Tour Schedule

About Thérèse

Gallery

The Organisers

Contact Us

Online Newsletter

[See previous issue]

"Ireland Welcomes St. Thérèse"

Several thousand people arrived at Rosslare Harbour on last Sunday morning - 15th April - to welcome the relics of St. Therese of Lisieux - the "Little Flower" - to Ireland. They travelled to see the ornate casket containing the relics of St. Therese as it was carried ashore by the Irish Army Ceremonial Unit to the strains of "Abide with Me" - rising from the crowd. Many people stood by the roadside to catch a glimpse of the "reliquary" at the start of its 75 day tour of Ireland.

Bride Street Church - Wexford - Monday 16th April

"Once in a lifetime ... It was a most peculiar sensation, being swept along by crowds of people, behind a golden casket encasing the relics of a saint..." reported this week's Wexford People.

	Just as the "Theresemobile" reached the top of Hill Street and turned onto John Street the crowds started to grow in ever increasing numbers. There were people of all classes, colours and convictions coming to mark this special occasion.
	People who did not want to walk in procession managed to view the scenes from the balconies of the John Street flats. The people living on Hill Street and Bride Street were not to be outdone and made an all out effort for the occasion. With simple bunting they decorated their windows to show their respect for St. Therese.
	As the procession turned onto Bride Street they were joined by the Holy Fraternity Band, Wexford Corporation, a Military Marching Party from Wexford Barracks and the Adoration Sisters and many hundreds of people. So started a visit to Wexford that will live on in the public memory for many years to come.

Fr. Jim Fegan summed it up when the relics left for their visit to New Ross the following day. "Everything went wonderfully well, we couldn't be more pleased". "People were in such good humour" and "when I heard excerpts being broadcast on the Gerry Ryan show - I just couldn't believe it."

Return to Top

Mount Carmel Monastery, New Ross, Co. Wexford via Cushinstown Church.

The Three Bullet Pike Group helped form an impressive guard of honour around the "Theresemobile" as it approached. Outside the church, crowds gathered with cameras and video recorders to witness members of the FCA bear the sacred casket shoulder high into the church. So began "a day which you and I will never forget". This was how Bishop Brendan Comiskey described the day as he spoke to the massive congregation gathered for the occasion.

The visit was even more special for one group - the sisters of the Carmelite Convent who hosted the relics overnight.

As the day wore on, it has become clear to the many volunteers working at organising the tour, that crowds will come out in their tens of thousands to show their respect for a 24 year old nun who died in the town of Lisieux in France on the 30th September 1897.

Return to Top

Tour Update

Preparations continue to take place at each of the venues, mindful of the experience we now have of the first few days of the tour. Crowds will be much larger than we anticipated.

Sincere thanks and appreciation to the countless voluntary groups and committees around the country who are working tirelessly at local level to prepare for the visit.

Fr. Eugene McCaffrey

Return to Top

Events Planned

The production, which is an entirely original interpretation, is directed by Martina Lehane and musically directed by Tina Hurley.

Waterford - Holy Family Parish Church - June 24

Please let us know of any event planned for your area.sttheres@indigo.ie

Return to Top

Information of Interest

The Reliquary:

The Reliquary will travel in the 'Theresemobile', a specially converted Mercedes Sprinter. This has been beautifully designed and decorated as a portable shrine for the precious casket. The reliquary is 400lb in weight, 4'11 long, 3'2 wide and 2'10 tall. It is a beautiful composition of polished jacaranda, decorated with exquisite gold and silver filigree. It is permanently mounted on a wooden tray and, for security, the whole reliquary is covered with a clear, permanent, plexiglas cover.
The reliquary will be placed in a prominent place in each location, so that it can be easily seen and is readily accessible to all.

Return to Top

"Pilgrimage of Grace"

The "vision statement" of the organizing committee for the visit hopes that 'her visit will help individuals and groups to grasp the life and teaching of St. Therese and help them consider and renew their own journey to God in faith'. One of the principal ways of doing so is to pray for the success of the visit and to attend the Triduum of preparation that may be taking place is your own area.

It is also recommended to read Therese's own autobiography 'Story of a Soul', a book that has been a religious bestseller since it was first published in 1898.

Return to Top

Bookshop

A mobile Bookshop will be present at most venues. The shop will carry a large selection of books on St.Therese, videos and audio cassettes, full colour block mounts, prayers cards and bookmarks and a number of souvenir items specially produced to honour the visit.

Return to Top

[See previous issue]