Posted on 09/30/2004 7:39:46 AM PDT by OriginalChristian
29 SEP 04 Feast of St. Jerome, Priest, Doctor of the Church
Tomorrow (01 OCT 04) is the feast day of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Its no accident that on this day the official release of the movie 'Therese - The Story of Saint Therese of Lisieux' takes place. Luke Films, the film's producer has done a supposedly exquisite job in telling the story of Therese for all to experience.
My family and I will be seeing this movie tomorrow. I hope you will join us. Much can be learned from St. Therese's life.
The theaters presenting 'Therese' are listed on the official web site home page http://www.theresemovie.com/ by clicking the 'Now Showing' link near the bottom and scrolling within the dialogue that appears afterward.
Citation from Catholic Encyclopedia http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/17721a.htm
St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Sister Teresa of the Child Jesus)
Carmelite of Lisieux, better known as the Little Flower of Jesus, born at Alençon, France, 2 January, 1873; died at Lisieux 30 September, 1897.
She was the ninth child of saintly parents, Louis and Zélie Martin, both of whom had wished to consecrate their lives to God in the cloister. The vocation denied them was given to their children, five of whom became religious, one to the Visitation Order and four in the Carmelite Convent of Lisieux. Brought up in an atmosphere of faith where every virtue and aspiration were carefully nurtured and developed, her vocation manifested itself when she was still only a child. Educated by the Benedictines, when she was fifteen she applied for permission to enter the Carmelite Convent, and being refused by the superior, went to Rome with her father, as eager to give her to God as she was to give herself, to seek the consent of the Holy Father, Leo XIII, then celebrating his jubilee. He preferred to leave the decision in the hands of the superior, who finally consented and on 9 April, 1888, at the unusual age of fifteen, Thérèse Martin entered the convent of Lisieux where two of her sisters had preceded her.
The account of the eleven years of her religious life, marked by signal graces and constant growth in holiness, is given by Soeur Thérèse in her autobiography, written in obedience to her superior and published two years after her death. In 1901 it was translated into English, and in 1912 another translation, the first complete edition of the life of the Servant of God, containing the autobiography, "Letters and Spiritual Counsels", was published. Its success was immediate and it has passed into many editions, spreading far and wide the devotion to this "little" saint of simplicity, and abandonment in God's service, of the perfect accomplishment of small duties.
The fame of her sanctity and the many miracles performed through her intercession caused the introduction of her cause of canonization only seventeen years after her death, 10 Jun, 1914.
[Editor's Note: After the publication of this article, St. Thérèse was canonized and later declared a Doctor of the Church.]
May the Peace of Christ be with you always...
My wife and I went to see this movie about a year ago at a nearby arthouse. I think it was filmed in Philadelphia -I'm not sure if it was in its final version. To be honest, I'd been up the night before working with my son on finishing his basement and I fell asleep. All I can say is that it's a very quiet movie. My wife, however, says it's terrific and we're going to see it again. My wife's a graduate of Little Flower High School and has a special devotion to St. Therese.
Will it be TRUE to St. Theresa ? or a washed down story of this holy young lady >>. Watch and see. Remember your history of her? Well we know if Gibson had written it there would be a unforgettable movie..and lead all to love st. Theresa and pray for her help daily...St. Theresa, I wonder what she thinks?
If it ever comes to my city, I'll be there. Otherwise I'll buy the DVD. I'm sure it will be a modern classic, along with "The Passion."
Doesn't sound like that exciting of a film, to be honest.
Ms. Martin, the future St. Therese, was a young lady living a quiet life in a cloister. I don't think it will hold the interest of many filmgoers.
I would think a film on St. James the Moor Slayer or a film about Lepanto or the siege of Vienna would be inspiring Catholic topics more likely to relate to today's audiences and at least give the appearance of being more relevant to the public today.
My wife says it is.
Please don't take my falling asleep as a sign that the movie is boring. I have a history of falling asleep whenever I'm tired - I slept through the first Star Wars movie. I even slept through an REO Speedwagon concert that my wife insisted I chaperone our daughters to. (The kids still laugh about that one).
And if you think there were cries of bigotry for "The Passion", just wait'll they make a movie about a Moor Slayer.
The company that is presenting it is totally Catholic. It will be true!
Many Saints lives were not interesting. This is a film about the development of spirituality in a young girl and how that spirituality was transmitted to others through her. Its about the work of the Holy Spirit among us.
If we focus too much on the interesting things of this world we will not be able to hear and respond to the calling of the Holy Spirit.
I personally hope to learn a great deal from the film. I wish you all the best.
Peace -
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