Novena Honoring St. Therese of Lisieux Opens at St. Peter's

Lowell, MA, 1934

Novena Opens at St. Peter's

A novena in honor of the Little Flower opened last night at St. Peter's church with a large congregation. The services, which will continue each night until Oct. 3, consisted of the rosary, a sermon by Very Rev. Daniel J. Keleher, Ph. D., V. F., pastor, novena prayers, the litany of the Little Flower and benediction. After the services, the congregation venerated the relic of the Little Flower individually.

Dr. Keleher's sermon was an inspiring and encouraging talk on the happiness of heaven and the efficacy of the intercession of the Little Flower. Briefly describing her life, the preacher said that the Little Flower was born in 1873 and died in 1897, and that, during her short life, particularly in the years spent with the Carmelite Sisters, her outstanding virtue was implicit obedience to the will of God; the distinguishing trait of her character being to beg the privilege of using her heaven to obtain favors for God's people on earth. Dr. Keleher struck an encouraging note when he reminded his congregation of the mercy of God and the constant hope for heavenly beatitude in spite of human failings. The pastor closed his sermon with an appeal for continued devotion, expressing the belief that the Little Flower is pleased with homage and will continue to intercede for her people.

Dr. Keleher and his assistants are anticipating continued interest through the remainder of the novena. Services are held nightly at 7:30 o'clock, except on Sunday when they are held at 6:30 o'clock.

—The Lowell Sun, Lowell, MA, Sept. 26, 1934, page 7, probably second section.


Tone of Book on Saint Denounced

LISIEUX, Normandy (UP) — Father J. I. Lane, of Liverpool, has voiced his protest of the "smirking statues" of Saint Therese; the excessive use of endearing terms, such as "Little Flower," applied to the Saint; and of illuminated mottoes on cheap colored glass.

Father Lane expresses his objections in a handbook for pilgrims to Lisieux. He pleads for a dignified attitude toward the little girl "who understood that love meant sacrifice and not passing emotion." He does not mince his words and he singles out for particular condemnation an American biography of Saint Therese in which, he says, she is called "Little Flower" as many as 460 times. Thus the "whole tone of the book is cloying," he says.

—San Mateo Times, San Mateo, CA, Dec. 18, 1934, page 2-A.