Customer Reviews

Maurice and Therese

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4 star:		(1)
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I am delighted to see the correspondence between Maurice and Therese, which I have appreciated for many years in Therese's letters, so beautifully interpreted here. Rich in insights in Therese's love for her "dear little brother," to whom she wrote, "I see how much your soul is sister to mine . . . "; in insight into her missionary consciousness, her love for the priesthood, her acute compassion for humanity, her extraordinary availability to souls, her theology. Bishop Ahern's luminous appreciation of Therese and Maurice lights the book up. Therese ended her correspondence with these words written on the back of holy picture, "last souvenir of a soul, sister of your own soul," and this book is truly that.

Never have I read a book on a saint that was more revealing than this. The correspondence between this beloved Saint and a wonderfully ordinary priest washes away the mystique of St. Therese. What it reveals is a very human woman who through the love of Jesus helps another human being find the love God wants us to share in. It is very intense and emotional. You will find it difficult to put down and easy to re-read.

I had never much cared for St. Therese--largely because her followers made her out to be a somewhat maudlin "little flower." After reading this book, I realized that the "little flower" is actually a giant Sequoia. The passionate love of God and its expression in the support and prayers given to a fellow religious are profoundly moving. I found myself lingering over passages and truly beginning to understand why Therese's "Little Way" has been called "an elevator to union with God."

Highly, highly recommended.

Knowing something of the fame of Saint Therese, I found this book very interesting in that it provided a look at the human being she was. Her ability to relate so quickly and meaningfully with Maurice in these letters makes it clear that she was a person of wonderful qualitiies, capable of simple yet extraordinary accomplishments.

The book also presents a beautiful picture of a life lived with reliance on faith...even when doubts occur. In her last year, Therese experienced profound feelings of spiritual emptiness which troubled her. We see no evidence of this in her letters to Maurice, but Mr. Ahern's lucid commentaries explain what was going on in her personal life and make it clear that she realized where her mission should be -- in helping a young man who needed encouragement, not in turning attention to her own needs.

That a person does not have to be built on heroic proportions in order to do good in the world -- that is the message I took away from this book. And, I recommend tha others to pick it up and read it.

This is the only book I've ever finished and started over again. I didn't know much about Therese, and less about Maurice, but this book makes you want to read more about Therese. One reviewer called this book a "gift," and I couldn't agree more. The story of a cloistered nun in 19th century France might not seem very relevant today, but God's love is, and that's what this book is about. If Therese had one message, it was "God is love." We need to hear that as much now as a hundred years ago in France.

What a wonderful book about a wonderful saint! This book, while not a difficult read, is certainly rich in emotion, beauty, and spirituality. If you have read St.Therese's "Story of a Soul", this is an excellent "second book" to read. It tells of the story of a relationship between a seminarian/priest and St.Therese in her last days. I recommend it for anyone's spiritual edification, especially Catholic Christians.

This book offers us not only Therese's own words, but a good insight from the author about Therese's life. We see more than what seems to have become the too sweet Saint. We are able to look at how much she had to suffer, and how much she relied only on God to take her beyond that suffering.

I read The Story of a Love while waiting for the Story of a Soul to arrive, and after reading the Story of a Soul I appreciate The Story of a Love that much more.

Patrick Ahern beautifully tours us through a God-centered, God-inspired, holy love between a nun and priest who became dear friends despite never meeting each other. The Story of a Love will inspire you to treasure and place God at the center your friendships. This is a must read that you won't be able to put down.

Just when I thought I could not love St.Therese anymore than I do, a dear friend tells me about this book. I feel this book was written just for me,as St.Therese has that way of making a person feel very special! I find myself "visiting" with St.Therese all through my day now. Treat yourself to this book!

Read this book only if you are looking to peer into the life of this Saint and the most wonderfully loving correspondence with this young man she called brother. After reading this it has given more insight and also drawn me to re-read her biography Story of a Soul again. I encourage you to read this book if you want to grow in deeper friendship of this awesome saint whose "little way" has touched so many lives.