Marie de Gonzague died before the start of the Trial. We have a few other resources for finding out what she thought of Therese.
Marie de Gonzague does not beat around the bush when she describes the one she chose for young Fr. Roulland, who asks for help from the prayers of a nun from Lisieux: ! she confides to him. This remark clearly portrays Thérèse at 23, after many years when Marie de Gonzague had the opportunity to observe Thérèse closely.
Everything is perfect
As soon as Thérèse entered, she took the realization of her ideal into her own hands. "I could never have believed in such an advanced judgment in 15 years of age! ... not a word to say to him, everything is perfect" writes Marie de Gonzague to Mrs. Guérin May the 17 1888, shortly after Thérèse entered. According to the formation techniques of the time, the prioress was deliberately severe with the young novice, just as Thérèse herself would do in a few years with her novices, who would know how to complain! Far from feeling persecuted, the young Thérèse will rather have to overcome an excessive attachment to Marie de Gonzague. She finds “a host of permissions to ask” to justify visits to her office, solely to “find a few drops of joy”, “to satisfy her nature” (Ms C, 22 r°). She must cling to the railing of the stairs to deny herself these "consolations of the heart."
In the notes that Marie de Gonzague addresses to Thérèse, the tone is most affectionate but the advice maintains with virility the aspirant to holiness on paths of faith. “I don't want the child of my tenderness to give way to such great sadness. I don't know anything about taking the habit...Before hurting yourself, you have to wait" (Dec. 1888).
“Let my youngest, my little grain of sand, tell his mother everything, she understands... What joy, a humiliation! It is worth all the treasures of Panama! Let's say it again when we happen to make a blunder: happy fault which deserves me this humiliation! As for our miseries, we have only one thing to do, form a small bundle of them and place them in the Heart of Jesus so that he may change them into so many merits for the Fatherland” (10 Dec. 1888). “A very small humiliation well received, accepted with joy, is worth more to the Heart of Jesus than all the greatest crosses in the world, if there is nestled in their acceptance a little self-seeking, a small grain of vanity, a tad of self-esteem, an iota of something unworthy of the Heart of Jesus!...” (13 Dec. 1888).
And when Thérèse laments seeing her vestment postponed for 24 hours, Marie de Gonzague reasons with her: what matters is not to take the habit on such and such a date, but to listen to Jesus asking "his soul , united to his love: have you understood my heart which has chosen you to become one with me?...” (7th January 1889). Only the Gift of God matters!
A great saint
A few months later, it was a call and a prophecy that Mother Marie de Gonzague dedicated to her: “I'm not going to make you laugh, but you need the truth in all things! Jesus pruned my violet to suffer and I do not want to be a prophet today, but I can however say to my little girl, it is the suffering, even more the sacrifice that will make you a great saint. (Oct.-Nov. 1889). A great saint: the word is out, and will come back under the pen of the good Mother on the back ofa picture, one Christmas night: "Let us remain a child close to our beloved Spouse and in his cradle we will learn the simplicity and humility that will make my beloved daughter a great and holy Teresa of Jesus".
On the back of an image written for Thérèse's profession, the old prioress addresses her "privileged child" with great humility: "Pray for the unworthy Mother who has received from Heaven the honor of offering you on the altar." (September 8, 1890)
The day after Thérèse's profession (September 8, 1890), she writes to the Carmel of Tours “This childish Angel is 17 and a half years old and 30 years old, with the religious perfection of a consummate old novice, and the possession of herself, she is a perfect nun. »
O dear beloved
This extremely favorable opinion of Mother Marie de Gonzague on Thérèse will be maintained after her death. Thus, in the book of professions, where the prioress writes according to tradition a few lines at the bottom of the profession page of the deceased, it is the entire page that Marie de Gonzague covers! She probably does it twice. The first time, we find these moving lines at the bottom right of the page:
"This angel of the earth had the happiness of flying to her Beloved in an act of love. O dear beloved, watch over your carmel."
And in the left margin, all the way down the page, this later text which suggests at least the second edition of Story of a soul:
"This sister more of heaven than earth was picked by the Divine Gardener at the age of 24 years 9 months on Sept. 30, 1897. The years spent in the midst [of] leave our souls embalmed with the most beautiful virtues of which the life of a Carmelite can be filled! An accomplished model of humility, obedience, charity, prudence, detachment and regularity, she filled the difficult obedience of mistress of novices with a sagacity and perfection that had never equal to his love for God. We refer to the dear manuscript which edifies the world whole leaving us to all the most perfect examples."
