Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway

For many years, the world believed that Therese's Story of a Soul, which took the world by storm, had been published on September 30, 1898, the first anniversary of her death.  In fact, it was published on October 20, 1898.  The Archives of the Lisieux Carmel preserve a note by Therese's sister Celine, Sister Genevieve of the Holy Face, giving the date October 21, 1898, but Father Conrad De Meester, in his critical edition Histoire d'une Ame (Paris, Presses de la Renaissance, 2001), shows that it was received at Lisieux on October 21, but was published by Librairie St. Paul at Bar-le-Duc on October 20.  The influence of Therese's published manuscripts has been so great that we must consider October 21, 1898 as a crucial date for the Christian faith.

The splendid Web site of the Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux tells the story of the publication in its article "Story of a Soul in the making - 1897-1898 - in the details," recounting how Therese's uncle, Isidore Guerin, agreed to finance an edition of 2,000 copies and how he sought bids from several printers.  There you can also read in English translation the first reactions of the readers (some of whom had known Therese) who wrote to Carmel.

We are so accustomed to having these powerful manuscripts that it's hard to imagine the world before they appeared.  I have had the joy of giving them to many young persons on their confirmation and to the bereaved and those in many kinds of trial.  How blessed we are that Therese wrote this story and that it has been shared with the world!