One hundred years after the canonisation of St Therese of the Child Jesus, the Semi-Province of Napoli promoted an intense week of spirituality at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Bari. The aim was to inspire people with the ‘Little Way’ and help them to rediscover the beauty of a holiness accessible to all.
The week consisted of six events: two catechesis and a roundtable discussion on the contemporary relevance of the ‘Little Way’; a concert-meditation intertwined songs and texts by Thérèse; an evening vigil and Eucharistic adoration. The highlight of the event was the solemn celebration of the Eucharist, which signalled the community’s joy at the presence of the Saint among us. There was also a photo exhibition with over 40 scenes from Thérèse’s life, which was open for the entire week. Thérèse’s reliquary, which was on pilgrimage in Apulian parishes, was displayed for veneration by the faithful.
Thérèse reminds us that even a simple soul can become great through love. With her, we learn to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary; to offer everything with love; and to see every day as an opportunity for self-giving. As she said when she appeared in our monastery in Gallipoli, ‘My way is sure, nor have I mistaken it’.
