Photo was taken in St Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney, Co.Kerry (Irl)

This beautiful shrine of candle colour marks the feast of St Therese whose feast day takes place today.

Thought on Sunday – October – 01/10/2017

‘A word or a smile is often enough to put fresh life in a despondent soul.’ ~Therese de Lisieux

Today (Oct 1st) is the feast of St Therese and she is one of the most popular saints of our time. Her huge appeal is not that she did extra ordinary things but that she did the little things extraordinary well. She found that she was closest to God when she was doing the simplest and most mundane tasks. The spectacular and sensational always attracts interest and sometimes hype. Celebrities are always in the spotlight. But this was never a part of her life.

We may have many things planned for today and across the coming week. The chances are that much of is nothing extra ordinary. It will not make headlines and most of it we have done so many times before. But the feast of St Therese reminds us that this is where life is meant to be. This is where life really matters. It is comforting to know that in the simple and ordinary events of our lives, we can be quite close to God. This is something we so often take for granted. Getting close to God is not reserved for the elite or the chosen few. It is always within our reach.

For Therese she dedicated all the seemingly thankless and boring jobs to God. She often said, “I am doing this out of love for you my God.” Today we ask her many blessings on each of us. We also reflect on how Therese found happiness and that it was always within her reach. It is also within our reach too.



Additional Prayer to St Therese:



St Therese of the Child Jesus,

Teach us to follow your way of confidence and trust,

Help us to know that God’s love surrounds 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 light,

holding fast to the way of love,

knowing as you did,

that everything is a blessing.