St Thérèse of Lisieux - A Personal Change

31 July 2009

As we look forward to the visit of Thérèse of Lisieux’s relics in September, cliftondiocese.com brings you a fascinating reflection by Salisbury parishioner Gavin Haslehurst.

I visited Lisieux back in 2005 with my friend, and soon to be Godfather, Tom. He was preparing for his imminent priesthood by visiting various pilgrimage sites around north west France, and I had "come along for the ride" so to speak, hoping to enjoy a bit of a holiday whilst Tom visited lots of churches and monasteries.

Little did I know how profoundly affected I would be by one particular visit.

Before the holiday, I had been exploring the Catholic faith, more out of curiosity than anything else - wanting to know more about what made Tom tick. And, I suppose, I had a deeper yearning for "something else" to fill a spiritual hole since falling away from faith after university.

I had been joining Tom at Mass most days during our time in France, but I had a closed heart and a sceptical mind, and was wary about being converted in some way. But something was different about the Mass in the Carmelite monastery. I was immediately struck by an immense sense of peace, and a feeling of God's love for me. A gentle voice seemed to be encouraging me to let go of my hard heart and to see the true beauty of the Mass with open eyes.

This was the first time that I felt what can only be described as an electric shock through my soul as the priest blessed the host and spoke the well-known words: "This is my body which will be given up for you."

After Mass, we walked around the small museum dedicated to St Thérèse of Lisieux, the Carmel's most famous resident. As I read the displays and as Tom explained her story to me, I became more fascinated by this nun who had suffered so much and died so young. I was particularly struck by her ‘Little Way’ ministry, and I began to realise that even I could express my love for God - not by elaborate gestures - but by showing love in my everyday actions.

The more I saw and heard of this Thérèse, the more I wanted to learn, so Tom bought me a copy of ‘Story of a Soul’ - St Therese's autobiography. Throughout the rest of the holiday she continued to inspire me trough her writings, and I devoured the book in my remaining days in France.

A few months later I joined the local RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation of Adults) group and the following Easter I was received into the Catholic Church. I can honestly say that my experiences in Lisieux and the ministry of St Thérèse were some of the most important factors leading me to the Catholic Church, and my faith as it stands today.

Gavin Haslehurst

This article was first published in Thérèse of Lisieux magazine.

The relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux come to our diocese in September.