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Novena to St Thérèse of the Child Jesus & the Holy Face

This Novena to Saint Theresa of Lisieux includes a different prayer each day followed by 24 'Glory Be's (in thanksgiving for all the blessings and favours given to Thérèse of Lisieux during the 24 years of her life).

Many thanks to Edwin Fawcett for the gift of his music.
To download the free mp3 audio recordings individually, right/double click on the blue play buttons. You can subscribe to this Totus2us podcast here from the RSS feed, on Spotify or here on iTunes. You can pray this novena at any time but it was recorded especially to begin on 22 September, in preparation for St Thérèse's feast day on 1 October 2010. During the novena Totus2us was given beautiful roses - the somethings about Mary of St Thérèse's Carmel sisters in Nottinghill, London.

Day 1 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse      

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

O Thérèse of the Child Jesus, well beloved and full of charity, in union with you, I reverently adore the majesty of God, and since I rejoice with exceeding joy in the singular gifts of grace bestowed upon you during your life, and your gifts of glory after death, I give Him deepest thanks for them; I beseech you with all my heart’s devotion to be pleased to obtain for me (.. mention request here). But if what I ask of you so earnestly does not tend to the glory of God and the greater good of my soul, do you, I pray, obtain for me that which is more profitable to both these ends. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Sister Marie Therese's Something about Mary       
"To me Mary is very important. She's my hope, my hope for the resurrection because she is one of us, God chose one of us; and she is my sister, my mother, and my presence throughout life."

Day 2 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse      

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Thérèse of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

Almighty God, giver of all good gifts, who did will that Blessed Thérèse, being watered by the heavenly dew of your guiding grace, should bloom in Carmel with the beauty of virginity and patience in suffering, grant that I your servant may go forward in the order of her sweetness and may be found worthy to become a devoted and loyal follower of Christ. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Sister Desiree of Jesus's Something about Mary       
"Mary to me is a very intimate friend and everything to me, because I feel that I am very close to her whenever I have any difficulties and I always ask her for help, and she seems always to be there for me."

Day 3 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse      

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Thérèse of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

O Thérèse of the Child Jesus, lily of purity, ornament and glory of Carmel, I greet you, great saint, seraph of divine love. I rejoice in the favours our Lord so liberally bestowed on you. In humility and confidence I ask you to help me, for I know God has given you love and pity as well as power. Tell Him, now, I beseech you, of the favour I seek in this novena... Your request will crown my petition with success and bring joy to my heart. Remember your promise to do good here on earth. “I shall spend my heaven doing good on earth. After death I shall let fall a shower of roses."

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Sister Susan Marie of the Sacred Heart's Something about Mary       
"I think it's one of the blessings of our Carmelite heritage that we have Mary there. Whenever I've had difficulties in my relationship with God or when He has seemed rather far away, Mary has always been there.  And I think it's one of the traditions that says 'Who ever went to Mary and came away disappointed?' All I can say is I can echo that myself throughout my life."

Day 4 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse       

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

O Little Flower of Jesus, who at an early age had your heart set on Carmel and in your brief earthly life did become the mirror of angelic purity, of courageous love and of whole hearted surrender to Almighty God, turn your eyes of mercy upon me who trusts in you. Obtain for me the favour I seek in this novena... and the grace to keep my heart and mind pure and clean. O dear saint, grant me to feel in every need the power of your intercession; help to comfort me in all the bitterness of this life and especially at its end, that I may be worthy to share eternal happiness with you in heaven. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Sister Pamela of the Holy Spirit's Something about Mary       
"Our Lady to me - when I'm down, she's the sunshine in my life; at night, she is my star. Otherwise, she's the rainbow in my life, a refuge, a consoler, a comforter and she has taken the place of my mum. I love her very much."

Day 5 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse       

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

O Little Flower of Carmel, Almighty God endowed you, consumed by love for him, with wondrous spiritual strength to follow the way of perfection during the days of your short life. Sickness touched you early but you remained firm in faith and prayer was your life. O pray for me that I may benefit by your intercession and be granted the favour I ask in this novena....

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Sister Mary of St Philip's Something about Mary       
"I had a very good Catholic education and I learnt at school all about the doctrines concerning Our Lady and, although I believed and understood them, it made her feel very remote. I couldn't engage with her until after I had been in Carmel 2 or 3 years, one day something clicked: she is my mother not as a mother to a little child, but a mother to an unborn child. I couldn't relate to her because we were distant but because we were too close. Once I understood that I just relaxed and rested and let my mother do the rest."

Day 6 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse       

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

O Little Flower of Jesus, you have shown yourself so powerful in your intercession, so tender and compassionate toward those who honour you and invoke you in suffering and distress, that I kneel at your feet with perfect confidence and beseech you most humbly and earnestly to take me under your protection in my present necessity and obtain for me the favour I ask in this novena ... Vouchsafe to recommend my request to Mary, the merciful Queen of Heaven, that she may plead my cause with you before the throne of Jesus, her divine Son. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Sister Maria of the Resurrection's Something about Mary       
"Mary means a great deal to me - she's my mother, my friend, my companion in the noviciate. She walks side by side with me, holds me by my hand and guides me all the way through."

Day 7 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse       

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

Thérèse of the Child Jesus, most loving Saint, in union with you I adore the divine Majesty. My heart is filled with joy at the remembrance of the marvellous favours with which God blessed your life on earth and of the great glory that came to you after death. In union with you, I praise God, and offer him my humble tribute of thanksgiving. I implore you to obtain for me, through your powerful intercession, the greatest of all blessings - that of living and dying in the state of grace. I also beg of you to secure for me the special favour I seek in this novena....

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Mother Mary of St Joseph's Something about Mary      
"My favourite title of Our Lady is her Greek title Theotokos, the God bearer. To me is the woman who was able to bear such close encounter with God, she is the one who leads us close to God. Therefore she's our model of prayer, our model of  the interior of life, the one who was able to remain so close to God she actually bore direct encounter with God."

Day 8 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse       

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

O glorious St Thérèse, who, burning with the desire of increasing the glory of God, invariably attended to the sanctification of your soul by the constant practice of prayer and charity so that, becoming in the Church a model of holiness, you are now in Heaven the protector of all those who have recourse to you in faith, look down upon me who invokes your powerful patronage and join your petition to mine that I be granted the favour I seek in this novena....

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Sister Patricia of the Heart of Mary's Something about Mary       
"Our Lady means to me something very beautiful. A beautiful person, beautiful to look at, beautiful personality, somebody who is very loving and accepting, and who's also protective and will help, help us in any way whatever. When I was a novice, my novice mistress used to say to me 'If you need reminding, go to your guardian angel, but remember he'll only remind you once.' And I used to think 'No, I'm going to Our Lady because she's a mother and she'll keep on reminding you.'"

Day 9 of Totus2us's Novena to Saint Thérèse      

O St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. Make my troubles your own, speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of Heaven “who smiled on you at the dawn of life.” Beg her powerful intercession for the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment... and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who did inflame with the Spirit of Love, the soul of your servant Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love you and make you much loved. Amen.

O St Thérèse, seraphic virgin, beloved spouse of our crucified Lord, you who on earth did burn with a love so intense toward your God and my God, and now glow with a bright and purer flame in paradise, obtain for me, I beseech you, a spark of that same holy fire which shall help me to put things of the world in their proper place and live my life always conscious of the presence of God. As I conclude my novena I also beg of you to secure for me the special favour I seek at this time ...

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall, world without end. Amen.
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.
          x24

Sister Christine of the Trinity's Something about Mary      
"One of my favourite pictures of Our Lady is Our Lady of Notting Hill. It was one of the sisters here who had an apparition of Our Lady and some time afterwards she drew what she saw. The picture is very powerful, it's called 'The Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary', and just looking at it is a real prayer. And she leads us through life and through the summit of Mount Carmel, which is our Order, through trials and joys and everything, she's always there and that picture is a reminder to me. She's also full of grace, she's full of the Blessed Trinity and she lets us participate in her life. I think that's wonderful - not only for me, for everybody."

The Little Flower

There is a little story attached to the reciting of 24 'Glory Be's in this novena -

Father Putigan SJ began the novena to Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus on 3rd December 1925, asking her for one great favour. For 9 days he recited the 'Glory Be' 24 times, thanking the Holy Trinity for the favours and graces showered on St Thérèse during her 24 years. He asked St Thérèse that, as a sign that his novena was being heard, he would receive a freshly plucked rose from someone. On the 3rd day of the novena, an unknown person sought out Father Putigan and presented him with a beautiful rose.

Father Putigan began a 2nd novena on 24th December 1925 and this time asked for a white rose as a sign. On the 4th day of this novena, one of the Sister-nurses brought him a white rose, saying, “Saint Thérèse sent you this.” Amazed, he asked “Where did you get this?” The Sister replied “I was in the chapel, and as I was leaving, I passed the altar above which hangs the beautiful picture of Saint Thérèse. This rose fell at my feet. I wanted to put it back in the bouquet, but a thought came to me that you should have it.”

Father Putigan received the favours he had petitioned of the Little Flower of Jesus, and promised to spread the novena to increase devotion to, and bring her more honour.