Letters

St Thérèse

Fr Jim Dunne CSsR

Contents - Dec 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: A Christmas reflection - Peter Westmore Tenth Synod of Bishops' statement - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Church leaders say 'No human cloning' - AD2000 Report East Timor: how the Church is rebuilding a shattered nation - Peter Westmore Obituary: Thomas Kendell (1929-2001) R.I.P. - The passing of a great Catholic educator - Nicholas Kendell St Vitus Cathedral, Prague, and Europe's Christian heritage - Stephen W. Carson Books: 'Soul Survivor' - Philip Yancey book launch at Thomas More Centre - Bill Muehlenberg Books: De Lubac's writings in English translations - Tracey Rowland Letters: 'Familiaris Consortio' 20th anniversary - John Barich Letters: Huge response - Dolores Lightbody Letters: St Thérèse - Fr Jim Dunne CSsR Letters: Pipe-dream - Arnold Jago (Dr) Letters: Refugees - John McLean Books: 'Meaninglessness: The Solutions of Nietzsche, Freud and Rorty' by Michael Casey - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: 'Thomas More On Statesmanship' by Gerard B. Wegemer - Michael Casanova (reviewer) Books: AD Books 'Top Ten' Books: 'Desire Of The Everlasting Hills' by Thomas Cahill - Michael Daniel Books: The Prayer Of Jabez' by Bruce Wilkinson - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: Daily Gospel 2002, Bible Diary 2002 - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) New Titles from AD Books Reflection: St Thérèse's 'little way' - Kate Cleary

Please accept my most sincere congratulations for using such a fine photographic likeness of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus for the cover of the October AD2000. Thank you also for publishing the fact that her relics are due in Australia next year.

One of my confrères, Father W.D. Creede CSsR, has given retreats to Carmelite nuns throughout Australia. Some time ago he published a booklet, Thérèse Martin, Carmelite Religious, Doctor of the Church. He is to be congratulated that the booklet is to be used by all who will honour the relics of St Thérèse in Melbourne next year.

Thérèse rarely experienced any spiritual joys during her short life as a Carmelite nun. She herself wrote that she never felt less devout than during her thanksgiving after Holy Communion. Yet her desire to love Jesus was unlimited. She wrote: "O! I would so love Him - love Him more than He has ever been loved." What an exclamation of true, yet unfelt love. Jesus rewarded her: her last words just before she died of tuberculosis of the lungs and gangrene of the stomach were: "Jesus, I love you."

Once again, I thank you. May I also presume to thank you on behalf of so many of your readers throughout Australia and overseas, for giving us such a beautiful photo of that wonderful young woman whom we all love and admire: St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Carmelite Religious and Doctor of the Church.

FR JIM DUNNE CSsR
Kogarah, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 11 (December 2001 - January 2002), p. 14