ARTICLES

Missionary in Our Midst

St. Therese Relics Land in Bay Area

by Karen Walker

Today, more than 102 years after her death, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux is still winning souls for Christ. Her holy relics, including some of her bones, arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday, January 8th. Father Donald Kenny, the United States tour chairman for the relics and an Oregon-based Carmelite prior, estimated that more than 1 million people venerated them here. Local veneration of St. Thérèse's relics began in the city, at a small Carmelite chapel on Parker Street. Lines spanning more than three blocks, with waits of more than three hours, formed for the first veneration at a 7:30 p.m. Mass Saturday evening. Chapel Masses with veneration of the relics were held the next morning at 6:30 and 8 a.m.

At 10 a.m., Sunday morning January 9, the reliquary was transported by van to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption on Gough Street, arriving for the 11 a.m. Mass. An incensed procession marked the relics' entrance; Carmelite novices and postulants carried the reliquary. An estimated 5,000 people venerated the relics after the 11 a.m. Mass. A steady stream of local pilgrims venerated after the 1 p.m. Spanish Mass, until 2:30 p.m. From there the first-class relics traveled to Santa Clara, Menlo Park, Oakland, and San Raphael, before moving north to Sacramento.

These relics, previously only accessible in Lisieux, France, have been touring the United States since October 5, 1999. They being credited with miraculous cures, conversions and returns to the faith. Already crowds in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Brazil, Holland, Russia, Kazakhstan and Argentina have venerated the relics.

"It's amazing how Saint Thérèse continues to touch people and bring them to God," said Father Kenny, who has been with the relics for all but two weeks of the U.S. tour. "I've seen it in the faces of those who come to venerate these relics. The response has been unprecedented, overwhelming. The crowds have been much larger than we expected, and there have been lots of graces."

The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., the largest church in North America, was filled to overflowing for the two days while her relics were there, explained Father Kenny. The City of New York closed down Fifth Avenue for several hours during one viewing, and more than 15,000 people venerated the relics at St. Patrick's Cathedral. More than 100,000 people venerated the relics in Chicago, more than 127,000 in Miami, more than 50,000 in Dallas, and more than 75,000 in New Orleans.

"These tremendous crowds tell us of the tremendous consequences of one life; the tremendous ramifications when we love God and give our whole self to Him as Saint Thérèse did," said Father Kenny. He confirmed that he heard reports of conversions to the Catholic faith and non-practicing Catholics returning to their faith. He also said there have been reports of four or five miracles, three with which he is personally familiar. In each of the three cases, which took place in Texas, Florida and Phoenix, the person had been scheduled for cancer surgery prior to venerating the relics. Several days later each of these persons went to their doctors for scheduled pre-surgery testing, but the doctors found no trace of cancer.

"Saint Thérèse wanted to be Love in the heart of the Church," Father Kenny reminded those attending the 11 a.m. Mass at San Francisco's St. Mary's Cathedral, where Pope John Paul II had greeted crowds several years before. "She invites us to be the same, not through extraordinary and great deeds, but through little daily deeds like acts of kindnesses, offering a helping hand, or smiling.... Through Saint Thérèse, God continues to give to each of us His Merciful Love, which He wants us to have."

Thérèse Martin was only 24 years old when she died. Yet she was canonized in 1925, proclaimed Patroness of the Missions in 1927, and made a Doctor of the Church in 1997 by Pope John Paul II. Saint Pope Pius X, in 1911, called her the greatest saint of modern times. Father Conrad DeMeester, a Carmelite priest in Belgium, wrote that she was the second most beloved woman in the world after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Even Mother Teresa of Calcutta was inspired by her life. She took on Saint Thérèse's name at her own religious profession.

Greg Barata, a professor of music at Cal Poly and a resident of Arroyo Grande, California, is a secular Carmelite, which means he made a profession to embrace the Carmelite way of life while living in the world. He was one of those chosen to process with the relics into the Cathedral.

"I experienced four phases of reflection today," he said. "First, I felt it was a miracle that I could help the Carmelites with the relics for a few days [in the Bay Area]. Secondly, I was overwhelmed by what an honor this was. Third, I recognized what a responsibility it was. I was representing all those who had given me their prayer requests to present in person before the relics. Lastly, I was brought back to the Eucharist, which is the relic of our salvation."

Nicole Michon, 17, and Shaun Aranada, 20, drove from San Jose with Nicole's mother, Patricia, to venerate the relics in San Francisco. They each wore Saint Thérèse T-shirts for the occasion. "This was an amazing experience," gushed Nicole. "It really lifted my spirits to be here today." "It was overwhelming," added Aranada. "You can sense the great presence here. It makes you believe more."

Two exhausted docents for the cathedral, who had been up since early morning preparing for the crowd, were elated. "My feet hurt a little bit," chuckled Betty, who preferred not to reveal her last name. "But even so, it's an honor to be able to help here today. I can see the great spirituality and devotion of the people." A sister of the Divine Master drove from San Jose to attend the cathedral Mass. "I feel very privileged to venerate Saint Thérèse's relics, she said." "It was a deeply touching experience."

After leaving California, the relics are scheduled to continue up the West Coast, into Oregon and Washington, Utah, and then to Hawaii before finally leaving the U.S. on January 28, 2000, to travel to other parts of the world. "I was in France five years ago, at a meeting of Carmelite friars, and learned the relics were available to tour the world," explained Father Kenny. "We waited for several years, behind other countries, but I think we've ended up with the best time of all, at the turn of the millennium!"

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