I'm sure St. Therese has touched your life - and those you love. She has been a great surprise and gift in my life. I must admit that when I was young, I honestly thought she was too fragile, spoiled and fluffy. I avoided her, even though she was one of our Carmelite stars! But as I matured and went through some dark times of faith, she began to speak to me - and re-awakened my faith.
I've been so impressed by the devotion of her many friends. It has touched my heart. We always want to share her spirituality. Many Popes have declared her "the greatest Saint of modem times." And we know how deeply our beloved Pope Francis is devoted to her, as a great model to live the Gospel.
The Society of the Little Flower always wants to help her friends. I am trying to do this with a St. Therese Necklace and Novena Prayer Booklet on the Spirituality of St. Therese. Necklaces connect and embrace our head and heart - and point to our center, where God dwells.
St. Therese can be so engaging and insightful! God speaks and reveals in her.
St. Therese lived a real life and presents a very practical and attainable spiritual journey. She wants us to know and accept that God loves and embraces us, from deep within.
She is still speaking today.
May this St. Therese Necklace and Novena Booklet embrace your soul and help lead you to your center. Just as her faith and acceptance of God's love defined her. She was expanded by God's presence to world-wide expectations of touching the ends of the earth. I pray she continues to do the same for you and me.
Please help the Carmelites continue her mission of doing good on earth - and showering God's people with the message of God's mercy and love in very concrete ways. Your offerings help our growing number of Carmelite seminarians through the world to serve the Church as faithful men of the Gospel. You also support the ministries of the Carmelites to the poor, alienated and less fortunate in over 50 countries throughout the world. We need your help to go to the ends of earth, as St. Therese desired. I ask you to be as generous as she was, and is!
You can help make a difference in people's lives.
I hope this St. Therese Necklace and these Novena Prayers on her simple and profound way help you to absorb her spirit - and pray more about the real issues of our human lives and well as make us one with God's children throughout the world. They really are her embracing and whispering in us.
Fr. Bob Colaresi, O. Carm.
Director