Thérèse

Dorothy Day's unpretentious account of the life of St. Th r se of Lisieux sheds light on the depth of Day's Catholic spirituality and illustrates why Th r se's simplicity and humility are so vital for today. Whether you are called to the active life like Day or a more hidden existence like Th r se, you will discover that these paths have much in common and can lead you to a love that has the power to transform you in ways that are unexpected and consequential. Now back in print, this short biography of St. Th r se of Lisieux by Dorothy Day expresses the surprising yet profound connection between Day--the founder of the Catholic Worker movement who was praised by Pope Francis for her passion for justice and dedication to her faith--and the beloved saint best known for her Little Way. When Day first read St. Th r se's autobiography, The Story of a Soul in 1928, she called it "pious pap." At the time, Day--a social activist who had been living a bohemian lifestyle--had only recently been baptized a Catholic. Some twenty-five years later, Day's perspective on Th r se had so completely changed that she was inspired to write this biography. She did not find it an easy task: "Every time I sit down to write that book on the Little Flower I am blocked. . . . I am faced with the humiliating fact that I can write only about myself, a damning fact." But she persisted, and despite numerous rejections eventually found a publisher for it in 1960. She wrote in the Preface: "In these days of fear and trembling of what man has wrought on earth in destructiveness and hate, Th r se is the saint we need." Written originally for nonbelievers or those unaware of Th r se, the book reflects how Day came to appreciate Th r se's Little Way, not as an abstract concept, but as a spirituality that she had already been living. The Catholic Worker, which she cofounded with Peter Maurin, was dedicated to feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless. Day's life, like Th r se's, was filled with all the humble, self-effacing jobs that were a part of this work. She found in Th r se a kindred spirit, one who saw these simple hidden tasks as the way to heaven. "We want to grow in love but do not know how. Love is a science, a knowledge, and we lack it," Day wrote. Just as Day had a conversion of heart about the Little Way, you, too, can be changed by Th r se's simple, yet profound spirituality.