Retreat notes — Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux

Thérèse's First Communions and the following year (1884-1885)

Thérèse left us a notebook of 18 folios (14,7 X 9,5 cm); blue floral embossed cover. Only eight pages and the beginning of the ninth are written in pencil. They bear the notes of the retreat preceding her first communion, and that of her solemn renewal a year later (which did not exclude communions in the meantime). The retreats are for three full days, from May 5 to 8, 1884 and from May 17 to 21, 1885. These retreats took place at the Benedictine Abbey, preached by the chaplain, Fr. Domin (Cf. Ms A, 33 v°). The notebook contains Thérèse's famous resolution visible above: I will not be discouraged!

Third retreat: Notes on loose sheets (two double sheets 15,5 X 10 cm) another retreat in 1885, perhaps that of the return to school in 1885. According to a report card from Céline, the return to school in 1885 had been fixed for Monday, October 5. The retreat could therefore have taken place from Tuesday evening 6 to Saturday morning 10 October. The name of the preacher is unknown except for the first instruction.