Thursday 19 May 2011

SPES in " The Little Way " to Lisieux

SPES has received an invitation to meet Therese at Lisieux last week. Deanna and I joined this pilgrimage with Monsignor Keith Barltrop, Parish Priest of St Mary of the Angels, Bayswater, who organized in 2009 the visit in England of the relics of Therese and all the parishioners of Ealing Abbey and St Patrick Church, Wapping. We stayed in L’Hermitage, a guest house close to the Carmel Convent.

From her writings “The Story of a Soul” to

a real journey to Lisieux to came to know and understand more deeply Therese’s life and her message “The little way” is the path of hope and saintliness, it is the path of confidence and abandonment, …”of the child who sleeps without fear in the arms of his Father.”

We visited very important places in Therese’s life, St Therese’s family settled in this house. Therese spent her chilhood here.

This is the room where Therese was cured of a serious illness by the smile of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saint Peter's Cathedral where Therese sat every Sunday at Mass and where she received the grace of understanding to her missionary vocation. The main altar was donated by her father ( Louis Martin). Near the entrance of the chapel where Therese made her first confession.

The Basilica of Saint Therese where mosaics illustrate the message of St Therese and also the relics of St Therese are displayed there.

We had Mass and also we said Vespers with the Carmelite nuns, we had access also to the reliquary.

These 3 days were a blessed experience for Deanna and I which we want to share and to pray with Therese asking for her intercession and her teaching “ The Father doesn’t need our great deeds, but only our love”.

St Therese of the Child Jesus –

Pray for us

St Claude De La Colombiere's Relic


After the beatification of John Paul II and Divine Mercy Sunday ( first Sunday of Easter), it was a very special and blessed day. Fr Alexander Sherbrooke ( Parish Priest ) returned from Rome and brought with him a Relic of St Claude De La Colombiere the Patron Saint of St Patrick's Evangelisation School. Deanna and I were very happy and blessed to receive it, particularly as we have seen this year how important the intercession and devotion of St Claude De La Colombiere has been and is for SPES.
The Jesuit Priest St Claude De La Colombiere was the first to believe in the mystical revelation of the Sacred Heart given to St Margaret Mary in Paray le Monial Convent, France . He dedicated his life to propagate the devotion to the Sacred Heart.In October 2010, SPES started our Vigils on 1ST Friday of each month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A time to bring others to Adore the Lord, to pray for those in need and also pray for the work of St Patrick's Evangelisation School .<span class="Apple