 - The first liturgical feast of Blessed Zelie and Louis Martin, the parents of St. Therese, will be celebrated on Sunday, July 12, 2009, the anniversary of their marriage in 1858.  The Shrine at Lisieux has announced a two-day celebration of liturgy, prayer, and  festivities.  Cardinal Tettamanzi, Archbishop of Milan, will preside at a Pontifical Mass in the Basilica of St. Therese, where Louis and Zelie were beatified on October 19, 2009.  See a complete schedule of the liturgies and festivities for the first feast of Louis and Zelie Martin at Lisieux on July 12, 2009.