Relics of Little Flower to tour England

BY ED WEST
THE RELICS of St Therese of Lisieux are to visit England and Wales for the first time.
The casket containing the remains of the popular saint will tour Great Britain from September 16 to October 7, 2009, having visited 40 countries in five continents over the past 15 years.
The plan is for the remains to lie in eight or nine cathedrals around the country, although the exact venues are yet to be finalised.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor requested the relics on behalf of the bishops. He said that he was delighted that they would be brought to England CNS and Wales.
" I have always been deeply moved by St Therese's 'Little Way'," the Cardinal said. "It is in fidelity to the small things of everyday life, animated by the love of Christ, that we achieve true holiness."
St Therese was born in Alencon. Normandy, in 1873 and entered the Carmelite convent of Lisieux at the age of 15. Becoming novice-mistress in 1893, she took responsibility for the junior sisters but died of tuberculosis on September 30, 1897.
She was most famous for the spirituality that guided her life, "the Little Way", and she was canonised in 1925. She is a co-patron saint of France with St Joan of Arc and is also "Patroness of the Missions" of the Church and a
"Doctor of the Church". Soon after 'Therese's burial, miraculous healings were linked to her tomb. fulfilling her prophecy that she would "let fall a shower of roses on the earthafter her death.
In her notebooks she wrote: "I would like to be a missionary, not just for a few years, but till the end of time." Millions of people have visited her relics over the years, which have been linked to healings and conversions.
Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds and Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham will be in charge of the initiative. They said in a joint statement: "St Therese is a much-loved saint all over the world, but nowhere more than in Britain. There will be widespread joy
among Catholics that her relics are to visit our country, along with an expectation of many graces to be received. But this visit is for all Christians; and indeed people of any faith or none will be most welcome to conic in pilgrimage to pray at Therese 's side."
Mgr Barltrop, director of the Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation, said it had been a long time in planning: "The idea has been bubbling around for quite a while. The bishops have been enthusiastic about it, and they'll be delighted we've got them for her feast day.
-We're sure people will be keen to have the relies . The emphasis is not on one big event, but for all the people to have the opportunity to venerate them"