This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Join us in this course where we’ll take up Pope Pius XI’s challenge and study St. Therese through her own words, especially those in her autobiography “The Story of a Soul.” We will examine 10 life lessons in the hopes that we too shall “copy her” and follow her on the path to becoming a “whole saint.”
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 7th to 12th grade
Suggested credit: ½ semester Theology
Description
In this class, students will be introduced to the life, times and spirituality of St. Therese of Lisieux. Through a series of 10 life lessons, students will be challenged to apply the teachings of St. Therese to their own lives.
“You cannot be half a saint; you must be a whole saint or no saint at all.”
With these words, written in a letter to a missionary priest, St. Therese of Lisieux challenged not only her reader but all of us today to live lives of holiness. Through her “little way” she continues to inspire all who come to know her to follow in her footsteps. At her canonization in 1925, Pope Pius XI exhorted the faithful saying, “We desire much more earnestly that all the faithful should study her in order to copy her.”
Outline
Class 1:
Background and Family Life
Life Lesson 1: The Choice is Ours
Life Lesson 2: Delight in the Little Things
Class 2:
Temperament and Personality
Life Lesson 3: Seek God’s Mercy Life
Life Lesson 4: Take the Elevator
Class 3:
Vocation
Life Lesson 5: Be Bold
Life Lesson 6: Bloom Where You Are Planted
Class 4:
Spirituality of Prayer
Life Lesson 7: Keep it Simple
Class 5:
Everyday Life
Life Lesson 8: Handling Difficult People
Life Lesson 9: Everything is Grace
Class 6:
Suffering and Trials:
Life Lesson 10: Give Flowers
Materials and Homework
Course materials: The Story of a Soul, by St. Therese of Lisieux – translated by John Clarke, O.C.D. ISBN-10 : 0935216588. There are several free audio versions of the book available. Students are welcome to either listen or read.
Homework: Homework each day will include 20-30 pages of reading/listening from The Story of a Soul, along with a short 1-2 paragraph essay response. There will be a final 2-page reflection paper due at the conclusion of the class.
