Story Of A Soul

Translated from the critical edition by John Clarke, OCD, 3rd ed. (1997). Includes Bibliography, general Index, and 11 photos. Two and a half years before her death in 1897 at the age of 24, as Thérèse Martin began writing down her childhood memories at the request of her blood sisters in the Lisieux Carmel, few could have guessed the eventual outcome. Yet this "story of my soul," first published in 1898 in a highly edited version, quickly became a modern spiritual classic, read by millions and translated into dozens of languages around the world. Decades later, in response to growing requests from scholars and devotees of the Saint, a facsimile edition of the manuscripts appeared, along with more popular French editions of what the Saint had actually written. Here, expressed with all of Thérèse's original spontaneity and fervor, we rediscover the great themes of her spirituality: confidence and love, the "little way," abandonment to God's merciful love, and her "mission" in the church and world today. Father John Clarke's acclaimed translation, first published in 1975 and now accepted as the standard throughout the English-speaking world, is a faithful and unaffected rendering of Thérèse's own words, from the original manuscripts. This new edition, prepared for the centenary of the Saint's death, includes a select bibliography of recent works in English on Thérèse, along with a new referencing system now widely used in studies of her doctrine.

The Story of a Soul conveys St. Thérèse of Lisieux's "Little Way" of spiritual childhood - her "elevator" to Heaven, as she called it. This method was approved by Pope Pius XI as a way for all to grow in holiness through unfailing confidence and childlike delight in God's merciful love. Again and again in this book, St. Thérèse shows us how her "Little Way" of love and trust comes straight from Sacred Scripture. This book belongs in every Catholic home, for Pope St Pius X stated St. Thérèse of Lisieux the "greatest Saint of modern times". This is the original TAN edition now with updated typesetting, fresh new cover, new size and quality binding, and the same trusted content.

Few spiritual figures have touched as many readers in the past century as Saint Therese of Lisieux, the saint popularly known as the Little Flower. Though she was only twenty-four years old when she died, her writings have had tremendous impact, making her one of the most popular spiritual writers in the twentieth century. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, has been a source of priceless inspiration ever since it was written, and has become the great spiritual bestseller of our time. A hundred years after her death in 1897, millions of copies have spread throughout the world and it has been translated into more than fifty languages. The reason for the continued success of her autobiography is, quite simply, that it is unlike any work of devotion and spiritual insight ever written. Once it is read, it cannot be forgotten. Its appeal across cultures and generations has been extensive, moving both peasants and popes, men and women, young and old—people of every kind of intelligence and education succumb to its spell. Yet is not a conventional work of religious devotion; instead, it is in many ways a supernatural book. In the words of Pope Pius XI, Saint Therese "attained the knowledge of supernatural things in such abundant measure that she was able to point out the sure way of salvation to others," and it is especially in The Story of a Soul that she has pointed out this sure way to the generations that have followed her. As Therese herself said of this book just prior to her death, "What I have written will do a lot of good. It will make the kindness of God better known."

This is an autobiographical work by one of the most popular saints of the 19th century, St. Therese of Lisieux, who died in her mid-20s as a result of various maladies but impressed everyone with the power of her faith.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897) spent the final months of her short life in the infirmary of the Carmel of Lisieux, France. Those who attended her—including three of her older sisters by birth—were living in the company of one of God's saints, one prepared for our times. This volume, St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations, serves as a sequel to St. Thérèse's autobiography, Story of a Soul. It contains the intimate words of her final conversations with her three sisters during the last months of her life, especially those three critical months in the Carmel infirmary from July to September 1897. Fortunately for us, her words were written down without the awareness that eventually a great multitude of friends of St. Thérèse would hunger for her spiritual teaching. 150 years after this great saint and Doctor of the Church was born into the world, the publication of this revised edition enables us to live in her company and enjoy her holy conversations and counsels. When we read her words with faith, her presence is at our side. She speaks to us directly, sharing her human experience: her joys, her sufferings, her love for God, and especially her trust in him amid her painful ordeal. This revised edition of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations reflects the extensive 1992 French critical edition of Derniers Entretiens in two volumes. That very complete and scholarly production has been edited here into its essential elements: The entire text of St. Thérèse's words collected by the three main witnesses, Mother Agnes (Pauline), Sister Geneviève (Céline), and Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart (Marie); - The testimony of other witnesses when this does not repeat that of the three main witnesses; - Additional words of St. Thérèse as quoted in letters written during her last three months; - Fully linked comprehensive indexes of key names, topics, and biblical references.

When her sister is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Lena strikes a gruesome deal with the Norse gods to bring her back and finds herself in the middle of an impending doomsday—all while discovering dangerous secrets about her sister’s identity.

Dorothy Day’s unpretentious account of the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux sheds light on the depth of Day’s Catholic spirituality and illustrates why Thérèse’s simplicity and humility are so vital for today. Whether you are called to the active life like Day or a more hidden existence like Thérèse, you will discover that these paths have much in common and can lead you to a love that has the power to transform you in ways that are unexpected and consequential. Now back in print, this short biography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux by Dorothy Day expresses the surprising yet profound connection between Day—the founder of the Catholic Worker movement who was praised by Pope Francis for her passion for justice and dedication to her faith—and the beloved saint best known for her Little Way. When Day first read St. Thérèse’s autobiography, The Story of a Soul in 1928, she called it “pious pap.” At the time, Day—a social activist who had been living a bohemian lifestyle—had only recently been baptized a Catholic. Some twenty-five years later, Day’s perspective on Thérèse had so completely changed that she was inspired to write this biography. She did not find it an easy task: “Every time I sit down to write that book on the Little Flower I am blocked. . . . I am faced with the humiliating fact that I can write only about myself, a damning fact.” But she persisted, and despite numerous rejections eventually found a publisher for it in 1960. She wrote in the Preface: “In these days of fear and trembling of what man has wrought on earth in destructiveness and hate, Thérèse is the saint we need.” Written originally for nonbelievers or those unaware of Thérèse, the book reflects how Day came to appreciate Thérèse’s Little Way, not as an abstract concept, but as a spirituality that she had already been living. The Catholic Worker, which she cofounded with Peter Maurin, was dedicated to feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless. Day’s life, like Thérèse’s, was filled with all the humble, self-effacing jobs that were a part of this work. She found in Thérèse a kindred spirit, one who saw these simple hidden tasks as the way to heaven. “We want to grow in love but do not know how. Love is a science, a knowledge, and we lack it,” Day wrote. Just as Day had a conversion of heart about the Little Way, you, too, can be changed by Thérèse’s simple, yet profound spirituality.