Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux by St. Therese of Lisieux Christian Classics Ethereal Library About Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux by St. Therese of Lisieux Title: Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux URL: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/therese/autobio.html Author(s): Therese, of Lisieux, Saint (1873-1897) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: This electronic edition of the autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (The Story of a Soul) includes much, but not all, of the content of Soeur Thérèse of Lisieux (London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, 1912; 8th ed., 1922), edited by Rev. T.N. Taylor. All the translated writings and sayings of St. Thérèse contained in that book are in this electronic edition, including the autobiography as well as "Counsels and Reminiscences," letters, and selected poems. Also included are the preface by Cardinal Bourne, the prologue relating Thérèse's parentage and birth, and the epilogue describing her final illness, her death, and related events. Not included are the illustrations, the list of illustrations, accounts of favors attributed to the intercession of St. Thérèse, documents related to her beatification, and some other material not written by her. Print Basis: London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, 1912; Source: Project Gutenberg Rights: Copyright Christian Classics Ethereal Library Date Created: 2007-09-10 CCEL Subjects: All; Classic; Mysticism; Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux St. Therese of Lisieux Table of Contents About This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. ii Cover Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 1 NOTE TO THIS ELECTRONIC EDITION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2 Title Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 3 Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4 Dedication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 6 PREFACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 7 PROLOGUE: THE PARENTAGE & BIRTH OF MARIE FRANÇOISE THÉRÈSE MARTIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 8 Original Title Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 14 CHAPTER I - EARLIEST MEMORIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 15 CHAPTER II - A CATHOLIC HOUSEHOLD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 22 CHAPTER III - PAULINE ENTERS THE CARMEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 30 CHAPTER IV - FIRST COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION. . . . . . . . . p. 37 CHAPTER V - VOCATION OF THÉRÈSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 46 CHAPTER VI - A PILGRIMAGE TO ROME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 56 CHAPTER VII - THE LITTLE FLOWER ENTERS THE CARMEL. . . . . . p. 66 CHAPTER VIII - PROFESSION OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 73 CHAPTER IX - THE NIGHT OF THE SOUL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 83 CHAPTER X - THE NEW COMMANDMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 95 CHAPTER XI - A CANTICLE OF LOVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 105 EPILOGUE: A VICTIM OF DIVINE LOVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 116 COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE, THE LITTLE FLOWER OF JESUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 133 LETTERS OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE - THE LITTLE FLOWER OF JESUS. . . p. 156 I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 156 II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 156 III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 157 IV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 158 V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 158 VI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 159 VII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 160 VIII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 160 IX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 161 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 161 iii Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux St. Therese of Lisieux XI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 162 XII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 162 XIII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 163 XIV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 164 XV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 165 XVI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 166 XVII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 167 XVIII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 168 XIX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 170 XX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 170 LETTERS TO MOTHER AGNES OF JESUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 172 I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 172 II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 172 III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 173 IV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 173 V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 174 VI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 174 VII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 175 VIII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 175 LETTERS TO SISTER MARY OF THE SACRED HEART. . . . . . . . . . . p. 177 I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 177 II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 177 III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 178 IV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 178 V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 179 VI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 179 LETTERS TO SISTER FRANCES TERESA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 181 I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 181 II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 181 III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 182 IV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 183 LETTERS TO HER COUSIN MARIE GUÉRIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 185 I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 185 II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 186 LETTER TO HER COUSIN, JEANNE GUÉRIN (MADAME LA NÉELE). . . p. 187 LETTERS TO HER BROTHER MISSIONARIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 188 I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 188 II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 188 III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 189 IV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 189 iv Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux St. Therese of Lisieux V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 189 VI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 190 VII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 191 VIII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 192 IX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 192 X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 193 PRAYERS OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE, THE LITTLE FLOWER OF JESUS. . . p. 194 AN ACT OF OBLATION AS A VICTIM OF DIVINE LOVE. . . . . . . . . . p. 194 A MORNING PRAYER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 195 AN ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY FACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 196 VARIOUS PRAYERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 196 PRAYER TO THE HOLY CHILD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 197 PRAYER TO THE HOLY FACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 197 PRAYER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 197 PRAYER TO OBTAIN HUMILITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 198 MOTTO OF THE LITTLE FLOWER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 200 MY DAYS OF GRACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 201 SELECTED POEMS OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE, THE LITTLE FLOWER OF JESUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 202 MY SONG OF TO-DAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 202 MEMORIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 202 I THIRST FOR LOVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 204 TO SCATTER FLOWERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 205 WHY I LOVE THEE, MARY!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 206 NOTE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 207 Indexes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 208 Index of Scripture References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 208 v Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux St. Therese of Lisieux vi Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux St. Therese of Lisieux ST. THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX THE STORY OF A SOUL (L'HISTOIRE D'UNE ÂME): THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ST. THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX WITH ADDITIONAL WRITINGS AND SAYINGS OF ST. THÉRÈSE Produced by David McClamrock Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux St. Therese of Lisieux NOTE TO THIS ELECTRONIC EDITION This electronic edition of the autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (The Story of a Soul) includes much, but not all, of the content of Soeur Thérèse of Lisieux (London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, 1912; 8th ed., 1922), edited by Rev. T.N. Taylor. All the translated writings and sayings of St. Thérèse contained in that book are in this electronic edition, including the autobiography as well as "Counsels and Reminiscences," letters, and selected poems. Also included are the preface by Cardinal Bourne, the prologue relating Thérèse's parentage and birth, and the epilogue describing her final illness, her death, and related events. Not included are the illustrations, the list of illustrations, accounts of favors attributed to the intercession of St. Thérèse, documents related to her beatification, and some other material not written by her. Some footnotes have been slightly modified for ease of reference. A few footnotes, referring to page numbers in the original, have been modified or omitted. Citations to the Psalms, many of which were numbered differently in Catholic Bibles of St. Thérèse's time than they commonly are today, have the "new" number in brackets next to the "old" number from the original—e.g., "Psalm 22[23]:1-4." The original page headers, page numbering, disclaimer of any intention to anticipate the judgment of the Church in calling St. Thérèse a "saint" before her canonization, and other extraneous matter, which were deemed suitable for a printed book in 1922 but not for an e-book in 2005, are not here. The French "oe" ligature, in words such as "soeur," is not available in the standard ISO-8859-1 character set, and obviously is represented here by the two-letter combination "oe." The first word of each chapter is not set in all caps as it was in the printed book. A few obvious typographical errors have been corrected, with the changes in brackets, e.g., "[s]he" for "the" in Chapter IX. All else, including capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and British spelling, is intended to reflect the content of the eighth edition of Soeur Thérèse of Lisieux. If it does not, the fault is that of the transcriber (me, David McClamrock). 2 Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux St. Therese of Lisieux SOEUR THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX, THE LITTLE FLOWER OF JESUS A NEW AND COMPLETE TRANSLATION OF L'HISTOIRE D'UNE ÂME, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF SOME FAVOURS ATTRIBUTED TO THE INTERCESSION OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE EDITED BY T. N. TAYLOR: PRIEST OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GLASGOW: WITNESS BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL OF THE BEATIFICATION BURNS, OATES & WASHBOURNE LD. TWENTY-EIGHT ORCHARD STREET, LONDON, W., AND EIGHT TO TEN PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON, E.C. NIHIL OBSTAT JOANNES N. STRASSMAIER, S.J. Censor Deputatus IMPRIMATUR EDMUNDUS Canonicus SURMONT Vicarius Generalis WESTMONASTERII, die nonâ Decembris, 1912. 3 Story of a Soul (l'Histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux St. Therese of Lisieux CONTENTS •DEDICATION •PREFACE BY H.E. CARDINAL BOURNE •PROLOGUE: PARENTAGE AND BIRTH •AUTOBIOGRAPHY CHAPTERS 1. Earliest Memories 2. A Catholic Household 3. Pauline Enters the Carmel 4. First Communion and Confirmation 5. Vocation of Thérèse 6. A Pilgrimage to Rome 7. The Little Flower Enters the Carmel 8. Profession of Soeur Thérèse 9. The Night of the Soul 10.The New Commandment 11.A Canticle of Love •EPILOGUE: A VICTIM OF DIVINE LOVE •COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES •LETTERS OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE •To Céline •To Mother Agnes of Jesus •To Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart •To Sister Frances Teresa •To Marie Guérin •To Jeanne Guérin •To Missionaries •PRAYERS OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE •Her Act of Oblation •A Morning Prayer •Act of Consecration to the Holy Face •Prayer in Honour of the Holy Child •Prayer to the Holy Child •Prayer to the Holy Face •Prayer in Honour of St. Joan of Arc •Prayer to Obtain Humility •DAYS OF GRACE •SELECTED POEMS •My Song of To-day •Memories •I Thirst for Love 4