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BLESSED ELIZABETH
OF THE TRINITY
1880 - 1906

    Update 15 (29th January 2006)

ELIZABETH AND THERESE

Part I

Notes Scope,limitations, disclaimers.
Background Introduction.
The Available Material.
The Impact of the life of Therese on Elizabeth.
Elizabeth's familiarity
with Histoire d'une Ame.		 Introduction.
Prior to Carmel.
In Carmel - Postulant.
In Carmel - Novice.
Comment. -







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'ELIZABETH and THERESE'

(Part I)


“Like St Teresa of the Child Jesus, and perhaps under her influence, she found her vocation in love.” [1]


NOTES

1. Where Fr De Meester has been quoted or paraphrased, in translation, any misrepresentation in his intended meaning is unintentional and is regretted.
2. There is no intention of discussing in detail the spiritual doctrine of St Therese, or of contrasting this with that of Bl. Elizabeth. This is covered in: ‘Two Sisters in the Spirit’, Hans Urs Von Balthasar, Ignatius, 1992.
3. A translation of Chapter XI of Histoire d'une Ame is on the web-site. Find it from the 'Index'.
4. References '[ ]' in this Update are neither 'active' nor provided with 'tool-tips'. Access to the expanded references is obtained by clicking the active track of the twin tracks on the left side of this text.
5. The opinions expressed are those of the site owner and as such may not be assumed to reflect or to represent the official teaching of Holy Mother Church at any time past or present, neither are those opinions intended in any way as criticism by the site owner of Holy Mother Church or her pastors.


BACKGROUND

 Introduction.
Fr De Meester’s footnotes to Elizabeth’s letters and poems, written both prior to Carmel and in Carmel, identify words, phrases, and themes which are to be found in ‘The Story of a Soul’ written by Sr Therese of Lisieux. For example, out of 323 letters (extant) and 54 poems (extant) written after May 1899 [2]; 107 letters and 34 poems contain such material [3]. This is hardly to be wondered at: not only did Elizabeth copy selected texts into her notebooks [4]; she had an excellent memory as a gifted pianist; and was but one of many devotees from every walk of life, both then and now, upon whom the book has made a lasting impression.

In previous updates, following Fr De Meester’s remark that to really know Elizabeth one must ‘live’ in her times [5]; an overview was given of the town in which she lived [6], and people she could turn to for spiritual advice [7]. In the present update, the overview is extended to the influence [8] which Sr Therese of Lisieux would have had on Elizabeth both prior to, and in Carmel. From the time of her death, the ‘angelic nun’ was honouring her promise to do good on earth. As the reported physical cures, conversions to the faith, and ‘miracles’, escalated in number; so the fame of this nun was spread far and wide. The Carmel of Lisieux was besieged by potential postulants; so many, in fact, that they had to be directed to other convents. This must have been upsetting to Elizabeth, especially as her mind was in turmoil over her vocation.

No one can doubt that Sr Therese would have had an influence on Elizabeth, even before her autobiography became generally available. Not only did she read the book, no doubt friends read it as well and it was discussed. The mental strain must have been considerable. There would have been no let up initially in Carmel, because Mother Germaine referred to Sr Therese as the ‘novice mistress of Dijon’. Hence Sr Elizabeth would have had a sound knowledge of Sr Therese’s spirituality by the time she was professed. Thereafter, one would have expected Sr Elizabeth to develop some parts of that spirituality, making it her own and putting her stamp upon it, as a result of being docile to the Holy Spirit without whom she could do nothing (Jn 15:5).

No attempt has been made to compare, or to contrast, Therese and Elizabeth; for although their ways appear distinct, they seek a common goal. Fr Philipon writes, “The Carmelite of Lisieux radiantly covers the whole Catholic world with rose petals scattered for love. She has taught the modern world how it can once more become “a child with the Good God”. The Carmelite of Dijon fulfils her mission in interior souls. Sister Elizabeth was the saint of silence and recollection.” Later on, he writes, “While St Teresa of the Child Jesus has drawn innumerable souls after her in her offering as victim to the merciful love of God, it seems to be the mission of Sr Elizabeth of the Trinity to raise up in the Church a multitude of “praises of Glory” of the Trinity.” [9]. But as E.I.Watkin notes, “Since God and man are what they are, there cannot substantially be more than one way of union between them, the way of surrendered and aspiring will. But Elizabeth presents it more contemplatively, as a way of prayer from which, when necessary, action and suffering will follow … “ [10].

 The Available Material.
A time-line for Therese and Elizabeth is given below.

1873Jan. Birth of Therese in Alencon, France.
1880Jul.
    Birth of Elizabeth in Bourges, France.
1888Apr. Entry of Therese into Lisieux Carmel.
1897Sep. Death of Sr Therese.
1898Sep. 1st Ed. of ‘Histoire d’une Ame’.
1899Jul.
    Elizabeth attends Mission in Dijon.
1899May 2nd Ed. of ‘Histoire d’une Ame’.
1901Aug.
    Entry of Elizabeth into Dijon Carmel.
1906Nov.
    Death of Sr Elizabeth.

Although Therese was born 7 years earlier than Elizabeth, and had died before Elizabeth entered Carmel; it is not unreasonable to posit that in childhood they would have shared the same background to their emerging religious thoughts, beliefs, and practices. Therese died almost unknown outside of Carmel: a biographer notes that her funeral cortege was ‘very small’ [11]. However, even with the restricted publication of the ‘Histoire d’une Ame’, that was soon to change; and by popular demand the book had to be reprinted: not once, but many times over, albeit in revised form, and it is still a best seller. Love had taken the world by storm. The ‘natural freshness and beauty’ [12] of the story leap from almost every page. It was a book written by a young saintly nun under obedience. She wrote as the thoughts came, paying no attention to referencing or sourcing of her material. Undoubtedly, had she done this, the ‘freshness and beauty’ would have been lost.

Prior to publication sourcing was added for Bible, St John of the Cross, Imitation, Liturgy, and Divine Office references; as well as mini-biographies for some of the named persons in the book. However, the need to quantify the use of language: words, idioms, expressions; and anecdotes, familiar to the Carmel, or in use at the time, would not have been realised. After all, the book had been intended only for circulation to French Carmels [13] and other religious. The book had a mixed reception, it was cautiously received in some quarters simply because the Sr Therese’s age. Fortunately, sufficient copies had been loaned by the Carmels to Priests and friends, for the general public to take an interest. In no time, the demand for copies had to be met by a new edition. It is interesting to note that by 1915, over 200,000 copies of the book had been sold. Comparative figures for the ‘Souvenirs’ of Sr Elizabeth give 25,000 copies sold by 1919.

As originally published the ‘Histoire d’une Ame’ contained 3 manuscripts, several minor texts, 18 fragments of letters to her sister Celine, and some of her poems. The manuscripts, letters, and poems, had been corrected and edited prior to first publication. It is important to note that it is this edited version which Elizabeth read: in these notes, references are to that edition of ‘Histoire d’une Ame’. Since that time, translations have been made from original documents prior to editing by the Carmel, and the standard version accepted throughout the English-speaking world is that by Fr John Clark (1975) referred to as the ‘Story of a Soul’: where possible in these notes cross-references between HA and SS are given.

One gets the feeling that sourcing should be done using the 1975 edition, because of the care and scholarship which has gone into the translation. Yet it must be remembered that Sr Therese authorized Mother Agnes to ‘re-arrange, cut-out, and add’ with regard to her original manuscript. Fr Micheal Day states that the 1898 edition reveals the ‘real’ Therese as well as a ‘correct’ version of her teaching. The latter, in spite of the fact that the greater part of her writing was in the form of letters.

This surely is an added reason for working with the 1899 edition in these notes. Consider two examples, which also illustrate the difficulty of sourcing some of the material.

The first example refers to Therese as a child who, in common with Elizabeth, believed that in Holy Communion Jesus comes to us, and is within us, in the Heaven of our soul: the same text is in HA and SS [14]. Elizabeth would have read about this in HA well before she met Fr Vallee and learned, from him, about the indwelling of the Holy Trinity. Why was she was so ecstatic? Surely, because she had not been aware of this vital truth. One is tempted to suggest, that had Elizabeth been able to read what Therese had originally written: which is actually in SS; she would have known about the indwelling of the Holy Trinity, simply because Therese knew about it, and was it not on the Feast of the Holy Trinity that she wrote her ‘Oblation to Merciful Love’! When the original text was corrected by the Carmel, the concluding words “the living temple of the adorable Trinity!” appear to have been deleted. For the argument to stand it is necessary to assume that Elizabeth had not read, or realised the significance of, the opening lines of the final stanza of ‘Mon Ciel à Moi’ [15].

Did Elizabeth subsequently adapt those words for her own use in the oft-quoted saying, “I have found my Heaven on earth … “ [16]? Probably not, because Fr De Meester has sourced the saying as similar to one by Lacordaire, which Elizabeth had included in a letter when she was an extra-muros [17]. This is plausible, because many of the rich sayings of Lacordaire were common knowledge to many of the Carmels. Furthermore, it would be a reason for deleting a reference to the Trinity in HA.

The second example refers to a spontaneous prayer by Elizabeth following a talk at the great mission on the Passion of Christ, given on Good Friday (31st March 1899). In it Elizabeth wrote that she would “return love for love and blood for blood.” [18]. Now, in an equally passionate prayer, Therese writes of shedding her blood to the very last drop [19]: the corrected version in HA simply refers to a martyrdom [20]. Note here, that Therese based her material on a letter to a missionary Priest who, she hoped, would give Jesus “blood for blood” after a life of giving Him “love for love” [21]. Obviously Elizabeth could not have seen this letter; in all probability, she would not have seen a 1st edition of HA; and her mission prayer was dated 2 months before the publication of the 2nd Edition of HA. Nevertheless, the texts are very similar: and with good reason. The words, “I wish to return love for love, blood for blood, if necessary.” are part of a very old prayer to the ‘Precious Blood’ [22].

In another part of that same prayer, Elizabeth tells Jesus that she would be ready to live in hell in order to glorify Him in prayer [23]. Sr Therese was also prepared to be in hell that Jesus might be loved from there [24]. Did Elizabeth have Therese’s words in her mind when she made her prayer, or was she recalling similar words from the ‘Way of Perfection’ [25]?

Therese’s autobiography was the only written material freely available at that time. Elizabeth would not have had access to the 247 letters (extant) [26], the collected poems, or the ‘Novissima Verba’ (apart from extracts in CH.XII of HA), of Therese. Reference to this additional material is made, only when necessary as background, in these notes. In summary, the ‘influence’ of Therese on Elizabeth, a century ago, would have been limited to the 1899 edition of her autobiography, ‘Histoire d’une Ame’: both as it was read and interpreted by her; and as it was interpreted by Mother Germaine in the novitiate later.

The principal aim of these notes then, is to identify words, and phrases; which occur in both the autobiography of Sr Therese and the Letters, Poems, and Personal notes of Sr Elizabeth; highlighting obvious similarities or differences in meaning and context, and the manner in which the material was used. From this study, it may be found that specific parts of the ‘Histoire d’une Ame’ appealed to Elizabeth, and that there is a clear time-pattern to these. However, these notes are an insufficient base from which to quantify either the overall influence of the autobiography or the contribution, if any [27], to the on-going development of Elizabeth’s spirituality during her short lifetime. A lifetime too short to “allow her time to discover fully her personal style and vocabulary” [28].

 The Impact of the Life of Sr Therese on Elizabeth.
Although the first signs of Sr Therese’ illness were known to near relatives during Holy Week 1896, it was more than a year before even her community at Lisieux realised that she was so seriously ill. She died on September 30th 1897, after a period of great suffering; so it is not unreasonable to assume that, during her lifetime, Sr Therese was little known outside of Carmel [29].

When did Elizabeth first learn about Sr Therese? Recall that although Elizabeth was a frequent visitor to the Dijon Carmel, often assisting the ‘white veil’ sisters, this was stopped by her Mother just before 15th October 1897 following a visit from the parish Priest [30]. How much ‘before’ is not known; so Elizabeth may not have learned of Sr Therese’s death from the Carmel. If the visit by the Priest was made during October, then he may well have known of Sr Therese’s death; and could have mentioned this to the Mother while, at the same time, urging her not to stand in the way of her daughter pursuing a Carmelite vocation.

By the time Elizabeth had been able to read the ’Histoire d’une Ame’ [31], she would already have been aware that Sr Therese had died young, had died after suffering greatly over the preceding months, and had died as a Bride of Christ passionately in love with her Bridegroom. In other words, Sr Therese had experienced everything which Elizabeth herself longed to experience. Furthermore, the ground had been tilled and was ready for sowing: Elizabeth had been deeply affected by the great mission two months, or so, earlier, and entering Carmel was uppermost in her mind. With this background, one would be justified in assuming that she read the book at ‘one sitting’. Enthralled by this “Canticle of Love” [32] perhaps she then said, “That is the truth” - reminiscent of Edith Stein’s words, many years later, after reading at one sitting, ‘The Life of St Teresa of Avila, written by herself’ [33]. The book would have been a source of tremendous encouragement as she crossed the bridge to Carmel: in no small measure, because Sr Therese’s “every moment was a living refutation of Jansenism” [34]. It provided Elizabeth with an alternative viewpoint for some of the material contained in the talks of the great mission.

Elizabeth would have identified with a young girl facing opposition to her wish to enter Carmel: albeit from a different source. She would have delighted in the fact that determination and prayer finally won the day, although doubtless there was that harmless little tinge of jealousy [35] when she realised that Therese was only 15 years of age when she entered Carmel. Inevitably she would note the close relationship between Therese and Celine, comparing it with that which existed between herself and Guite.

In Carmel, Mother Germaine’s love for Sr Therese would have deepened Sr Elizabeth’s appreciation of her spirituality. It is noteworthy that each of the ‘3-theologians’ [36] has referred to the same quotation in Elizabeth’s letters which clearly expressed her love for her spiritual sister: “a little Carmelite named Therese, who died … in the odour of sanctity … her grace is to … launch (souls) on waves of love, confidence, and abandonment.” [37]. These were no idle words, but words born of a deep love; and it was not surprising that when Sr Elizabeth was required to pray to regain the use her legs, it was Therese to whom she prayed [38].


ELIZABETH’S FAMILIARITY WITH THE ‘HISTOIRE D’AME’.

 Introduction.
When did Elizabeth first learn of the existence of Sr Therese’s autobiography’? Note that the first edition of the book replaced the customary circular to the Carmels, following the death of a nun, and that this was published on September 30th 1898. The ban on Elizabeth visiting Carmel was still in place, but would be lifted on March 26th 1899. When she visited the Carmel on June 20th 1899, and made her formal request to Mother Marie to become a nun [39] it is probable that she knew about the book. By that time, so great had been its impact, albeit as modified by Mother Agnes; a second edition had been published by popular demand on May 24th 1899 [40]. Fr De Meester confirms this was the edition read by Elizabeth [41].

Any correlation between material in HA with similar material in the letters, poems, and personal notes of Elizabeth before that date, has been assumed ‘usage of the age’ in which they both lived. For example: Elizabeth used the expression “Thousand Madnesses” for the first time in her diary entry D135. Fr De Meester notes, “Perhaps this is the very first allusion to HA” [42], and he quotes Sr Therese’s use of the expression in HA [43]. Did Elizabeth copy the expression from HA? Quite unlikely, because the diary entry was dated April 5th 1899: 7 weeks prior to the publication of the 2nd edition of HA. Then, could this be ‘usage of the time’? In his introduction to the Diary, Fr De Meester refers the ‘post-romanticism which filled the air’ in 1899, and to Elizabeth’s interest in the poetry and music of the age [44]. Perhaps, she was familiar with the works of de Balzac and the writing of Mouton: both of whom used the expression ‘thousand madnesses’, which was no doubt in common circulation [45]. Yes, it could be usage of the time.

Elizabeth’s poem written for the feast day of St Teresa in 1899, provides a second example of common usage. In her poem she refers to the nuns as ‘prisoners’ because of the enclosure and mentions the ‘grilles’ of Carmel twice: 2 words that appear often in her letters from Carmel. It would be impossible to imply any influence from HA [46]

 Prior to Carmel.
The first clear evidence that Elizabeth had been reading HA is in a personal note entitled, “Make me a martyr of Your Love” [47], dated 16th November 1899. This may well have been triggered by the approach of winter: Elizabeth once more being caught up in the round of social engagements and dreading it [48]. The shortness of the note rather suggests that Elizabeth had been at pains to learn Sr Therese’s “Act of Offering” [49]: 4 handwritten copies are in existence [50]; because of the manner in which those parts which had been copied [51] in her prayer, reflect her hidden life [52]. There followed a second personal note [53] written at about the same time as a Diary entry [54] marking the start of the retreat in January 1900. Again she referred to the “Act of Offering”, specifically offering herself as a victim of love. Note as well how Elizabeth picked up Sr Therese’s beautiful declaration of her nothingness: that she truly had nothing, “I want to be holy (a saint) but I feel my weakness, and I ask You, O my God, to be Yourself my holiness (sanctity).” [55]. Finally, towards the end of the retreat, following a talk on the Eucharist, Elizabeth expressed her feelings in spontaneous prayer. Like Therese, she was unable to receive Holy Communion every day; but she knew that Jesus never left her ‘poor heart’ which was like a ‘small host’ [56]. In her ‘Act of Offering’ Sr Therese presented the same idea as, ’rest in me as in the Tabernacle’ [57].

Elizabeth’s Diary finishes at the end of the Retreat and the very last sentence reads, “Elizabeth must disappear so that only Jesus remains” [58]: apart from one word, the same sentence, in the same context, concludes a personal note written on the same day [59]. The sentence confirms her quest for holiness, and echoes Sr Therese’s reminiscences of her First Communion, “Therese had disappeared, Jesus alone remained.” [60]. Perhaps no part of HA moved Elizabeth as deeply as those reminiscences [61]. One may argue that the context is different: for while Elizabeth was referring principally to her will being subsumed; Sr Therese was referring to a ‘fusion’ following Holy Communion. However, the argument is lost when Sr Therese goes on to liken the nature of the disappearance to that of a drop of water disappearing in the ocean: an imagery which she used in another context later in HA [62]. This would have appealed to Elizabeth’s imagination, as she was fascinated by the sea [63], and she adapted it to her own use in 3 letters from Carmel [64].

Another personal note written prior to Carmel [65] on the Feast of The Assumption (1900), is perhaps unusual because it was written while she was on holiday [66]. Undoubtedly, she was distressed at the time; as was shown by her behaviour when visiting a Carmel in the area [67], and maybe this triggered the note. Again, did she have a copy of HA with her on holiday: perhaps that was the trigger; previously she had taken books on holiday with her [68]? In the note she began by stating her abandonment to the divine Will, and she mentioned her promise of mortification and humility made at the end of the January retreat, which she had already included in a previous note [69]. However, the body of the note was an extension to yet another previous note [70] in which she had offered Jesus the use of the ‘cell of her heart’ as a little Bethany. In the new note she referred to the cell in Theresian terms as a ‘poor little’ cell [71]. The only decorations were to be flowers: lots of flowers, with each flower representing a small sacrifice of the moment and offered to Jesus in love. Sr Therese proposed showing her love by throwing flowers [72], she always had a loved for flowers and is often referred to as the ‘little flower’ [73].

One more note was written: a spontaneous prayer following a vigil on Maundy Thursday 1901 [74]. Fr De Meester notes the similarity between a part of her prayer and 2 lines of verse 3 of Sr Therese’s poem, ‘Jesus Alone’ [75]; and also that Elizabeth had copied parts of the poem into her notebooks. It is not unreasonable to suggest these thoughts welled-up in her mind as she prayed and that the similarity actually extends to 3 lines of the verse, and to the closing words of her prayer; since each is then an expression of Sr Therese’s ‘Little Way’. When the poem was written, Sr Therese was experiencing a ‘dark night’. Perhaps it is conjecture to suggest that during Holy Week, Elizabeth may also have been experiencing a ‘dark night’: her Mother was ill and the family was suffering because of Elizabeth’s desire to enter Carmel [76], and a month later in a letter she confirmed that she was experiencing a ‘dark night’ [77].

Prior to Carmel, Elizabeth’s vocation was a part of her hidden life. One would not expect to find evidence of her interest in HA in letters of this time, except to those persons who shared her ‘secret’: namely her extra-muros ‘sisters’ and her childhood confidant Canon Angles. Mention has been made above of her ‘dark night’ [77, bis]. Seeking to express her experience of this in writing, she made use of Sr Therese’s imagery [78] of an impenetrable wall. There are a further 3 letters of interest. She was clearly excited by her discovery of the imagery of the Divine Eagle [79] and its prey of love [80], which is in Chapter XI of HA. In the one letter [81] she identifies ‘prey of love’ with ‘victim of love’ [82], an expression which she had found in the ‘Act of Offering’. Finally, in a letter to Canon Angles [83] she explains the importance to her of ‘Living on Love’, the title of one of Sr Therese’s finest poems [84]: Fr De Meester refers to this poem as Elizabeth’s ‘programme’ [85]: a syllabus for her studies in Carmel.

‘Histoire d’une Ame’ must have seemed like a gift from heaven to Elizabeth, and in the 2 years prior to Carmel she probably became familiar with every page of the book and copied many passages into her notebooks. She even adopted the idea of having a personal ‘motto’, and determined her own [86]. Her Diary entries, Personal Notes, and Letters reveal that she had identified what for her was the kernel: the ‘Act of Offering’; two poems: ‘To Live by Love’ and ‘Jesus Alone’; and imagery to found in Chapter XI [87]. Without doubt Sr Therese’s book had made a profound impression on her: Elizabeth would ‘make it her own’. Yes, she had already begun to copy the spirituality of Sr Therese; but, with her background as a gifted pianist, she would wish to extemporize under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

 In Carmel – Postulant (2nd August 1901- 8th December 1901)
Before Elizabeth left home for the last time, she knelt before the picture of her father and asked for his blessing [88]. Likewise, before Therese went into the Carmel, she asked for the blessing of her father [89]. The 4 months in Carmel before being clothed allowed Sr Elizabeth to adjust to, and learn about, life in Carmel: all things were ‘delightful’ [90]; and to set about recovering her health. In this period the content of many of her letters, was intended to set the minds of her friends in the world at ease with regard to religious life; including, of course, her immediate family who would now be numbered amongst her correspondents. Among her first written activities was the completion of a questionnaire [91], 4 answers of which drew clearly on material from HA: Qu.1: she used the title of the poem ‘To live by love’ [92] to describe her ideal of sanctity: this she had previously mentioned in a letter to Canon Angles [93]; Qu.2: the quickest way to reach sanctity was to adopt Sr Therese’s Little Way [94]; Qu.12: at death, she wished to ‘fall into the arms’ of love [96]; and finally in Qu.13: she was ‘at one’ with Sr Therese in wanting to experience all forms of martyrdom: especially that of love [95].

As in her pre-Carmel letters, Sr Elizabeth’s love for Holy Communion frequently found expression in her letters [97]. She wrote to her sister repeating St Therese’s message in the Act of Offering: that Jesus was within us, just as in a small Host in the Tabernacle. The theme of nuns as prisoners [98] was developed further as she focussed on the idea of Carmel as a ‘prison of love’ thereby conveying the twin ideas of the love of the nuns: prisoners in Carmel; and the Love of Jesus: a prisoner in the Tabernacle [99]. Sr Elizabeth reminded her sister [100] that Jesus, the guest in our soul, had lovingly become our prisoner. Sr Therese included the ideas of the Host, Tabernacle and Prisoner in 3 of her poems [101].

In 2 of her letters from Carmel [46, bis] Sr Therese stressed that the grilles were neither a barrier between souls nor an obstacle to being with her friends wherever they were. From time-to-time Sr Elizabeth found it necessary to re-assure friends and relations, that the Carmel grille did not separate her from those she loved [102]. Obviously, they believed that it did. In a letter [103] to a young friend she wrote that the grilles did not exist for our hearts. Sr Therese made the same point, when she wrote that the grilles strengthened the love of souls who loved each other in Jesus [104]. In other words, the grille teaches detachment, with all our love being for Jesus alone, Who we ‘see’ in every created thing. Sr Elizabeth took this tenet to a logical conclusion by setting up a ‘rendez-vous of prayer’ in Him [105] with each loved one in her ‘union of souls’.

Seeing Jesus in every created thing [106] meant there could be no horizon in Carmel, for there was no horizon in God [107]. This principle was fleshed-out in a letter [108], referring to the wonderful scenery that her Mother was seeing while on holiday, when she wrote that all of these sights were available to her ‘in God’. On this point, Fr De Meester draws attention to Sr Therese’s poem, ‘What I have loved’ [109], with its poignant stanza 36(SS). The poem was intended to draw Celine’s attention to all of the beauties of nature which she had given up on entering Carmel [110]. The ‘valleys’ and ‘lakes’ of Sr Elizabeth’s letter are included [111], and linked to the Spiritual Canticle. The point of the poem, which had been picked up by Sr Elizabeth, was that one should always love these marvels of nature because they ‘speak to us’ of God; but they were as nothing when compared with the grandeur of our souls [112]. As a postulant, Sr Elizabeth found that the sight of the sky at night helped her to raise her soul to God [113].

Returning to the questionnaire which Elizabeth completed, the phrase ‘arms of love’ was explicitly mentioned in answer to Qu.12, and implicit in her answer about the ‘little way’, Qu.2. The phrase which is so natural to human behaviour appeared in 3 letters [114]. As Sr Therese ‘discovered’, God is ever ready to gather us to Himself in a like manner [115]. Sr Elizabeth took on the role of comforter to her Mother [116]; she observed the trust of a little child in the Mother’s arms [117]; and she encouraged a young friend to abandon herself in the arms of God [118]. These are all perfectly natural variations on a theme: a theme to be found in one of the earliest entries in Elizabeth’s Diary [119]; and, at least, in 3 of the poems of Sr Therese [120].

On the day of her clothing, Sr Elizabeth sang: “Oh let me sing on this beautiful day; yes, let me sing of Love; a Love which makes me a prisoner, to be completely consumed” [121]. To be consumed [122], as Sr Therese had wished to be consumed in her Act of Offering.

 In Carmel – Novice (8th December 1901 – 10th January 1903)
When she was in the novitiate, Sr Elizabeth wrote 52 letters, 12 poems, and 1 personal note. Of these, perhaps 18 letters and 5 poems contain material that could be obviously linked to HA. That does not imply that the other 32 letters, 7 poems and the personal note are not linked in any way to material in HA.. One would expect that they are, and that they become increasingly so as Sr Elizabeth selectively studies HA. This could be reflected in nothing more than a changing style over the course of the novitiate. Perhaps such material would have been out of place in the some of the remaining letters and poems. For example, a classification, broadly according to recipient and chief topic, is: Sr Elizabeth’s joy at being clothed and, later on, her forthcoming Profession, (8); requesting errands to be run by family and friends, for music, dress material etc., (8); answering prayer requests for illness and bereavements, (8); conveying best wishes for happy events, holidays, etc., to friends in the world, (4); acknowledgement of personal good wishes and for presents to the Carmel, (3); and letters to other religious, (1). The occasions marked by the 7 poems were: special occasions for her sister (2); Sr Elizabeth’s first two Christmas’s in Carmel; the first death which she had witnessed in Carmel; the feast day of the sub-Prioress and her ‘angel’; and the feast day of the Prioress.

During her year-long novitiate Sr Elizabeth would have studied HA afresh, deepening her understanding of Sr Therese’s spirituality under the tutelage of Mother Germaine: a profoundly spiritual Novice Mistress. [123]. Reading selected letters and poems, one senses a feeling of growing confidence as the year proceeds. Familiar topics found earlier are present, such as: offering herself as a victim of love, and living by love; along with the imagery afforded by flowers, the ocean, and ‘arms of love’. There are some curiosities in need of explanation, for example: the word ‘prisoner(s)’ only appeared in letters early in the year (with a single exception), being ‘replaced’ by ‘captive’ [124]; and references to ‘arms of love’ were more numerous in letters during the middle of the year.

Writing to another extra-muros in April 1901 [125] Elizabeth proposed the motto ‘God in me, I in Him’. She repeated this as her final answer in the questionnaire completed soon after entry into Carmel. Then, one week before her Clothing, she wrote to her childhood confident, Canon Angles, “Ask Him that I may live no longer, but that He might live in me” [126]. The consequences of this desire for ‘union’ would have been forming in her mind as she read HA and absorbed images of, ‘arms of love’, ‘prisoner of love’, and ‘drop in the ocean’. For, in selected letters following Clothing, she appeared to be seeking a common base for these images in her ‘union of souls’. The ‘Heaven of our souls’ (i.e., Heaven in faith) was an obvious choice.

Sr Elizabeth was always overjoyed that in Holy Communion, Jesus was actually present, and she expressed her feelings in the anniversary poem for her First Communion [127]. She was also overjoyed to read, and re-read, about Sr Therese’s feelings at her First Communion: ‘Heaven resided in her soul’ [128]; no longer did she simply look at Him: a fusion had taken place; and Therese had disappeared like a drop in the ocean, to leave only Jesus. These were (and are) precious thoughts and over the next year were only used in 3 letters: to her sister (2) and to another nun (1) [129]. However, when Elizabeth first read HA, did she really appreciate the meaning of what Sr Therese had written? She used expressions similar to ‘Heaven in our soul’ in some 7 letters during her novitiate [130], in a manner suggestive of fleshing-out the basic concept: that one possessed Heaven in faith; that Heaven was within one and one was within that Heaven; that God was there; that your loved ones were there; that you became increasingly homesick for the real thing. Six months after her Profession, she succinctly wrote: “ He is in us, we in Him, and isn’t that Heaven on earth?” [131]. Exactly a year earlier [132], she had written, “It seems to me that I have found my Heaven on earth … . The day that I understood that everything became clear to me”. Accepting the vagaries of language, this remark does seem to indicate a recent ‘understanding’: perhaps at the start of her novitiate rather than on first reading HA; which would be in line with her study of HA in the novitiate under the guidance of Mother Germaine.

Mother Germaine may have drawn her attention to phrases such as ‘speaking heart-to-heart’, ‘my Saviour listens to me’, ‘feeling within’, selected from the poem “Heaven for me” [133]; in which Sr Therese sought to express what ‘Heaven in faith’ meant for her. This conjecture is supported by Sr Elizabeth’s reference to the Little Way in one of her poems dated for Mother Germaine’s feast-day [134], since Stanza 4 of ‘Heaven for me’ centres on the Little Way: abandonment, being a child, held in the arms of the Father, and Love. In another letter to the lady who was made privy to her finding ‘Heaven on earth’, Sr Elizabeth revealed that she had followed the Little Way during her dark night [135]. She revealed to her sister that, without the security of lying in the arms of Jesus as a little child, she would never have been able to enter Carmel [136]. She used the memory of this to encourage a young friend, who had personal problems, to abandon herself to Him as a child does to its Mother [137].

Sr Therese’s Little Way did make an impression on Sr Elizabeth, but note that she has stressed using it herself at the time of her entry into Carmel. Is it merely conjecture to posit that, at the time of writing the 3 letters mentioned above, she is using it still to cope with her dark night. Her letters at the start of the novitiate contain a plethora of material identifiable with HA, but this is no longer so toward the middle of the year. Her problems will have been masked by the joy of her sister’s engagement and forthcoming wedding, nevertheless there was a falling off in letters during August and September. This must have been apparent to Mother Germaine, since it occasioned Father Vallee to remark, “What have you done to my Elizabeth” [138] at the time of the annual retreat in October. The point being, that even if Sr Elizabeth was still studying HA in the novitiate, she would not have benefited overmuch from her studies during that difficult time.

Returning to the Little Way, the trauma of her entry, and of Jesus carrying her in His arms, was generously portrayed in a letter to a First Communicant [139]; and continuing with the imagery she mentioned how she was ‘in chains’ as a ‘prisoner of love. The image ‘in chains’ is synonymous with ‘imprisonment’ [140]. The image ‘in chains’ was also in a short note written on the back of a holy card [141]; and, most likely, was sent to Guite on her birthday. The note contains 7 Theresian images: ‘lost in Him’; ‘drop of water in the ocean’; (to) ‘fuse’ ; ‘rendez-vous’; ‘in chains’; ‘captive’; and ‘invade’. There was some suggestion that Sr Elizabeth may have thought that her sister might consider the religious life [142]. The images, ‘lost in Him’, ‘drop of water in the ocean’ and (to) ‘fuse’, associated with Sr Therese’s First Communion, have been mentioned previously [143]. In the birthday note, ‘fuse’ was extended, to further illustrate the ‘union of souls’: if the souls of Elizabeth and Guite had made a ‘rendez-vous in Him, and were separately ‘fused’ in Him, then they had become one soul in Him, with Him in them.

It is suggested by Fr De Meester [144] that the image of the ‘captive’ was inspired by Sr Therese’s poem, ‘The Aviary of the Child Jesus’, in which nuns were portrayed as captives kept in a golden cage [145]. The words ‘captive’ or ‘captivated’, as used in almost all of Sr Elizabeth’s letters from Carmel, refer to Christ captivating the heart or Christ taking one captive [146]. However, in one letter [147] Sr Elizabeth wrote of Christ wanting to remain our captive. Sr Elizabeth revealed her distinction between ‘captive’ and ‘prisoner’ in a very deep sentence, “I am a prisoner of the divine Prisoner, we are each other’s captives” [148]; having written earlier, “He is a prisoner for me, and I am a prisoner for Him!” [149].

The image that Sr Elizabeth wished to convey by ‘invade’ [150], she likened to the sun shining into an enclosure; illuminating, and warming, every nook and cranny. She repeated the word in 13 letters from Carmel [151], with marginally different phrasing. Prior to her Profession she identified it with (Gal. 2:20) [152]; she used it in her Prayer to the Trinity [153]; and then only once more in January 1906 [154].

Two letters written to a former novice [155] remind one of Elizabeth’s letters to an extra-muros prior to Carmel. She referred to a ‘prey’ of love; synonymous with a ‘victim of love’; and to a union of souls with a rendez-vous at the foot of the Cross. Love is the keyword: remaining in Love (John 15:9); living in Love [156]; and surrendered to Love. ‘Surrender’ is a favourite word with Sr Elizabeth: appearing in 22 of her letters from Carmel [157]. A letter explaining her use of the Little Way and the need for abandonment, is completed by her understanding of the word, ‘surrender’: “Abandonment, … is what allows us to surrender to God” [158]. Another word, appearing for the first time in her letters [159], is ‘virginize’ [160]; which Sr Elizabeth may have noted in the poem, ‘Jesus, my Beloved, Remember’ [161]. She only used the word again in 2 consecutive poems [162] written very shortly after the letter.

The poems of this period do not shed further light on the influence of HA on Sr Elizabeth, but, as noted above, there is an unmistakable maturity, and confidence, about them. She wrote a long poem to mark the Resurrection [163]: most of the Theresian words discussed above are found, although not ‘prisoner’ or ‘grille’. ’Divine Eagle’, absent from letters in this period, is included in 2 of the poems, but ‘prey’ is not [164]. The final poem [165] is linked to this period by the inclusion of the word ‘virginize’. It was written in honour of our holy Mother: reference is made to the transverberation; and, as one might expect, to her as a ‘victim of love’. However, these, and our holy Mother’s name, are not mentioned until the final stanza! In a previous poem, it was the penultimate stanza [166].

‘To Live by Love’ may have been Sr Elizabeth’s ‘vocation’ [167] and her programme [168]; but the song she sang was ‘Jesus Alone’! In typical Elizabethan style, she had extemporized and had made it her own in PN13 [169]. This personal note has been mentioned previously [170] in the context of the suffering experienced by Sr Elizabeth during her dark night, since it was probably written about ‘mid 1902’: coincident with letters L123, L124]. There is a tenuous connection with 2 letters, based on the word ‘deifying’ (last paragraph) : ‘deify’ was used in a letter dated June 11th, and ‘deified’ in a letter dated June 22nd [171]. As to how it came to be written, perhaps Sr Elizabeth had a mystical experience when in prayer ‘close to the Blessed Sacrament’, during which ‘Jesus spoke to her’ and maybe wounded her heart. As soon as she returned to her cell, there was an uncontrolled outpouring of love. Fr De Meester has critically examined the note and is quite convinced that it was not copied from any known source(s). The note portrays the ‘Bride of Christ’ to be, as a more mature Elizabeth than the Elizabeth of the Diary; the passion was there: yes, but it was a controlled passion; and the influence of Sr Therese was there, yes, but it was not obtrusive.

Some of the obvious links of the note with HA are as follows: (the paragraphs shown below, are those in PN13 as printed in OC904-905).

§ 5. ‘Invaded’ and ‘captivated’ have been discussed previously.
§ 7. ‘burning heart’ occurs in the ‘Act of Offering’.
§ 8. ‘consuming’ occurs in the ‘Act of Offering’.
§ 2. ‘fidelity’ was a favourite word of Mother Germaine which she associated with Sr Therese, [172] and doubtless Sr Elizabeth heard it many times.
§ 4. ‘love’ HA was the ‘canticle of love’, and Chapter XI [173] has many references to love [174]. “She is sweet, the way of love. … love quickly consumes all which can displease Jesus.” [175].


Some of the links with Sr Elizabeth’s letters, both of the period and more generally, are as follows.

§ 2. ‘Intimacy’ was used 6 times in letters during her novitiate [176].
§ 2. ‘He delivered Himself’ is to be found in a letter of love [177].
§ 2. ‘Immolate*’ was used in 2 letters to a young friend [178].
§ 5. ‘To have the eyes on His’ appeared as “keep our eyes on God” in a letter written just ahead of the personal note [179].
§ 6. ‘Glance’ and ‘desire’ are linked in a letter which also refers to the ‘divine soul’ of the Father [180].
§ 7. ‘zealous for His honour’ in the context in a Bride, occurs in 2 letters written after her Profession, which simply confirm the feeling expressed in the note [181].
§ 8. ‘they will be two in one’ this is the second part of the Scriptural quote from Genesis. Was this ‘on her mind’ as a result of her sister’s engagement? Sr Elizabeth would have known of Guite’s engagement very soon after this had been confirmed. The quotation was appropriate, both to the personal note and to that event. She later used it in a letter to her sister [182].



 COMMENT

At the turn of the 19th/ 20th century, France was in the grip of religious persecution. It seemed as if Sr Therese was heaven-sent to stem that tide. From the day of her death, miracles were attributed to her; and her autobiography became a best-seller. A century on, we have no idea of the fever which was building in France. In the 1914-18 war French soldiers hailed her as a second Joan of Arc and went to battle singing her poems and carrying her banner. Something of the feeling is conveyed in Mgr Lavielle’s definitive biography published in 1928 [183] – to quote from Bishop Baudrillart’s preface: “Is there humanly speaking, in the world today a glory equal to that of our humble Carmelite? What name is more frequently on men’s lips – what hero’s portrait has been so rapidly multiplied, so widely scattered?” Little wonder that comments such as, “If Rome does not make her a saint soon, then the people will!” or that she was regarded as the novice mistress of the Dijon Carmel.

Sr Elizabeth was not the only nun studying the life and works of Sr Therese. At the same time she would have been studying the works of our Holy Mother and Father: St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross. The Carmelite Charism was enriched, not endangered, by the inclusion of this new approach. One may also note that Sr Therese was heaven-sent to give added impetus to the change in regarding God not as a God of ‘fire and brimstone’ but as a God of ‘Love’ . A change that had been set back by the troubles in France, after pioneering work to turn the tide against Jansenism by Grou and Lacordaire.

Did Sr Therese influence Sr Elizabeth’s thinking? Of course she did, it was intended in the Dijon novitiate that she should. Did Sr Elizabeth simply copy Sr Therese’s doctrine? An unequivocal – No! Sr Elizabeth had been a brilliant pianist, her memory was fine-tuned: one could liken her to Mozart, who hearing a piece of music could reproduce it precisely days later. He was not ‘copying’, and neither was Sr Elizabeth when she used phrases attributable to Sr Therese. One may pose the hypothetical question of whether Sr Therese influenced Sr Elizabeth’s wonderful ‘Prayer to the Trinity’ or her development of the concept of ‘Praise of Glory’. Of course she did! The time spent in the novitiate was no different in some respects to that spent in learning about a subject in school, college, or university. There is a body of common knowledge to which many have contributed, and to which one can only contribute if that knowledge has been ‘learnt, understood, internalised, and then lived’.

As to Sr Elizabeth’s use of the knowledge, she was completely docile to the movement of the Holy Spirit. As Fr DeMeester noted, her life was cut short as she was beginning to ‘enjoy St Paul’, but she has left us some remarkable spiritual treatises. Her life and our appreciation of that life to give glory to God, depending, in turn, on our docility to the holy Spirit.



This web site is dedicated to Sabeth by the owner for favours received. The aim is to share information about her life and times; to be aware of her Centenary; and to pray in support of the Cause for her Canonization.


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Next Update: Mar.26th 2006


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