September 28, 2026

𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟔 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟓

September 28, 2026

𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟔 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖𝟖𝟓 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐦 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡? Little by little, infirmities stemming from old age assail her: she becomes deaf, walks with difficulty, and suffers from rheumatism. Nevertheless, one prayer accompanies her always: “May I live for love of you, may I die for love of you, let my last heartbeat be an act of perfect love. “Has Therese Couderc left a message? She makes no claim to have done so. She does not even seek to repeat the great evangelical lessons of the seed which must die to bear fruit, the vine which must allow itself to be pruned in order to yield more. She does not have to repeat them; she has lived them with a rare intensity and a marvelous happiness!” – (Therese Couderc: Woman and Saint by Paule de Lassus, rc)

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𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐧𝐞: 𝐀 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭

September 28, 2026

𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐧𝐞: 𝐀 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬? Saint Thérèse freely consented to be associated with Jesus in His agony. This union with Christ in suffering became the highest point to which she had been led in her life, one increasingly “animated by the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” “Do not be anxious about my health, I lack nothing. As to the pains and discomforts which I carry about with me everywhere and always, we should only thank the Good God for these, since He orders them so well that I am rarely deprived of hearing Holy Mass; when I am not able to go dowstairs, I hear it from the little tribune.” – letter of Mother Thérèse to Mother Marie Aimée Lautier, Lyon, 15 November 1884 (a year before her death)

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𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐲𝐨𝐧

September 28, 2026

𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞? In 1867, when the Montpellier house was closed, Saint Thérèse returned to Lyon, where she spent the last 18 years of her life. As her health declined, she suffered greatly and experienced less of God’s presence. Yet, even when “consolations vanished,” she never ceased to pray and seek God in everything.

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𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞

September 28, 2026

𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐭? In February 1842, the Congregation decided to establish a community in Lyon. The house was poorly situated, barely livable, and not at all suited for retreats. Yet Saint Thérèse took charge, remaining there with one other sister and trusting that, in God’s time, something better would come. A year later, providence opened a new door: land near the Church of Fourvière, an important pilgrimage site, became available for purchase. With little time to wait, Saint Thérèse prayerfully took the step of moving forward in acquiring the land. By 1844, the new house was completed: a fruit of trust, courage, and surrender to God’s providence.

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𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫

September 28, 2026

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰? 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬? Saint Thérèse experienced two spiritual consolations during her stay in Montpellier. One in 1864, during her morning prayer at the end of her retreat, she received the inspiration for her “Self-Surrender” (𝙎𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙧𝙚𝙧). Two years later, in the midst of a challenging period, she experienced the “Vision of Goodness” (𝙇𝙖 𝘽𝙤𝙣𝙩é 𝙙𝙚 𝘿𝙞𝙚𝙪) where she saw the word “Goodness” written on all creatures – animate and inanimate, in “letters of gold.” These two experiences were later recognized as important sources of Cenacle Spirituality (General Chapter, 1998). These experiences did not come during good timed, but amid instability and suffering. To know more about the Spirituality of the Cenacle, click here: https://cenacle-gen.org/en/spirituality/#

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𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐞-𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐝’𝐀𝐲

September 28, 2026

𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐫𝐞-𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐝’𝐀𝐲 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝? In 1834, after the sudden death of Fr. Terme, Saint Thérèse took on the responsibility of leading the Sisters, with the guidance of the Jesuits and the Bishop of Viviers. Around 1837 due to poor health, she went to the shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Ay (Notre Dame d’Ay) to recuperate. In 15 August 1837, Thérèse consecrated herself and the Congregation to Our Lady. At that time, doubts regarding her leadership grew. She faced false accusations & was humiliated in the community and asked to resign as Superior by Fr. Renault, the Jesuit provincial. In the midst of being misunderstood and set aside, she chose to entrust everything to her good God. Photos from Cenacle Europe-Togo Archives

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞: 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬

September 28, 2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞: 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲? The Cenacle was born from a response to a need of pilgrims. In 1825, nearly three decades after the French Revolution, the mission reached Sablieres. Fr. Stephen Terme was entrusted by the bishop with caring for the tomb of St. John Francis Regis in Lalouvesc, supporting the pilgrimage, and evangelizing the surrounding area. Thérèse, only 20 years old had just returned from her studies, met Fr Terme and felt called to join the mission, a major shift in her young life. Seeing the need for a safe place for women pilgrims to stay, Fr. Terme and Thérèse opened a house near the tomb of Saint Regis on June 16, 1826, the feast of the Jesuit saint, to welcome and shelter them. Fr. Terme cared for their practical needs, while Thérèse accompanied them spiritually. From this simple act of welcoming and noticing, the Cenacle was born: a place where people could find shelter, companionship, and spiritual accompaniment.

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡

September 28, 2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐄𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭? 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐦? During her time, frequent reception of Holy Communion was unusual but she would rise up early in the cold dawn to journey to take the steep mountain path to Sablières two miles away to receive the Holy Eucharist twice a week in addition to Sunday. The journey from her family home to the church was not easy. Even today, with better roads, it would take about an hour to walk because the area is still quite hilly. For her, the distance was not measured in miles, but in love.

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𝐋𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝

September 28, 2026

𝐋𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡? On 2 February 1805, she was baptized at Sablieres Church, which still exists to this day. Being baptized just one day after her birth signifies her family’s deep-rooted commitment to the Catholic faith.

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐜

September 28, 2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐜 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮? Born Marie-Victoire Couderc on 1 February 1805 in Le Mas de Sablières (Sablières) in the southeast of France, the future Mother Thérèse was the second of ten children reared in the home of Claude Couderc and Ann Méry. Thérèse lived an ordinary life just like us. Imagine that in this fireplace, she cooked meals for her family, shared converstions, probably even playful banter.