California
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October 21, 2024
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Andres Dorm Talk

 

In celebration of the Feast of Saint Th茅r猫se of Lisieux, alumna author Suzie (Zeiter 87) Andres visited the women of 91快活林 Aquinas College, California, in St. Th茅r猫se Hall to share wisdom, stories, and snacks. Her talk, 淭he Dumb Ox, Two Little Flowers, and the Rest of Us, invited the women to take advantage of the powerful friendship of the saints, especially that of St. Th茅r猫se. 

To begin the evening, College Chaplain Rev. John Mary Chung, visited the residence hall and offered individual blessings with Mrs. Andres檚 relic of the saint. Mrs. Andres also brought boxes of books about St. Therese檚 spirituality, including ones she has , and buckets full of roses, which she gave to the students as gifts. Passing around the flowers, she reminded the women that St. Th茅r猫se promised to send down a shower of roses as a sign of the graces she obtained for those who prayed to her. 淭hese are roses for a 榩re-paid novena,櫇 Mrs. Andres joked. 淵ou get the rose first, and then you can say the novena! 

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Mrs. Andres, a third-order discalced Carmelite, spoke about the role St. Th茅r猫se played in her personal life and in forming her spirituality. She shared personal anecdotes and reflections, passed around books and photos, and read quotes from the writings of St. Th茅r猫se, painting a picture of the Little Flower as a model of trust and child-like dependence on God. 淚f you read her words, you檒l learn these amazing truths that will put your soul at peace, Mrs. Andres said. 淗er words are yet another way a saint attempts to tell us of God檚 ineffable love for us, how He just wants us to let Him love us, be our father and take care of us.

In speaking about the Little Flower, Mrs. Andres also touched on another, lesser-known, little flower, telling the story of Servant of God Marcel Van, a Vietnamese boy who became St. Th茅r猫se檚 spiritual younger brother. Mrs. Andres shared Marcel檚 story with great delight, explaining how he exemplifies that, through St. Th茅r猫se檚 Little Way, sainthood is accessible to everyone. 淕od has all kinds of saints, she explained, 渁nd some of them, like little violets, seem absurdly small besides the lily or the rose, but they contribute equally to the beauty of creation, filling out the Body of Christ.

Encouraged by her message of God檚 love and inspired by her devotion to the saints, the women of 91快活林 Aquinas College left Mrs. Andres檚 talk uplifted by her infectious joy. 淚t was so special having Mrs. Andres come over and share her love for St. Th茅r猫se, said Rosemary Favila (27). 淚t felt like we were meeting her best friend!