This years annual Triduum of Thanksgiving in Honour of St Therese of the Child Jesus was a wonderful celebration, with a great turnout of St Therese devotees.  St Therese is a very popular saint who seems to disarm even the hardest of hearts with her 'little way' of spiritual childhood.

The Triduum as always comprised of 2 daily sessions, at 10am & 7.30pm, begining on the 28th of Sept & finishing on the 1st of October, the feastday of St Therese, with mass and the blessing of the roses.

Fr Michael Miners OCDS, who is based in the Carmelite house in Avila, Donnybrook, was the preacher for the entire triduum.  It was an especially important time for him as as celebrated his 37th year as a member of the Catholic Church on the 30th of September.  He spoke about his own personal testimony of conversion and how St Therese helped him in his spiritual journey.  He gave a lovely talk to the children from the parish primary schools.  He spoke about the family of St Therese and how they were a wonderful example of great holiness.  He spoke also about how being holy does not prevent you form suffering.  The family of St Therese did suffer greatly from the loss of their mother, the illness & mental deterioration of the father.  Their example of how to suffer well is something we can all learn from, to put our suffering in relation to the suffering of Christ.  St Therese herself says in a letter of reassurance to a friend:

'Yes, darling of my heart, Jesus is there with His Cross! Privileged one of His love, He wills to make you like Him!  Why be frightened at not being able to carry this Cross without weakening?  Jesus on the road to Calvary fell three times, and you, poor little child, you would not be like your Spouse, you would not be willing to fall a hundred times if necessary to prove your love for Him, rising with greater strength than before your fall!'

The heavens opened on the feastday itself, as if St Therese were showering down on us a shower of blessings in thanksgiving for coming to celebrate her feastday together.  The church was beautiful as always during the triduum.  The Shrine of St Therese was surrounded by a garland of flowers, and 2 candle stands were alight with candles everyday.

Prayer to St Therese

St Therese of the Child Jesus

and of the Holy Face:

Teach us to follow your way

of confidence and trust.

Help us to realise that

a Father’s love watches over us

each day of our lives.

Obtain for us the light to see,

in sorrow as in joy,

in trials as in peace,

the loving hand of our Father.

Give us your own faith and trust,

so that we may walk in darkness,

as in the light, holding fast

to the way of love,

knowing as you did,

that everything is a grace.

Amen.