Happy Celine day!

On this day, February 25th, in 1959, Jesus our Love sipped up Sister Genevieve of the Holy Face, O.C.D., that is, Celine Martin, the last remaining (in exile) sister and novice of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. He sipped her up like a drop of dew, to use Therese's earlier spoken expression, and at last the two sisters who were inseparable (in life and death) were now completely united once again. It was 62 years after Therese had promised to come back quickly to take "the sweet echo of my soul" to Heaven, and Celine, having waited patiently and worked and prayed and loved faithfully, was 89.

On this day, February 25th, in 2016, Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC came to speak at Thomas Aquinas College at the invitation of his friend Fr. Cornelius Buckley, and Fr. Gaitley gave out copies of 33 Days to Merciful Love. I read it that night, and it launched me on a Theresian journey that led to Something New with St. Therese: Her Eucharistic Miracle and my meeting her little spiritual brother, Servant of God Marcel Van.

Last night in the wee hours, I read three whole sentences (in French!) from Celine's autobiography, but then I remembered that until the Holy Spirit gives me infused French in a bigger little way, I might be able to read this awesome book online. And so it was! I found Celine's autobiography (or more officially: the Autobiography of Sister Genevieve of the Holy Face from 1909, when she was 40) available in English at the archives of the Lisieux Carmel right HERE!

It is marvelous! Here is a random quote about Celine and Therese's childhood - recounting more than one story I'd never known:

I ate a soup that Victoire never knew how to vary, an onion soup... For me, it was the worst you could imagine. Sometimes this soup, taken with bad grace, it must be admitted, made my heart ache, so they gave me a piece of chocolate to console me and I set out on my way as if I had been very valiant...

About this piece of chocolate here is a funny story. Every morning at 10 a.m. [at the Benedictine boarding/day school Celine and later Therese, too, attended] there was a moment of rest in the classrooms and they passed out wine, biscuits, jams, in a word, what each boarder provided herself. Otherwise everyone was only entitled to dry bread. As we were not spoiled, we did not bring these sweets and contented ourselves with dry bread when we were hungry. It must be said that I was sometimes a little ashamed, however there was nothing to do with it, but when you are a child you are easily impressed by these little things.

One day when I had received a precious piece of chocolate as the prize for my onion soup, I told Therese to come find me when the tray was passed, because we were going to share our booty. I had taken care to put the piece almost in pieces so that it had a great effect. However, as the portion still seemed meager, compared to that of the other boarders, I was very embarrassed. My little sister arrived at the rendezvous, and handing her her share, I said with indifference: "Here, Thérèse, take the crumbs!" Therese took indeed the crumbs she knew were not the crumbs at all but almost the whole piece. When we were alone we had a good laugh. But this would not be lost, for this "Here, Thérèse, take the crumbs!" followed us to the Carmel where it made us laugh until we cried again.
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And so, on this day, February 25, 2026, I invite you to read to your heart's content (I hope you have a chance to read some of Celine's autobiography, which is truly marvelous), and I personally dispense you from any Lenten fasting that involves chocolate. In honor of Therese's dear sister's little feast, I hope you'll eat or drink some, and offer it to Jesus with a big smile!

Also, I invite you to look. I've written before about Celine's (Sister Genevieve's) painting of the Holy Face HERE. It is a story worth telling and retelling, reading and re-reading. I hope you can click over, but in case you can't, I'll repost the painting now. After all, it is Lent, which means More Jesus!

​Draw me, we will run!!