by Michele Guerrier
Still reveling in the aftermath of the election and installation of Pope Leo XIV, I am blown away by Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the first U.S.-born pope — a pontiff who personifies the universality of the Catholic Church and whose motto is “In the One, we are one.”
I marvel at the activity of the Holy Spirit, who made what seemed impossible possible, and I am in awe of my God of surprises.
As my parish family, diocesan family, other devotees, and I celebrated the 100th anniversary of the canonization of my patroness, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, on May 17, I realized that it was the God of surprises and that same spirit that acted on her behalf.
At 15, she became a cloistered nun and died at 24 from complications of tuberculosis. As she reached the end of her life, her superior encouraged her to write her autobiography, “The Story of a Soul,” which contains her reflections that have since inspired so many people.
She promised God she would spend her heaven doing good on Earth. She was proclaimed a doctor of the Church and called the greatest saint of modern times. Her short life exemplified the “Little Way” she preached.
As a parishioner of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church for over five decades, I have tried to emulate some of her virtues. Her life has inspired me to trust in God’s merciful love and do small things with love. She teaches me how to care for others in ways that nourish our lives and souls. Little things that I do can keep me on the road to holiness.
While I have seen some personal growth, I recognize I am still a work in progress.
As the Catholic world commemorates the centennial of St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s canonization, and as my parish prepares to celebrate its own centennial with a new grotto dedicated to the Blessed Mother and St. Thérèse, I pray that we all rediscover her “Little Way” and, like her, aspire to embody love within the Church, our families and community.
It is a blessing for our diocese that East Flatbush is home to the only parish bearing the name of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. I am proud that this saint has been such a spiritually uplifting part of my life for so long.
During this Jubilee Year, I pray that many Pilgrims of Hope will visit my parish and that it may become a shrine to St. Thérèse of Lisieux within our diocese.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us. Teach us to live as you lived — with confidence and love.
Michele Guerrier is a parishioner of St. Thérèse of Lisieux in East Flatbush.