Journey with Therese of Lisieux

A more enchanting take on Th r se can be found in Michael O'Neill McGrath's Journey with Th r se of Lisieux: Celebrating the Artist in Us All, a quirky, charming mix of sketches that accompany McGrath's story of how his life has been changed by the saint. He recently traveled to France to visit all of her pilgrimage sites, and his artwork from that trip shows Th r se's human side. In one sketch (the author's favorite), he and the 19th-century nun are sitting across from one another in a caf . A cathedral is in the background, and a rose (Th r se's signature flower) adorns the table. In French fashion, she is drinking wine, while he, a quintessential American, chugs a beer. In such whimsical portraits the nun comes to life and we are reminded that she was an artist, poet and playwright in her own right, as well as a contemplative woman religious. ( Feb.)