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Céad Mile Fáilte

A hundred thousand welcomes to Thérèse

The advent of the year 2001 finally signals that the great moment for the arrival of the Relics of St. Thérèse is almost upon us. We have just three short months left to that great day, Easter Sunday, April 15, when the Irish Ferries 'MV Normandy', carrying the blessed remains of St. Thérèse, arrives at Rosslare.

Our Committee deeply appreciates the participation of the Irish Army. A Ceremonial Unit will carry the 400lb. Reliquary ashore. Army ties with St. Thérèse's family are strong, as both of her grandfathers were full-time serving officers in the French Army. For movement around the country a Thérèsemobile, a new Mercedes Sprinter, has been generously donated and for the entire visit will be in the care of Ret'd Regimental Sgt. Major, Pat Sweeney.

The church wants us and St. Thérèse wants us to be reminded that her coming to Ireland should be the occasion for a deep renewal of our Christian commitment which could be fully realised by earnestly seeking to learn and practice the elements of her 'Little Way'. All nine Popes since Thérèse first graced the earth have constantly reminded Christ's followers of the importance of Thérèse's message.

The various articles on this site, as well as St. Thérèse's autobiography, 'Story of a Soul' should be read and re-read as part of a worthy preparation.

Our Steering Committee is leaving no stone unturned to implement the Vision Statement. St. Thérèse will do her part if we do ours.

The full itinerary is also to be found here . As a Committee, we would very much have preferred to be able to bring the Reliquary to every Church and Oratory in the country. Indeed, as it is, we have to acknowledge that St. Thérèse's Carmelite Sisters in Lisieux have been extraordinarily generous in giving the Relics to a small country like Ireland for 75 days.

Our Committee decided, with the approval of the Irish Bishops, that the Relics will visit the Cathedral of each of Ireland's 26 Dioceses, all Carmelite Churches and Oratories, as well as Knock Shrine, Holy Trinity Abbey, Kilnacrott, St. Patrick's Purgatory, Lough Derg and Mountjoy Prison. The visit has been deliberately arranged so as to facilitate the minimum amount of travelling, particularly for the poor and the sick -- that is how St. Thérèse herself would want it.

I have followed the history of the Relics tour in a number of other countries and have been pleased to note so many powerful graces of healing of souls and bodies. So many have returned to the practice of their faith and to the reception of the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion. If we seriously apply ourselves, our beloved Ireland should experience nothing less. All priests and sisters who will host the Relics at 75 venues, spread throughout the 32 counties, will meet with our Committee for a planning and information day at the Carmelite Conference Centre, 'Gort Muire', Ballinteer, Dublin 16 on Thursday 25th January -- Feast of the conversion of St. Paul.

The Relics National Organising Committee wishes to express its sincerest thanks to all the staff of our Designers, Printers and Publishers, Elo Press Limited, for all their work on this and the other St. Thérèse literature over the years. They truly consider it more an apostolate than a job of work.

Fr. Eugene McCaffrey O.C.D. joins me in praying that as you continue to learn more about St. Thérèse and absorb her message of Love, your contact with her will bring to you and your loved ones that 'precious shower of roses' which all the evidence indicates she continues to 'let fall' on the earth."

Fr. J. Linus Ryan, O. Carm.,

National Co-Ordinator,
St. Thérèse Relics Visit,
St. Thérèse Office,
Carmelite Community, Terenure College,
Dublin 6W, Ireland

Tel: 087 2430 920
Web site:www.sttherese.com
e-mail: sttheres@indigo.ie