As Saint Therese lay dying in the Carmel of Lisieux, she overheard a conversation that amused her. Outside her window, two nuns were discussing what they could write in her obituary that could possibly be of any interest, since the twenty-four-year-old nun had never done anything worth noting. Therese was pleased, for she had always kept a low profile. With the posthumous publication of her spiritual autobiography in 1898, however, that low profile would vanish instantly. She became one of the most beloved saints of all time, and her influence will expand dramatically because of Pope John Paul II's declaration that she is a Doctor of the Church. Amid growing interest in her writings comes the collected correspondence between her and a humble young seminarian, Maurice Belliere. Though they never met in person, they exchanged twenty-one letters that opened a window on the heart of Saint Therese that would have remained forever closed had Maurice not written to the Mother Superior at the convent asking for a nun to pray for him. The Mother Superior chose Therese, and in these conversational letters the Little Flower reveals herself in a way that we would never have known from her autobiography. In his accompanying text, Bishop Patrick Ahern expertly leads the reader into the worlds of Maurice and Therese and reveals the full beauty of this saint's spirituality.

“Thérèse has been such a presence in my adult life—it is as if I have known her personally; she is as real and alive to me as my lifelong friends... I’ve identified three gifts that Thérèse has given me, which I would like to offer in this book to everyone seeking to find more meaning in their faith and their journey to find God.” --Patrick Ahern Transformation in our lives happens when we live with the confidence that "God is nothing but mercy and love.” In this inspiring book, beloved author Patrick Ahern looks at the teachings of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, through the lens of his own personal experiences in which this "saint for our times" played such an important role for more than seventy years. With honesty and humility, he delves into the transformational love that infused her faith, led her to be named one of only four female Doctors of the Catholic Church, and gave Ahern’s own journey direction and meaning. Ahern focuses on what he calls the three gifts of Thérèse: her universal appeal, her conviction, and her little way. Echoing Therese’s recognition that bureaucracy, penances, rules and commandments miss the message of love that she knew to be true, he says, "She convinced me that someone as ordinary as I could aspire to the love of God, which filled her heart to overflowing." He hopes the same for his readers.

LETTERS TO HER SPIRITUAL BROTHERS COLLECTS THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN ST. THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX AND MISSIONARIES FR. ADOLPHE ROULLAND AND FR. MAURICE BELLIÈRE.The letters cover the practical and spiritual aspects of religious, clerical, and missionary life in the 19th century, and offer a unique glimpse into the soul of one of the most beloved saints in recent history.In addition to the letters themselves, this edition includes an overview of the lives of Frs. Roulland and Bellière, and additional documents relevant to their correspondence with St. Thérèse. In order to assist the reader in better understanding the context and circumstances surrounding the letters, substantive footnotes have been incorporated throughout. Although more than a century has passed since they were written, these letters confront perennial themes familiar to Christians of every generation. Every Catholic, whether clerical, religious, or lay, will discover immense spiritual benefits in this unique collection. 152 pages. Softcover. Photographs.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights a hallmark of truly Christian prayer - bold confidence, fearless trust. This books explores this boundless trust through the lens of the life of St Therese of Lisieux and expounds it with her spiritual teaching. She can be a patron of this confidence in our prayer. She can be the champion of this holy daring in every area of our Christian discipleship. 'Your book has deepened my appreciation of Therese even though for most of my life I have been reading her, and reading and thinking about her and growing in love for her. I thank you for writing it.' Bishop Patrick V. Ahern 'A wonderful work! The author's attractive and scholarly writing distils for us the pure essence of Therese's filial daring. In its account of how she was on terms of holy familiarity with God this book is joyous, impressive, luminous.' Alan Bancroft translator of St Therese's poetry John Udris is Cathedral Dean of Our Lady and St Thomas, Northampton. He has a Licence in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical University of St Thomas, Rome, where he focused his studies on St Therese.

Despite their importance, the poems of St. Thérèse of Lisieux are among the least known of her writings, previously available only in highly edited selections. Here for the first time in English is the complete collection of Thérèse's poetry, faithfully translated from the French critical edition by Donald Kinney, O.C.D. Also included are a preface by Jean Guitton, a general introduction to Thérèse's spiritual and poetic development, 6 photos, and individual introductions to each of the poems, indicating its background and significance. The volume closes with the French text of the poems and a fully linked index to their major themes and images. Together with the ICS Publications editions of Thérèse of Lisieux's Story of a Soul, Last Conversations, Letters, Plays, and Prayers, this is an indispensible work for all those who love the life and spiritual message of "the greatest saint of modern times."

This book provides a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge of comets. It presents a fascinating survey of the study of comets throughout history, from antiquity to the present day, and includes the most recent discoveries on the exceptional comets Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake. The authors discuss the role of comets in the formation of our Solar System and describe the links between comets, asteroids and the recently discovered Kuiper-belt objects. The book also includes new insights into the composition and nature of cometary nuclei, with results from the most up-to-date observation techniques. Written in a clear and lively style, and beautifully illustrated, this book will appeal to anyone interested in comets and astronomy, professionals and amateurs alike. It will be of particular interest to students and researchers in astronomy, astrophysics and planetary science, as well as general readers with a good background in physics.

"The Contributions of Artists Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard, Maurice Denis, and Ker Xavier Roussel to the French avant-garde of the 1890s, as members of the Nabis, are widely recognized. What is less known about these artists' careers is their extraordinary work in decorative painting - work on a large or unusual scale for private interiors. This illustrated book focuses on the many decorative works carried out by the four artists between 1890 and 1930. During these years, they moved beyond the narrow parameters of easel painting and applied their wholly untraditional aesthetic of decoration to a wide range of works for domestic interiors, from wall-size ensembles to folding screens. The cosmopolitan group of patrons who made this work possible ranged from the avant-garde circle of La Revue Blanche to prominent members of the French establishment. An examination of their role and tastes is another fascinating feature of this publication." "The book and accompanying exhibition reunite paintings that have long been dispersed, introducing contemporary viewers to a group of bold and evocative works, which had a wide-ranging, though little-recognized, influence on modern art. As the book's authors argue, the aesthetic embodied by these works indeed helped set the stage for the large, non-narrative paintings by artists as diverse as Rothko and Lichtenstein that came to dominate the avant-garde after World War II."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Following up on the popularity of the groundbreaking anthology Embodied Spirits: Stories of Spiritual Directors of Color, this book continues the work of filling a void in the world of contemplative spirituality in stories of the contemplative spiritual journeys of people of color. Like the first book, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around incorporates stories from members of their encounters with ‘othering’ and disparaging treatment across issues and their understandings of contemplative practice and the call to action that follows. This volume seeks to give voice to these issues from those whom have lived with them and to seek peace and healing for the unresolved trauma that continues to separate us. In a world or resurgent racism and bias against those whose skin color, nationality, religion, gender, or sexuality are seen as “other,” these are voices that need to be heard.

St. Therese prayed for priests out of love for them and for the souls they touch. We can share with Therese in this work of prayer, praying a special Novena for priests, including excerpts of her correspondence with missionary priests.

We had to do it. We had to reprint this book. Rarely has a book had such an impact on so many of us here at Ignatius Press. It is one of the most powerful and moving books we have come across. If you can only buy one book this season, this must be the one. Here is the astonishing true story of the harrowing experiences of a young German seminarian drafted into Hitler's dreaded SS at the onset of World War II. Without betraying his Christian ideals, against all odds, and in the face of Evil, Gereon Goldmann was able to complete his priestly training, be ordained, and secretly minister to German Catholic soldiers and innocent civilian victims caught up in the horrors of war. How it all came to pass will astound you. Father Goldmann tells of his own incredible experiences of the trials of war, his many escapes from almost certain death, and the diabolical persecution that he and his fellow Catholic soldiers encountered on account of their faith. What emerges is an extraordinary witness to the workings of Divine Providence and the undying power of love, prayer, faith, and sacrifice. Illustrated