St Thérèse in Lancaster 2009

St Thérèse: the tour is complete

2009-10-17T14:29:00.000+01:00

After a month travelling England and Wales, the relics of St Thérèse leave Westminster Cathedral. This was the scene on Thursday afternoon as the tour came to an end.

At the departure Mass was celebrated in the Cathedral. Something close to 100,000 had visited the reliquary in Westminster; among them - according to reports - was former Prime Minister Tony Blair. The tour has been extraordinary, and has united people from all walks of life: politicians and prisoners, the old and young, healthy and sick, people of different faiths.

Among the last to venerate the relics was Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster. Here he is seen with the reliquary just before its departure.

A shower of rose petals fell inside the Cathedral as the relics were carried out. Official figures estimate that 285,000 people had seen the relics around the country.

There were petals outside, too, as the reliquary made its way into the Cathedral Piazza just off Victoria Street. Large screens in the Piazza had been showing live images from inside the Cathedral during the visit - a facility no doubt greatly appreciated by the many who had to queue outside.

Here the Archbishop follows the reliquary outside; Westminster's auxiliary bishops (among them Bishop Bernard Longley, who will soon take over as Archbishop of Birmingham) line the route, with Papal Knights visible on the other side.

With that, the hearse was loaded for one last time as a great crowd in the Piazza looked on. A few weeks ago it would have been hard to predict the extraordinary events of the last month. The many pictures we have seen have told one, very public, story; alongside this there are countless thousands of individual stories which will be being told for many years to come.

Yesterday the relics arrived back in Lisieux; here they are seen in the crypt of the town's Basilica. Adrian Forsey, the funeral director who had overseen their transportation during the UK tour, is seen wearing the red tie.

Finally, in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at the side of the Basilica, the relics rest before the altar. Mass was celebrated by Monsignor Keith Barltrop, who had the unenviable task of overseeing the entire visit. His work, and the work of his team, has certainly paid off.

St Thérèse in prison

2009-10-13T10:56:00.005+01:00

Yesterday the relics made one of their best-publicised stops: a visit to Wormwood Scrubs prison in West London. The visit to this prison has attracted a fair amount of attention in the national media, but Thérèse is no stranger to such institutions; it has often been the case that her relics, when on tour, visit one or more prisons.

The Archbishop of Westminster also visited the prison, celebrating Mass with a large group of prisoners. The relics are now at his Cathedral, where he will preside over some of the major liturgies over the next couple of days.

St Thérèse prayed for the conversion of criminals, most famously in the case of the murderer Pranzini, and so it seems very fitting that her relics called at Wormwood Scrubs. Many of the prisoners paused to venerate the relics before they moved on. It's worth taking a look at the full set of pictures from the prison, which can be found here.

A cardinal, a prison and the tour finale

2009-10-12T09:36:00.003+01:00

There were extraordinary scenes in Kensington last night as the relics of St Thérèse arrived at the Carmelite Church there. A huge crowd had gathered outside the church, so that - as you can see - it was difficult for the reliquary to be brought in.

From the entrance to the church you can see the large number of people outside. There is little space for people to congregate, and many queued down Kensington Church Street, waiting to get into the church.

Among those who venerated the relics was Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Emeritus Archbishop of Westminster, now resident in nearby Chiswick. Some of the auxiliary bishops of Westminster Diocese were also present. Today the relics call into Wormwood Scrubs, the only prison on the tour. It is an appropriate stop, given Thérèse's desire to call people to conversion. After that comes the tour finale: a three-day visit to Westminster Cathedral. Tens of thousands are expected at this final tour venue, which should provide a fitting climax to a wonderful month. The relics arrive at the Cathedral at 7pm today, and remain there until 4:30pm on Thursday. Further coverage of the Westminster visit, plus more images of St Thérèse in Lancaster, are available on the Lancaster Cathedral blog, here. You can also continue to follow the tour on the national blog, at www.catholicrelics.wordpress.com.

Gerrards Cross and Aylesford

2009-10-10T09:33:00.004+01:00

The end of the tour draws ever closer, yet there are certain to be great things to come. Above, the relics at St Joseph's, Gerrards Cross, a Carmelite church in the Diocese of Northampton. Bishop Peter Doyle led the celebrations here, and - as you can see - once again many children were involved.

Today the relics spend a full day at the Friars, Aylesford, where many people gathered outdoors at their arrival. This Carmelite priory attracts a great many visitors each year, but this week it will be very much busier than usual. Some pilgrims are travelling there from the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, which is not hosting the relics. There are just a couple of stops left: the Carmelite Church in Kensington tomorrow, and then the tour finale at Westminster Cathedral, Monday-Thursday. Keep up-to-date at www.catholicrelics.co.uk.

From Walsingham to Oxford

2009-10-09T14:40:00.002+01:00

On Wednesday the relics left Walsingham and travelled to Oxford; here they are seen being carried away from the shrine of Our Lady, passing the famous 'Slipper Chapel'.

Around 6200 people visited the relics in Oxford, during the overnight stay at the Oratory. During the visit there was a Mass celebrated in the extraordinary form. Across the different venues there have been all types of celebration and a huge variety of expressions of faith. It seems that the relics have been a great unifying force within the Church. Since Oxford there has been an overnight stop at Gerrard's Cross (Northampton Diocese), St Thérèse now moves on to Aylesford Priory, a Carmelite establishment near Maidstone (Archdiocese of Southwark). The tour is nearing its final days. You can read more, and find links to many more pictures, on the national blog at www.catholicrelics.wordpress.com.

To Walsingham and beyond

2009-10-07T11:05:00.004+01:00

After Nottingham, the reliquary arrived yesterday afternoon in the tiny village of Little Walsingham in north Norfolk. Here the car makes its way through the narrow streets. Great crowds have been gathering here, as at other venues. Despite its size this village is no stranger to large numbers of visitors, nor indeed to pilgrims: Walsingham is the national shrine of Our Lady, and welcomes a great many pilgrims each year.

Today is the feast of our Lady of the Rosary, so it seems appropriate that the tour pauses at this shrine of Our Lady today. There is little rest, however, and the relics move on shortly: the next stop is Oxford, where the Oratory will be the host. More pictures and insights into the tour can be found at www.catholicrelics.wordpress.com.

The Little Flower in Nottingham

2009-10-06T14:32:00.002+01:00

Nottingham Cathedral hosted the relics overnight, and with a mere 17-hour stop it is not surprising that the building wasn't large enough. In fact, it seems that up to 1500 people stood outside during the Mass yesterday evening, and a great many more have visited the relics in the city. The tour is nearing its final stages - this time next week the relics will be at Westminster Cathedral, their final stop. Today the reliquary arrives at the national shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham, before going to Oxford Oratory tomorrow. More, as always, on the official tour blog at www.catholicrelics.co.uk.

St Thérèse in Leeds

2009-10-05T10:00:00.004+01:00

Escorted by police outriders, the relics of St Thérèse arrived in Leeds on Saturday afternoon. Not only was the Cathedral full, but a huge crowd gathered outside to see the arrival. As with the previous weekend visits (to Birmingham and Salford Cathedrals) the organisers in Leeds had to prepare for enormous numbers of pilgrims.

Here Rt Rev. Arthur Roche, Bishop of Leeds, incenses the relics. Bishop Roche is one of the patrons of the relics' visit to England and Wales.

How's this for a queue? People wait in turn, forming a great line which stretches from the Cathedral at least as far back as Leeds Town Hall. The Cathedral was closed Saturday night and reopened on Sunday at 6am; seemingly the first people were waiting by 5am. The phenomenal success of this visit continues. The relics will leave Leeds very shortly, and make their way to Nottingham Cathedral, where they are due to arrive this afternoon. More pictures and information about the visit can be found on the national blog, at www.catholicrelics.wordpress.com.

From Middlesbrough to Leeds

2009-10-03T16:57:00.002+01:00

Here Rt Rev. Terence Drainey, Bishop of Middlesbrough, sees the relics depart his diocese. They had been on a 22-hour visit to his Cathedral Church, during which significant crowds turned out. The relics have now arrived at Leeds Cathedral where they will spend the weekend. You can find more at www.catholicrelics.wordpress.com.

Since she left us...

2009-10-02T19:57:00.006+01:00

It's less than three days since the relics left Lancaster, but much has happened in that short time. While the main Lancaster Cathedral blog is posting lots of pictures of the visit to our Cathedral, on this blog we catch up with the continuing tour. The image above comes from Newcastle, where great crowds turned up to see the relics at St Andrew's church.

Then, on Thursday, there was a brief visit to Darlington Carmel, one of several Carmelite monasteries on the tour.

There was a military salute as the relics arrived in Darlington...

... and soldiers were recruited to carry the reliquary. It seems that a lot of ceremony was crammed into the short visit; appropriate enough, especially given that Thursday was the feast of St Thérèse.

Later that day the relics arrived at York Minster, the only non-Catholic church on the itinerary. This ecumenical gesture has attracted quite a lot of interest, especially in the secular media.

Once again large crowds turned out, and an all-night vigil was held. Earlier today the relics arrived at Middlesbrough Cathedral, under police escort, where they remain before travelling to Leeds Cathedral tomorrow. We'll try to keep you posted, but don't forget that there is much more on the official website for the visit, at www.catholicrelics.co.uk.

Changing Channels

2009-09-27T21:41:00.000+01:00

For continuing coverage of the St Thérèse visit, it's time to switch over... the Lancaster Cathedral blog will provide full coverage of the relics' visit, with pictures and reports posted as regularly as proves possible. You can find the blog here. Please pray that the visit is a time of grace for everyone involved and for the whole Diocese of Lancaster.

St Thérèse in Salford

2009-09-27T12:05:00.003+01:00

As with the earlier venues, St Thérèse has attracted enormous crowds during her visit to Salford Cathedral. Within 24 hours from now the first pilgrims will be arriving here in Lancaster, ahead of the arrival of the relics at 4pm tomorrow. Before that, our new cloister garden of St Thérèse opens this afternoon; there is Vespers at 4:40pm, at the end of which we will have a procession to the garden, which will be blessed by the Cathedral Dean, Canon Stephen Shield. You are most welcome to come along.

Bishop Campbell's message for the visit

2009-09-26T07:13:00.000+01:00

Bishop Campbell has offered this message as the visit of the relics of St Thérèse to Lancaster approaches. The Bishop says that he is confident that the visit of the relics will be an occasion of grace for all of us; he also invites those who are unable to come to the Cathedral to unite in prayer during these days of pilgrimage. Click on the image to play the video.

Making the headlines

2009-09-25T19:42:00.003+01:00

The day has brought a wave of media enquiries about the visit of St Thérèse to Lancaster, along with the delivery of the final display materials and prayer cards which will be distributed during the visit. Tomorrow some of the display materials will be put up in the Cathedral, and large numbers of extra chairs will be put out to provide additional seating for the expected crowds. Among the many media outlets reporting the visit, the Lancaster Guardian placed the visit on the front page; it is also the lead story on their website. You can read the article here.

Meanwhile, enormous crowds turned out in Liverpool to venerate the relics at the Metropolitan Cathedral. Seemingly several hundred people had to stand outside during Mass last night (and the Cathedral seats 2000!) and there was a constant stream of people all day. This afternoon the relics moved to Salford Cathedral, where they remain until Sunday. Keep up with their progress at www.catholicrelics.wordpress.com.

St Thérèse arrives in the North West

2009-09-24T18:47:00.002+01:00

A few hours ago the relics of St Thérèse arrived in Liverpool, where they begin a six-day tour of the North West of England. For us in Lancaster, it reminds us how soon she will be with us; her relics come here on Monday. The local TV news, on both the BBC and ITV, have been reporting the start of the North West part of the national tour. Today in Lancaster we have also taken a number of media enquiries and have made the front page of the Lancaster Guardian.

Huge crowds were present as the relics arrived in Liverpool - 2000 greeted them with spontaneous applause. The Metropolitan Cathedral was full to capacity, and is likely to remain busy until the relics move on tomorrow. Many more practical preparations have been taking place today, with time now against us as Monday approaches. The pictures in this post are from the national tour blog, which can be found at www.catholicrelics.wordpress.com.

St Thérèse in Wales

2009-09-22T18:29:00.003+01:00

Today the relics have travelled to Cardiff, their only public venue in Wales during the month-long tour. Once again, it seems that great crowds have turned out. Today in Lancaster we have been preparing more of the Cathedral site, including the final stages of work on our St Thérèse garden, which opens on Sunday. Stewards have been briefed about our special schools programme, and there have been some media enquiries to deal with. More booklets have come off the printer, and badges have been made for stewards. Two people on a tour of the Cathedral this morning were at Birmingham when St Thérèse was there over the weekend, and came in after the lunchtime Mass to share their experiences and give us a few tips! On Sunday we also met a couple who had visited the relics in Taunton. If you're planning to come to Lancaster when the relics are with us, we now have some new practical information about the visit on our website: click here for our 'practicalities' page, which includes information about transport and parking as well as other advice, such as suggestions about things you may need to bring. The image in this post is from www.catholicrelics.co.uk, which is following the tour at each stop.

The tour continues

2009-09-21T18:38:00.002+01:00

The relics of St Thérèse have spent the day in Coleshill near Birmingham, where one of the main events has been a celebration for priests. St Thérèse had a great commitment to praying for priests, and this fact, along with the current 'Year for Priests', makes it especially appropriate that prayer for priests be a part of the tour of her relics. Meanwhile, here in Lancaster much progress has been made during the day, with the transformation of the Cathedral site now underway. The platform upon which the relics will stand has now been completed, and we have finalised the plans for a DVD of the visit to Lancaster, which will be available around the end of October. There is still much to do but things seem to be on track. Just a week to go! If you'd like to follow the tour of the relics in more detail, don't forget to visit the special blog which has been set up to cover the national tour. You can find it here.

Novena: prayer for the lapsed and the missions

2009-09-20T06:36:00.000+01:00

This stained glass image of St Thérèse comes from the windows of the church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea in St Annes. It reminds us of Thérèse's desire to be a missionary and her role as patron of the missions. It was always her desire to draw people to Christ, so in this final week of the novena we pray for the spread of the Gospel at home and abroad.

Intention for this week: the lapsed and the missions

In Carmel for the last nine years of her life, Thérèse never set foot outside of the monastery. Yet she greatly desired to be a missionary, and would like to have gone to Vietnam to promote the spread of the Gospel. Missionaries and the work of evangelisation became a special focus of her prayer, as she longed to draw people close to Christ. On this Home Mission Sunday, as we begin the final week before her relics visit our Diocese, we pray that Thérèse may help those who have fallen away from practising their faith. She once said that she wanted to be a missionary “until the end of time.” May her wish be fulfilled in our Diocese.

Intercession:
Let us pray for all who no longer practise their faith, and for the spread of the Gospel throughout the world – that by the intercession of St Thérèse people everywhere may hear and respond to the Gospel.

St Thérèse in Birmingham

2009-09-19T17:12:00.002+01:00

While stewards were being briefed here in Lancaster, the relics were arriving at their fourth venue: Birmingham. They will remain at the Cathedral Church of St Chad until Monday. It seems that the national tour is so far going extremely well, with large numbers of pilgrims turning up at each venue.

Steward Training

2009-09-19T17:05:00.004+01:00

No, they're not queuing to see the relics already - there are still nine days to go until St Thérèse arrives in Lancaster. The people here are all volunteers who came to the Cathedral this afternoon for a training session for the visit of the relics. A great crowd of stewards is needed, not to mention the people who will provide around the clock refreshments. It's a big operation!

After a session talking about some of the practicalities and plans for visit, the volunteers took a guided walk around the whole Cathedral site, to get a sense of how all the different spaces will be used. We are grateful to all who have volunteered to help. Some people were unable to attend the training session, but are still most welcome to help out during the visit. If you're interested in helping, please contact us and we can send you some information.

St Thérèse in Portsmouth

2009-09-17T20:29:00.003+01:00

Portsmouth Cathedral yesterday became the first English venue to host the relics of St Thérèse, with a 24-hour visit which began at 9:30 yesterday morning. Here the relics are seen arriving at the Cathedral. Early reports suggest that it was a wonderful event, with great crowds (some BBC reports suggest 15,000 people) visiting the relics during their time in the city.

This morning the relics left Portsmouth and made their way to Plymouth, where they arrived at 4pm for an overnight visit. Here in Lancaster we are keeping a close watch on what happens at the early venues on the tour, hoping to pick up a few tips and iron out any creases in our plans before the relics reach us in just 11 days' time. The phone here is red hot with enquiries, and Thérèse-related hits on the website have risen sharply in the last few days. All the signs are that interest is very high. Please pray that the visit will bring many graces to us all.

St Thérèse in England

2009-09-16T06:19:00.005+01:00

Safely through the tunnel, the relics of St Thérèse arrived in England yesterday afternoon, ready for their month-long tour. The first pictures of the relics in England were published yesterday by the official website for the visit, www.catholicrelics.co.uk.

The relics are now being taken by road to Portsmouth, where the Cathedral Cathedral is the first venue to host the relics on their national tour. From there the relics make their way up the western side of the country, visiting towns and cities including Plymouth, Taunton, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. They then arrive at Lancaster Cathedral on the afternoon of Monday 28th September, where they remain until the morning of Wednesday 30th. After that the tour makes its way down the east side of England, visiting (amongst others) Newcastle, Middlesbrough, York, Leeds, Walsingham, Nottingham, Oxford, Aylesford Priory in Kent, and London, where the tour finishes with a four-day visit to Westminster Cathedral. We hope to bring news of the tour's progress on this blog over the coming weeks.

Meet the team

2009-09-15T06:52:00.002+01:00

With the relics arriving in England this afternoon, we feature a little on the logisitics of the national tour. A certain amount of military precision is involved in planning a month-long event; handy, then, that the man who has to oversee the practicalities is a former army Major. David Baldwin, seen here, is the logistics manager for the national organising committee. He will travel with the relics for the entire visit, and has been involved with organising the event from the outset. Last September he visited Lancaster Cathedral with Mgr Keith Barltrop, who is in overall charge of the national tour.

This is the "Thérèse mobile", which will be used to carry the relics throughout the tour.

In previous tours the vehicle itself has become a bit of a star - a bit like the 'popemobile'! For the tour of England and Wales the 'Thérèse mobile' seems to be unmarked.

An Anglican funeral director, Adrian Forsey of Somerset, has taken on the responsibility of transporting the relics. He will drive the 'Thérèse mobile' and will oversee the lifting and carrying of the relics at each venue. In total a party of seven will accompany the relics around the country: Fr Keith, David and Adrian will be joined by a couple of representatives of the shrine at Lisieux, a media spokesperson and a religious whose role will be to speak about the tour and to promote vocations. The scene is set. The tour begins in Portsmouth tomorrow.

Relics and Pilgrimage

2009-09-14T08:44:00.002+01:00

Yesterday afternoon there were two talks in the Cathedral Social Centre, focussing on relics and pilgrimage. Caroline Hull, the Cathedral's events co-ordinator, talked about relics and pilgrimage in the Middle Ages; her talk looked at some of the aspects of pilgrimage which are relevant to the forthcoming visit of St Thérèse. Afterwards Fr Andrew talked about the history of the relics of St Thérèse, speaking about how she had died in obscurity but devotion to her quickly spread after her death. The talk charted how Lisieux had quickly become a place of pilgrimage and how, after 1997, the relics themselves began to draw crowds all over the world. There is a talk on Thérèse's life in the Cathedral 'day chapel' tomorrow evening at 7:30pm; this coming Saturday there is a training session for anyone who would like to help with the visit (2-5pm at the Cathedral). There is also a day of recollection at Kendal and a session on the Carmelite Way in Carlisle. Full details of all these events can be found here. Meanwhile, it's now just two days until the relics arrive in England and two weeks until they reach Lancaster.

Novena: prayer for those who doubt

2009-09-13T06:10:00.000+01:00

This image of St Thérèse was taken only a couple of months before her death. It is in facing death that each of us endures our greatest test of faith. In the Diocesan Novena this week we pray for all those who doubt or struggle to find faith in God.

Intention for this week: those who doubt/struggle with faith

For the final 18 months of her life, Thérèse endured great suffering as the result of illness. Alongside this there was a form of spiritual suffering, as she felt that heaven “was closed” to her. She never lost her faith, but found it impossible to feel God’s presence. This experience of darkness for Thérèse reminds us how great a gift it is to have a sense of God’s presence in our lives; it is an invitation to pray for those who have no faith or who struggle to believe. Jesus’ question in the Gospel is also meant for each of us: “Who do you say I am?” This week we pray for a deeper, stronger faith in Christ.

Intercession:
Let us pray for those who struggle to believe in Christ – that by the prayers of St Thérèse they may find certainty in the truth which God has revealed to us.

Thérèse's Solemn Profession

2009-09-08T06:43:00.002+01:00

There are 20 days to go until the relics of St Thérèse arrive in Lancaster, and just eight days until the tour of England and Wales begins. Today is the anniversary of the solemn profession of St Thérèse in Carmel, which took place in 1890. She was just 17 years old when she made this final commitment to spend her life in the monastery. The picture here, which shows Thérèse lying on the floor as a sign of her dependence to God and submission to His will, is taken from the book for children produced for the Lancaster visit.

Mother Agnes of Jesus

2009-09-07T09:26:00.002+01:00

On this day in 1861 Pauline Martin, Thérèse's older sister, was born. Thérèse always had a special attachment to Pauline, and when their mother died the young Thérèse said, "Pauline will be my mother now." In October 1882 Pauline entered the Carmelite monastery at Lisieux, and her departure from the family home came as a huge blow to Thérèse, who became very ill. Later, after Thérèse had enetered the same Carmel, Pauline was elected Prioress. In this role Pauline (who in religious life was known as 'Mother Agnes of Jesus') asked Thérèse to write an account of her early years. This instruction brought about one of the greatest and most popular spiritual texts ever written: the 'Story of a Soul', Thérèse's autobiography, which was published a year after her death. We have great cause to be greatful to Mother Agnes, therefore, as without her we may never have known anything of St Thérèse.

Novena: prayer for religious

2009-09-06T06:17:00.002+01:00

As the anniversary of Thérèse's solemn profession in Carmel approaches, this week in the Diocesan Novena we pray for all who serve God and the Church in religious life.

Intention for this week: those in religious life

On 8th September 1890 Thérèse – still just 17 years of age – made her final profession, committing the rest of her life to Carmel. For the remaining nine years of her time on earth she lived a life of prayer and service. Although she never left the confines of the monastery she served the world by her prayers. Throughout the world today there are countless religious women and men who devote their lives to prayer and service, living lives of poverty, chastity and obedience. In the words of St James, they are “poor according to the world but rich in faith.”

Intercession:
Let us pray for those who live the religious life – that by the intercession of St Thérèse they may be faithful to their calling.

St Thérèse: her story for children

2009-09-05T08:05:00.003+01:00

For the visit of St Thérèse, which is now just 23 days away, we have produced a book for children. It tells the story of Thérèse's life from the day of her birth right up to the travels of her relics around the world. Based on resources which we sent out to every school in the Diocese in June, the booklet has been beautifully illustrated by local artist Wendy Moore, with a text written for the Cathedral. Copies of the 20-page book will be available throughout the visit, as will a range of other books, devotional items and souvenirs. More information will be posted in due course.

St Thérèse events in September

2009-09-01T06:03:00.001+01:00

As the arrival of the relics approaches, here is an image of the reliquary during the visit to New Zealand in September/October 2005. It is now just 15 days before the tour of England and Wales begins; once it is underway we will follow its progress on this blog. Also in the coming month there will be regular updates on our behind the scenes preparations, plus useful practical information about the visit. For today, though, here is a brief look ahead to some events happening this month before the relics arrive. At the Cathedral Social Centre on 13th September there are two talks: one surveying the history of relics and another looking at the life and relics of St Thérèse herself. Then on the evening of 15th September, at the Cathedral 'day chapel', the life of the saint will be explored using images of her home town, Lisieux. On 19th September there is a training afternoon for anyone helping with the visit (stewarding etc), and also a day of recollection for the South Lakes Deanery, taking place at Brettargh Holt near Kendal. On the same day in Carlisle a day session called 'Glimpses of the Carmelite Way' will take place at St Bede's Church. Finally, the Cathedral's new St Thérèse cloister garden will be opened and blessed on Sunday 27th September (the day before the relics come to Lancaster) at the end of Vespers. If you're interested in any of these events, find more details on the diary page, here.

Novena: prayer for the conversion of sinners

2009-08-30T06:23:00.002+01:00

This image shows a confessional in the Cathedral Church of St Pierre in Lisieux, where Thérèse made her first confession. This week the Diocesan Novena prays for the grace of conversion for all who have turned from God.

Intention for this week: the conversion of sinners

In early September 1887 Thérèse read an account of the execution of a murderer by the name of Pranzini. She already knew of this man and had spent much time praying that he might repent of his crime before his death. He had shown no sign of remorse until – moments before his execution - he asked for a crucifix and kissed it. Thérèse took this as a sign that her prayers had been answered, and rejoiced that a soul had been saved. In today’s first reading at Mass we hear of the value of God’s Law, and in the Gospel reading Jesus criticises those whose hearts are far from God, even when they pay Him lip service. This week let us pray for the conversion of those who have turned from God, and ask that each of us may sincerely try to follow God’s will.

Intercession:
Let us pray for conversion - that all of us, especially those who are far from God, may return to Him with the help of the prayers of St Thérèse.

Novena: prayer for families

2009-08-23T06:25:00.000+01:00

This image of Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St Thérèse who were beatified in October 2008, is shown today as in the Diocesan Novena we begin a week of prayer for married couples and for the welfare of family life.

Intention for this week: marriage and family life

Thérèse was fortunate to be born into a loving family, but her happiness was short-lived. Her mother Zélie died on 29 August 1877 (132 years ago this week), when Thérèse was just four years old. The family home was a faith-filled environment, from which Thérèse and all four of her surviving sisters entered religious life. Her father, with whom she was very close, suffered with dementia at the end of his life, and this caused Thérèse and her sisters great pain. Last October Thérèse’s father and mother were beatified: now Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin are venerated as models of holiness in married life. As today we hear St Paul remind us that love is at the heart of both family life and the Church, let us pray that all families may grow in holiness and in love.

Intercession:
Let us pray for families – that by the prayers of St Thérèse and of her blessed parents, all homes may be places of holiness and love.

Novena: prayer for the Pope

2009-08-16T06:36:00.002+01:00

In November 2007 the relics of St Thérèse visited the Vatican and the Pope had opportunity to pray before them. This week in the Diocesan Novena we pray for the Pope and his intentions.

Intention for this week: the Pope and his intentions

On a pilgrimage to Rome in 1887 Thérèse had an opportunity to meet Pope Leo XIII. She had been told in advance that she should remain silent. Unable to stop herself, however, she made her request: she wanted to become a Carmelite at 15 and asked the Pope for his permission. “If it is God’s will, you will enter”, he replied. From the desire of this individual to the pressing concerns of the whole Church, the Pope is charged with the responsibility of leading the world to Christ. Pope Benedict’s intentions for this time include prayer for refugees and displaced peoples, and for Christians suffering persecution or discrimination; we pray for him and for his intentions, as Thérèse did during her time in Carmel.

Intercession:
Let us pray for Pope Benedict – that by the intercession of St Thérèse he may be sustained in his task of leading the Church.

All-night Youth Vigil

2009-08-12T07:21:00.002+01:00

The all-night youth vigil will take place on the night of Tuesday 29th September. Although it's designed specifically for young people, anyone is welcome to attend. The Diocesan Youth Service, which is organising this part of the visit, has recently sent publicity to every parish and has launched its own webpages for the event; you can find the site here. Meanwhile, all the religious houses in the Diocese have been contacted in preparation for the all-night vigil for clergy and religious (Monday 28th September; again, all welcome). More details will follow in due course.

Novena: prayer for young people

2009-08-09T06:32:00.002+01:00

Here Thérèse is seen at the age of 15; she has changed her hairstyle to make herself seem a little older in an attempt to win permission to enter Carmel at her young age. Prayer for young people is the theme of the Diocesan Novena this week.

Intention for this week: young people

With exam results due soon, we pray for young people. This week in 1921 Pope Benedict XV issued a decree on the ‘heroic virtues’ of St Thérèse and so made her a model for young people to follow. Thérèse was a headstrong child and from an early age was certain of the path which God had chosen for her. When she applied to enter Carmel at age 15, she was denied entry because she was too young, but Thérèse was not prepared to let her youthfulness stand in her way. After a determined struggle she obtained permission from her family, from the Prioress and from the local Bishop. Just 24 years old when she died, Thérèse became a natural patron for the youth. As we prepare for her visit we pray for young people, that – in the words of St Paul – they may imitate God and follow Christ.

Intercession:
Let us pray for young people, especially those who are awaiting exam results – that by the prayers of St Thérèse they may find and follow the path which God has chosen for them.

Patron of the skies

2009-08-05T07:18:00.001+01:00

It may seem unlikely, given that she died a few years before the first flight took place, but Thérèse is the patron saint of aviators and aircrew. Presumably she was chosen on account of her desire to travel the world as a missionary. Thérèse is also a patron saint of missionaries, of the World Youth Day, of those who have lost their parents, of those with HIV/AIDS or tubercolosis, of florists, of France, of Russia and of priests. It's quite a list, and is a sign of the widespread appeal which this wonderful saint has.

Novena: prayer for priests

2009-08-02T06:27:00.001+01:00

This mosaic in the Basilica at Lisieux is a reminder of Thérèse's desire to help priests in their life and work. Over the image of a priest the words read, "I will help the priests". Priests, and vocations to the priesthood, are the subject of the Diocesan Novena this week.

Intention for this week: priests and vocations to the priesthood

This coming Tuesday we will celebrate the feast of St John Vianney, the patron saint of priests throughout the world. It is 150 years since he died, and Pope Benedict has asked us to mark the anniversary by keeping a year of prayer for priests. During her life in Carmel St Thérèse dedicated herself to praying for two young missionary priests. In this way she supported their efforts to bring Christ to others. As we hear Jesus in the Gospel describe Himself as ‘the Bread of Life’, we thank God for the priesthood, by which the Eucharist is given to us.

Intercession:
Let us pray for priests and for vocations to the priesthood – that by the intercession of St Thérèse and St John Vianney the Church may always have holy and dedicated priests to serve God’s people.

Work on the Cathedral Cloister Garden

2009-07-30T19:18:00.003+01:00

Looking through the windows into the Cathedral cloister garden, it is now obvious that a major transformation is underway. Over the last few weeks Eric and John, who look after the Cathedral's grounds, have been working to prepare the ground for the garden.

The area presents many obstacles, but swift visible progress is now being made thanks to a lot of hard work. Once the ground is paved and decorated the rest of the work should be fairly simple. The garden will be open in time for the visit; the plan now is to have a procession to the garden and sing a litany of St Thérèse at the end of Vespers on Sunday 27th September, the day before the relics arrive at the Cathedral. If you can get to Lancaster on that day, please do come along; Vespers starts at 4:40pm.

From above, the cross-shape of the paving stones is clearly visible. It's starting to look as it was designed - if you can't remember the plan, take a look at an earlier post, here.

Novena: prayer for the sick

2009-07-26T07:21:00.002+01:00

Today the Diocesan Novena to St Thérèse begins; it will run for nine weeks in preparation for her visit. Each week there is an intention for prayer; a short paragraph relating the intention to Thérèse's life is given, as is an intercession. People are also encouraged to use the prayer for the visit to Lancaster over these weeks. The image here is from the church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in St Annes.

Intention for this week: Prayer for the Sick

Recently the annual Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes took place. The shrine has always been a place of prayer for the sick, and St Thérèse’s mother, Blessed Zélie Martin, made a pilgrimage there when she was diagnosed with cancer. Thérèse herself was just 24 when she died. For the last 18 months of her short life she suffered great illness, and on 30th July 1897 (112 years ago this week) she received the anointing of the sick. Today’s readings at Mass remind us that God provides for His people in their need; this week we pray that He will provide the sick with healing and with a constant sense of His presence.

Intercession:
Let us pray for all who suffer with illness – that the example and prayers of St Thérèse will help them to unite their suffering with the Lord’s cross.

Foreign Language Resources

2009-07-23T07:56:00.001+01:00

St Thérèse has travelled the world over the last few years and her writings have been translated into many languages. When her relics come to England and Wales later this year the visit is sure to attract many people whose first language is not English. The Diocese of Leeds has therefore produced a number of resources in Polish, Spanish and Tagalog. These resources can be downloaded on the special St Thérèse website set up by Leed's Vicariate for Evangelisation: you can find the parish resources page, which includes links to texts in other languages, here.

St Thérèse: an overview

2009-07-19T14:46:00.002+01:00

Around the world there are countless shrines to St Thérèse. It is no surprise that a huge number of churches in Normandy - where Thérèse lived most of her life - have statues and images of her. These candles, bearing the image of St Thérèse, were photographed at Rouen Cathedral. Alongside the devotion there is a need to learn more about Thérèse's life and message, so a number of resources for catechesis and prayer have been published over recent months. From today there is an overview of St Thérèse's life and contribution to the Church on this website. It includes the text of Divini Amoris Scientia, the document in which Pope John Paul II declared St Thérèse to be a Doctor of the Church. You can find this new resource in pdf format here.

St Thérèse: the Diocesan Novena

2009-07-15T11:13:00.000+01:00

Walk into any church in the Lancaster Diocese and you have a good chance of finding an image or statue of St Thérèse. This one, for example, is at St Joseph's Church in Wesham. From 26 July it is hoped that St Thérèse will become an even more prominent figure in the Diocese, as we ask her intercession duing a nine-week novena leading up to the visit. Each week there is an intention for prayer; a paragraph relating the intention to St Thérèse's life and message is given (this may be used on parish newsletters or in preaching) and an intercession for use at Mass is included. It is hoped that the novena will also be used at weekday Masses; this could be done by offering a daily prayer for the week's intention and also by using the prayer for the visit (see here) at the end of Mass. Details of the novena will be arriving through parish letterboxes before the weekend; the texts are now also posted online - in pdf format (here) and as a Microsoft Word document (here).

How to beat the crowds

2009-07-10T18:57:00.004+01:00

These photographs of the relics of St Thérèse in the Philippines give some idea of her capacity to draw the crowds. The extent of interest in the visit to Lancaster is just becoming apparent, and we can expect it to be very busy indeed. Earlier today a new page launched on the Thérèse section of the Cathedral website, designed to help group leaders choose a time for a visit. The visit has been split into short (mostly 3/4 hour) periods and each is marked in green (quiet), yellow (fairly busy) or red (very busy - avoid!). The page will be continually updated as the situation develops, but currently we are recommending against organising any further groups for the period of Tuesday (29th September) lunchtime. The arrival of the relics (Monday 28th at 4pm), the departure (Wednesday 30th at 11am) and the Monday and Tuesday evenings all have enough space for more groups. If you are planning to bring a group please contact us to discuss the best time. You can find the new webpage here.

An update on group visits

2009-07-06T18:44:00.002+01:00

It's three weeks since we last gave an update on visiting groups, and much has happened since. There has been an excellent response to our school visits programme, and enquiries are still coming in. Schools are invited to contact us if they would like to bring a group during the visit. A number of parishes have been in touch about the possibility of bringing a coach. The Thornton/Fleetwood deanery is now organising transport for anyone in the area - please sign up in your local parish if you would like to come with the deanery group. Nearly every part of the Diocese has now begun arranging coaches. If you're unsure what is going on in your area, ask your priest or click here for links to the area pages.

St Thérèse: the prayer for the Lancaster visit

2009-06-27T16:35:00.004+01:00

93 days ahead of the relics' arrival in Lancaster, today we publish for the first time the prayer which has been written for the Lancaster visit. It is addressed to the Lord rather than to Thérèse herself, but includes an invocation asking for her intercession. Please use the prayer and share it with others in the run-up to the visit. It will also be in frequent use while the relics are with us.

Lord Jesus,
We thank You for Your gift of
Saint Thérèse to our world.
May her courageous confidence
in Your loving providence and
her burning desire to make
You known and loved
be a constant inspiration to us
as we seek to follow in her
“Little Way” of total loving.
Amen.

Saint Thérèse, pray for us

Thérèse draws the crowds

2009-06-15T07:58:00.004+01:00

There are still 105 days until the relics of St Thérèse arrive in Lancaster, but already the signs are that there will be a lot of interest in the visit. We are now fairly regularly hearing from people looking to organise group visits, and coaches are now being advertised in many parts of the Diocese and beyond. If you are looking for a coach in your area, the first point of contact is your local parish. However, here are some of the groups we know of so far: in Preston, Fr Chris Loughran is organising a group from St Clare's parish (Tuesday 29th, leaving mid morning; tel: 01772 719604); in Blackpool, Fr Bob Horn is organising coaches on behalf of the whole deanery (see local parishes or call Fr Horn on 01253 391002); in West Cumbria a deanery visit is planned for Tuesday 29th (see local parishes for details); the parish of Our Lady, Star of the Sea in St Annes is organising several coaches (tel. Mgr Turner, 01253 723661); coaches are being arranged from Carlisle and Penrith (details should be appearing in parishes shortly); Saints Mary and Michael, Garstang, are hoping to bring coach(es) for an evening visit to include Compline (Monday 28th/Tuesday 29th - call Fr David Elder on 01995 602164); coaches are also being arranged from the Morecambe parishes (see parish notices or speak to your priest). There are also a number of coach parties planning to make the journey from Scotland, and several schools have already booked for our school visits programme. You can find more about local events and coaches coming from each area on our regularly updated local pages - the links are at the very foot of this page, or click here for a list of areas. Meanwhile, if you are organising a group or know of a coach party which is not listed, please contact us.

Coming soon to a school near you

2009-06-08T18:01:00.002+01:00

The centrepiece of a new pack for schools, this CD ROM is being sent out with other resources and information about the visit to every Catholic school in the Lancaster Diocese. Most of the Primary Schools will receive their packs at a meeting on Wednesday; other schools will receive them by post over the coming days. The packs are the work of Cathedral parishioners who work in education, and will hopefully provide a good basis from which to teach about the life and message of St Thérèse. Some of the resources are now available to download, and you can access them in the sidebar to the right in the section entitled 'Resources for Schools'. Also within this section you can find out about the exciting programme being arranged for schools making a visit to the relics on Tuesday 29th September.

Lancaster learns about Thérèse

2009-06-03T07:32:00.000+01:00

Last night the people of Lancaster came together for a session called 'Curious about Thérèse?' It's the first of two sessions under this title (the second is next Tuesday and all are welcome) and explored something about Thérèse's influences and motivations, looking at her earthly family and the spiritual family she joined: the Carmelite order. The Lancaster Cathedral Blog carries more pictures and a fuller report: take a look here.

Thérèse events in June

2009-06-01T06:49:00.002+01:00

If you're looking to learn a bit more about the life of St Thérèse, a few events taking place this month may be for you. At the Cathedral two talks take place under the title 'Curious about Thérèse?' - these are free of charge and take place in St Walburga's (the Cathedral 'day chapel', access from Balmoral Road) on Tuesday 2nd and Tuesday 9th at 7:30pm. At St Thomas More's, Lancaster, there is a session on the spirituality of St Thérèse taking place on Monday 8th, 7:30-9pm. Again, it's free and all are welcome. Canon Luiz Ruscillo will lead a day on the saint at the Ladyewell Shrine near Preston on Saturday 13th June. There is no charge but participants are asked to book; please call the Education Centre on 01524 841190 to reserve a place. A full list of Thérèse events taking place in and around the Diocese of Lancaster can be found here. If you know of an event that we haven't listed, please contact us.

The Desire for Religious Life

2009-05-29T06:47:00.003+01:00

This statue is found in the back garden of Les Buissonnets, the house at Lisieux where Thérèse and her family lived. It depicts Thérèse asking her father for permission to enter Carmel at the age of 15, and stands in the very garden where her request was made on this day in 1887. He agreed, though it must have been difficult parting with his daughter; two had already entered the Carmel and his wife had died eleven years earlier. During the visit of the relics of St Thérèse in September there will be information about vocations to the priesthood and religious life: it could be a great opportunity for those whom God is calling to this commitment.

St Thérèse for Schools

2009-05-22T15:38:00.002+01:00

When the relics of St Thérèse visit Lancaster Cathedral at the end of September a special programme will be laid on for visiting school groups. Resources are also being supplied to all the schools of the Lancaster Diocese in the run-up to the event; in this way it is hoped that all the schools of the Diocese, whether or not they are able to arrange a visit, will take part. We had hoped to supply resources to schools by the end of May, and a pack is in the final stages of preparation, but we now expect that information will reach schools early in June. In the pack schools will find resources for assemblies, for telling the story of St Thérèse and her message, items for display and ideas for how to mark the visit in schools. There will also be full details of an exciting programme for schools in which they can visit the relics and take part in workshops on the Cathedral site on Tuesday 29th September. We will post more details of the plans on this site when the information has gone out to schools. Watch this space!

The Canonisation of Thérèse

2009-05-17T07:16:00.002+01:00

On this day in 1925 Pope Pius XI pronounced, "We declare Blessed Thérèse of the Child Jesus to be a saint." The canonisation ceremony, at St Peter's Basilica in Rome, was perhaps the grandest ever seen. 34 cardinals, over 200 bishops and up to one million faithful attended. The Pope said, "We desire most earnestly that all the faithful should study her in order to copy her, becoming children themselves." Privately he spoke to the Archbishop of Philadelphia, referring to Thérèse by saying, "whom you call in America the Little Flower, but whom I call my guiding star."

The Healing of St Thérèse

2009-05-13T07:02:00.003+01:00

On this day in 1883, in this room on the first floor of the family house in Lisieux, the young Thérèse experienced a miraculous healing. She had fallen seriously ill after her sister Pauline had entered the Carmel, and her family greatly feared for her life. A novena of Masses was offered for her in Paris, and during the novena Thérèse's sisters gathered with her to pray. The sisters together faced a statue of Our Lady which was in the room. "All at once the statue became animated", Thérèse recalled. "Our Lady became so beautiful that I shall never find words to express that heavenly loveliness... but what penetrated to the depths of my soul was her ravishing smile. Then all my pain vanished." Thérèse was completely cured of her illness. Visitors to the house can see a relica of that statue (on the right of the picture above); the original was placed with the reliquary which remains permanently at the Carmel in Lisieux.

The Cathedral Cloister Garden

2009-05-11T17:45:00.003+01:00

The visit of St Thérèse to Lancaster Cathedral will be permanently marked with a new garden built around a statue of St Thérèse in the Cathedral cloister. The garden design is the result of a competition launched at Myerscough College, a few miles south of Lancaster. Today we reveal the winning entry. The image above gives some impression of how the garden will look to those entering. Plenty of space has been left around the statue to allow groups to gather for prayers and devotions.
The competition was won by Josie Beeson from Kirkby Lonsdale, who is in the final year of her Foundation Degree in Garden Design at Myerscough. Josie said, "I am thrilled to have won this competition as it is the first one I’ve ever entered. The project was definitely a challenging one due to the area receiving practically no direct sunlight, being enclosed on all sides and containing eight downspouts. I am hoping to start up my own business once I graduate and this will look fantastic as an example of my work." The design is inspired by St Thérèse: white flowers and surfaces represnt purity and serenity, while purple shades point to the suffering which was so much a part of Thérèse's life. Seen from above, the statue is in the centre of a simple cross, a reminder of the simplicity of Thérèse's message and the importance of the Lord's death. The garden has been designed with the impression of beauty and strong scent in mind.

We hope that work on the garden will begin shortly. It is a major task, which first involves some landscaping work to transform this currently very barren part of the site into something appealing. The transformation is being funded by donations from parishioners and others who are keen to help. If you'd like to contribute, please get in touch.

Thérèse events in May

2009-05-03T08:29:00.002+01:00

The build-up to the visit of St Thérèse begins to become more public this month, as the first talks on the life and message of Thérèse take place around the Diocese. Over June and July there will be further opportunities to learn about this great saint. We know of two talks happening in May in the Diocese of Lancaster: On 18th May at 7pm Fr Frank Gallagher OCD will deliver a talk entitled "The Spirituality of St Thérèse of Lisieux" at St Benedict's School in Whitehaven; the poster can be found here. The following evening, 19th May at 7:30pm, Raymond de Souza (St Gabriel Communications and EWTN) will speak on "The Spirituality of St Thérèse in the Year of St Paul", at Our Lady Star of the Sea Social Club, St Alban's Road, St Annes-on-Sea. You can read a little more about this parish in an earlier post here. Both talks are free of charge and no booking is required. For a full list of the events we know of which are happening in the Diocese, see the diary here, or scroll down to the foot of this page to see details of events in your own area. If you know of any events which are not listed, please contact us.

The Beatification of Thérèse

2009-04-29T07:49:00.001+01:00

Here Thérèse is seen with her eyes characteristically fixed on heaven. She had always desired it as her final goal and wished to lead others there. On this day in 1923 Thérèse was beatified by Pope Pius XI. For this final step on the road to her being declared a saint, thousands of people gathered at St Peter's Basilica in Rome; 45 bishops were also present. The presence of so many faithful was a sign of Thérèse's ability to draw people to God. A month earlier her remains had been taken from their original resting place in the town cemetery at Lisieux and moved to the Carmel. Fifty thousand had gathered for the event, in stark contrast to the small group who had attended her funeral 26 years earlier. Her popularity - but more importantly the popularity of her 'Little Way' - had grown at a phenomenal rate. Thérèse's own parents were beatified in Lisieux on 19th October 2008; you can read more in the report from that day on the Lancaster Cathedral Blog, here.

Coach Parties Welcome!

2009-04-23T18:53:00.002+01:00

In the vehicle park outside the Basilica at Lisieux you can often find a few coaches lined up. They're beginning to line up for the visit to Lancaster as well. Over recent weeks we have been in contact with a fair number of group organisers who plan to come to the Cathedral when Thérèse's relics come in September. Groups are very welcome and we will endeavour to keep group leaders informed of developments. We ask that, to assist us with planning, people organising group visits let us know in advance that they are coming. It is not too early to register interest! If you're considering the possibility of organising a group visit, please get in touch.

Some Short Videos

2009-04-20T08:41:00.002+01:00

We have been alerted to a website, www.martinsisters.org, which contains information about St Thérèse and her family; it also promotes the cause of beatification of some of Thérèse's sisters. Some short video clips on the site may be of particular interest; they include visits to some of the places associated with St Thérèse and her family. Seven videos are featured, each lasting a few minutes. The relevant page can be found here.

Resources from Fr Eugene

2009-04-17T14:15:00.003+01:00

A new resource for the visit of St Thérèse has just been launched. Written by Fr Eugene McCafferty OCD (who led our diocesan day for catechists in January, see here), these seven leaflets give an accessible but insightful look at different aspects of St Thérèse's life and message. The leaflets are available to buy from the Carmelite Book Service (see here) based in Oxford. We hope that the Cathedral will also have copies in the near future. Fr Eugene has also written a life of St Thérèse for school children and a 28-page booklet for teenagers. These are also available from the Carmelite Book Service (see link above or contact: Carmelite Book Service, Youlbury, Boars Hill, Oxford OX1 5HB; 01865 730183).

Visit Publicity

2009-04-14T09:41:00.005+01:00

At the back of the Cathedral visitors can now pick up flyers for the visit of the relics of St Thérèse, and last Thursday copies were made available to every parish in the Diocese as part of a resource pack which was distributed after the Chrism Mass. All of the resources made available to parishes, including information about the life and message of Thérèse, plus flyers and posters, can be downloaded on this site - use the links on the right hand side or click here to visit the Thérèse resources homepage.

Thérèse is fairly prominent on the notice board too, and - at least if you are in the Lancaster Diocese - should be appearing soon in a parish near you!

The Carmel at Lisieux

2009-04-09T07:02:00.001+01:00

This is the Carmel at Lisieux, the enclosed convent where Thérèse spent the last nine years of her short earthly life. She entered Carmel on this day in 1888, having fought long and hard to be admitted at the younger than usual age of 15. The night before she entered she had a final meal with her family, which she desribed in her autobiography as a heartrending experience.

Thérèse wrote of how she asked her father to bless her as she went into the Carmel. "A few moments later, the doors of the holy ark closed upon me, and there I was received by the dear Sisters who embraced me. They had acted as mothers to me and I was going to take them as models for my actions from now on. My desires were at last accomplished; my soul experienced a peace so sweet, so deep, it would be impossible to express it."

This is the chapel of the Carmel as it appears today. There are a little over 20 sisters in the community - a similar number to the community that Thérèse knew. The nuns are seen publicly for Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, but otherwise they remain out of sight. This is the life that Thérèse knew, and the life of Carmelites around the world today.

The Life and Message of Thérèse

2009-04-07T07:35:00.000+01:00

Back in January Tabor, the Carmelite Retreat House in Preston, hosted a day for catechists and others interested in the visit of St Thérèse. It was a very worthwhile occasion, led by Fr Eugene McCaffrey OCD and Fr Frank Gallagher OCD, both of whom were involved in Thérèse's visit to Ireland in 2001. At the day we promised that more resources would be made available, and these are now being added to the Cathedral website. They will also be made available to every parish in the Diocese via a resource pack which is being distributed at the Chrism Mass on Thursday morning. The list of resources available on the website can be found here.

Tabor is hosting a day entitled, "The Challenge of St Thérèse Today", taking place on Saturday 11th July. Booking is essential and an offering of £12 is suggested. You can find contact details for Tabor and a good deal more on their website, here.

Lisieux: the Stations of the Cross

2009-04-05T07:35:00.002+01:00

Today is Palm Sunday, and at Mass we hear the reading of the Passion, the account of the Lord's suffering and death. This same event is recalled in a popular devotion of Lent and Holy Week: the Stations of the Cross. In the magnificant Basilica in Lisieux, built as the shrine of St Thérèse, the Stations are (somewhat unusually) depicted in the stained glass windows. Above we see an image of the fourth station: Jesus meets His blessed mother.

Behind the Basilica there is a small garden. It was here that Thérèse's parents were buried until their beatification last October; their bodies have now been moved to the crypt of the Basilica.

Within the garden there is a larger version of the Stations of the Cross, designed to be used by pilgrim groups. At each station there is a small quotation from Thérèse. The saint often contemplated the Passion of Jesus, and this contemplation no doubt helped her in the great suffering she experienced in the last 18 months of her life.

What's in the reliquary?

2009-04-04T16:00:00.002+01:00

The expression on the face says it all: the reliquary is heavy! In fact, it weighs between 400 and 500lbs, and needs six men to carry it. But what does it contain? What is actually coming to Lancaster? You can find out the answers to these questions on a new page on the Cathedral website (click here); the pdf version of the page on relics has also been updated to include the same information. It can be found here.

Star of the Sea: a parish prepares

2009-04-03T06:37:00.003+01:00

In at least one parish of the Diocese there is an ever-growing band of Thérèse fans. This is the church of Our Lady Star of the Sea in St Annes; here parishioners and priests have been working hard to learn more about Thérèse's life and message, and to prepare for the visit by prayer and catechesis. A travelling statue of St Thérèse has been going from house to house, and also stopping at the primary school. Seemingly the classes have been very reluctant to let it move on!

In the entrance to the church there is a board displaying information about Thérèse. Fr Michael Docherty, assistant priest in the parish, has produced a document called 'A parish prepares'. It gives further information about the great work that has been going on at Star of the Sea and provides many ideas which could be used in other parishes. The document can be found here. The parish is also hosting a talk: "The Spirituality of Saint Thérèse in the Year of St Paul" by Raymond de Souza (19 May, 7:30pm in the Parish Social Centre, St Alban's Road). More events can be found listed here. If you know of an event which we haven't listed, or would like us to share what is being done in your parish to prepare for the visit, please get in touch.

The Colours of Carmel

2009-04-01T07:03:00.002+01:00

We are very fortunate to have photographs of St Thérèse, including many which show her life in Carmel. Of course, all the pictures are monochrome, so we do not see the colour of her habit. Carmelite nuns wear brown and white (the picture here illustrates the habit well); novices also wear a white veil, whereas professed nuns wear a darker colour. Some pictures of Thérèse as a novice survive, and will be displayed on this blog in due course. The colours of this site are, of course, inspired by the habit.

The Veneration of Relics

2009-03-30T07:15:00.001+01:00

This picture, from the 2001 visit of Thérèse's relics to Ireland, shows people bringing flowers to the relics of the saint. It is a practice that accords with all our human instincts: think of how people often bring flowers to the grave of one they love. In a sense, the visit of the relics fulfils the same need: people will travel to visit Thérèse and show love and respect for her. Many people today (especially outside the Church) might view the veneration of relics as strange or outdated. In fact, it is a practice that has an unbroken history both in the Church and in secular society. Want to know more? You can download a new resource: "The veneration of relics: a practice for today" by clicking here (pdf) or click here to see it as a standard webpage.

The Timetable for the Visit

2009-03-28T16:02:00.002Z

We may not quite be able to match the grandeur of the stunning Basilica at Lisieux, but Lancaster Cathedral will for 43 hours become home to the relics of St Thérèse and everything will be done to ensure a wonderful event for all who come. In a sense, the Cathedral will become Thérèse's shrine for the period of the visit. The Cathedral will be open around the clock and throughout the time people will be able to pray, go to confession and venerate the relics. There will also be refreshments available at all times.

Today the Cathedral has launched a special website for the visit, giving full details of events before the visit and how you can get involved during the visit itself. Click here to take a look. The full timetable for the visit has also been published - click here for a pdf version or here to see it as a normal web page.

The Lancaster Visit Logo

2009-03-28T16:01:00.002Z

This is a sight that will become much more familiar around the Diocese in the coming weeks. It's our logo for the visit of St Thérèse. The image was designed by the Diocesan MC, Fr Stewart Keeley, and will be used on our websites and on publicity and resources provided in the run-up to the visit.

Six months to go!

2009-03-28T16:00:00.001Z

Let the countdown begin! It is now exactly six months until the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux are due to arrive at Lancaster Cathedral. It promises to be one of the greatest events that the Cathedral has hosted in its 150-year history, and is sure to be a time of great grace for the Church and for many individuals. Over the next six months this blog will follow the preparations for the event. We will give news and practical information about the visit. Here you will be able to download resources for prayer and catechesis, using the links in the right hand column. At the bottom of the page there are links showing preparatory events around the Diocese, and giving details of where coach parties are coming from. This blog will also mark anniversaries associated with Thérèse, so that all of us can learn a little more about her life and message over the coming months. It promises to be an exciting time.

200 days... and counting

2009-03-12T08:00:00.000Z

Click here to see a post written 200 days before the visit, giving some details of preparations which are taking place.

Moving Thérèse

2009-01-29T08:00:00.000Z

Click here to see a post about the moving of the Cathedral's statue of St Thérèse in preparation for the visit.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin

2008-10-19T08:00:00.000+01:00

Click here to see a blog post about the beatification of Louis and Zélie Martin, parents of St Thérèse.

The Basilica in Lisieux

2008-10-03T08:00:00.000+01:00

Click here to see a blog post about the Basilica in Lisieux, which was built in honour of St Thérèse.

St Thérèse in Lisieux

2008-10-02T08:00:00.000+01:00

Click here to see a post about Thérèse's life in Lisieux.

The Town of Lisieux

2008-10-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

Click here to see a Cathedral Blog post about the town of Lisieux.

The National Website

2008-09-19T08:00:00.000+01:00

Click here to see the Cathedral Blog post about the launch of the national website for the visit.

Announcing the visit

2008-06-21T08:00:00.001+01:00

Click here to see the initial announcement about the visit on the Lancaster Cathedral Blog.