I saw three Carmelites dressed in their mantles and long veils. It appeared to me they were coming for our mother, but what I did understand clearly was that they came from heaven. In the depths of my heart, I cried out: “Oh! how happy I would be if I could see the face of one of these Carmelites!” Then, as though my prayer were heard by her, the tallest of the saints advanced toward me; immediately I fell to my knees. Oh! what happiness! The Carmelite raised her veil or rather she raised it and covered me with it. Without the least hesitation, I recognized Venerable Anne of Jesus, Foundress of Carmel in France.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Manuscript B, folios 1v-2v
Letter to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart (excerpt)
8 September 1896

As we celebrate St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s feast day, we also reflect on the recent beatification of Blessed Anne of Jesus, a key figure in expanding the Carmelite reform. Anne’s leadership established Carmels across France, including Dijon, where St. Elizabeth of the Trinity would later flourish.

In a dream in 1897, Anne appeared to Thérèse, offering reassurance about her Little Way—the simple, yet profound path of trust and love. This dream affirmed Thérèse’s spiritual path during a time of great physical and emotional suffering.

Anne of Jesus also had a lasting influence on other great Carmelites, including the Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne and Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified, who entered Carmel at Pau. Their spiritual lineage traces back to the foundational work of Anne, whose legacy continues to inspire today.

Meanwhile, Thérèse’s influence as a Doctor of the Church, recognized by St. John Paul II in 1997, affirms the depth of her teachings. As the Pope wrote in his Apostolic Letter Divini Amoris Scientia, Thérèse’s Little Way embodies a profound understanding of the Gospel, making her a guide for all those who seek God’s face.

Listen to the episode “Anne and Thérèse: A Living Legacy” embedded below to discover more about their intertwined lives and how their spiritual legacies continue to shape the Church today.

https://youtu.be/Ykk-xrQv5Lw?si=nC2ogsKc5A3KLEiA

Thérèse & Foley, M 2005, Story of a Soul: The autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Study edn, translated from the French by Clarke, J, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: On the left, this detail of a portrait of Venerable Anne of Jesus is a treasured 17th c. painting at the Carmel of Pontoise, France. Found in the online database of the French Ministry of Culture, this portrait of Venerable Anne is a reduced and simplified copy of a painting kept in the Carmel of the Incarnation in Clamart, France. It is based on an engraving by the famous Antwerp artist Hieronymus Wierix (1553–1619). [Photo credit: © Ministère de la Culture (France), Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie, diffusion RMN-GP]. On the right, Austrian artist Emil Beischläger (1897–1977) created this oil on canvas portrait of St. Thérèse around 1925, which was the year of her canonization [Image credit: artnet.com].

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/10/01/s2ep24annetherese/

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