Please read Michael Pettinger's thoughts about St. Therese of Lisieux and the shutdown of the U.S. government.  Huffington Post, October 9, 2013.  He muses that the government shut down on the feast of St. Therese and considers the shutdown in the light of her prayers for the assassin Henri Pranzini.  What do you think?

The Carmelite nuns of Valencia, who suggested that Carmen's parents, family and friends join them in praying a novena to Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin for the child's cure, greet Mgr Carlos Osoro Serra, Archbishop of Valencia, at the closing of the diocesan inquiry into the "presumed miracle" on May 21, 2013. Photo credit: elperiodic.com

 I am happy to announce that Carmelite Review has published my short article about the closing of the diocesan process in Valencia, Spain in May 2013 that examined the healing of the little Carmen, a "presumed miracle" attributed to the intercession of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin.  Carmen was born on October 15, 2008, so she will celebrate her fifth birthday next Tuesday.  To my knowledge, Carmelite Review is the first print publication to feature a story in English about Carmen's cure.  Please read
"Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin: The Parents of St. Therese of Lisieux A Step Closer to Sainthood." 

To see the story of the visit of the writing-desk to the Carmelite Monastery of St. Louis, please click on the photo.

The Catholic News Service published a second article about the writing-desk of St. Therese at the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on October 4, 2013.

The writing-desk of St. Therese is to be venerated on Thursday, October 24 at Resurrection Parish in the diocese of Venice, Florida.  The below notice may be accessed directly at the Web site of Resurrection Parish.