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THE PRAISE OF GLORY


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15 1353DOM EDMUNDUS KENDAL, D.D., O.S.B,

Imprimatur.DOM AIDANUS GASQUET, O.S.B. ,CONG. ANGLIJE ABBAS PRASES.

F. THOMAS BERGH, O.S.B.,CENSOR DEPUTATUS.

Imprimatur.EDM. CAN. SURMONT,

VICARIDS GENERALIS.

WESTMONASTERII,Die 10 Octebris, igiz-


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SISTER ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY.Frontispiece.


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THE PRAISE OF GLORYREMINISCENCES OF

SISTER ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITYA CARMELITE NUN OF DIJON, 1901-1906

AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION BY THEBENEDICTINES OF STANBROOKFROM THE SIXTH AND ENLARGED EDITIONOF THE FRENCH

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY THEREV. FATHER BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN, O.C.D.

SECOND ENGLISH EDITION

R. & T. WASHBOURNE, LTD.PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDONAND AT MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, AND GLASGOWBENZIGER BROTHERS : NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO1914

[All rights reserved]


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MARY IMMACULATE,QUEEN AND BEAUTY OF CARMEL, OUR

BELOVED MOTHER,DEIGN TO ACCEPT THE DEDICATION OF THIS HUMBLE VOLUME AS A

HOMAGE OF OUR DAUGHTERLY LOVE, AND TO OFFERIT AS A PRAISE OF GLORY TO THE MOST

BLESSED TRINITY


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CONTENTSFACES

INTRODUCTION :REV. B. ZIMMERMAN, O.C.D. - - ix

APPROBATIONS OF THE FRENCH EDITION :MGR. DES MONESTES, BISHOP OF DIJON - - xiiMGR. DADOLLE, THE LATE BISHOP OF DIJON- - xvii

INTRODUCTORY LETTERS :MGR. ALTMAYER, O.P., ARCHBISHOP OF SINNADE - xxMGR. SAGOT DU VAUROUX, BISHOP OF AGEN - xxiiTHE VERY REVEREND FATHER PRIOR, O.S.B., OF THE" ABBAYE DE LA REINE DU CIEL," LOUVAIN - xxviiiL ABBE CH. SAUVE, S.S. - xxxiv

REV. PERE FOCH, S.J. .... xxxviPERE G. VALLEE, O.P. - - - xxxixAUTHOR S INTRODUCTION----- xliiPART IDIVINE PROVIDENCE FORESTALLS THE WAYCHAPTER I. : CHILDHOOD. Elizabeth s birth, family, and

education She overcomes her natural defects ofcharacter Death of her father Her conversionHer musical talent Her first Communion The" House of God " Visits to Carcassonne - 3 14

CHAPTER II. : THE DIVINE CALL. She resolves to giveherself wholly to God Her vow of virginity Herhome Her vocation is tested Her sister pleads forher Elizabeth s diary 15 2 ^

CHAPTER III. : THE MISSION OF 1899. Apostolic zealCorrespondence with grace Sorrow for sin A generalconfession Fervent gratitude The end of the mission 29 40

CHAPTER IV. : SUPERNATURAL VIRTUES. Sister Elizabeth sspirit of prayer Her degree of prayer Her influenceO crtiX) avey spes unica! Her intercourse withCarmel Her last retreat while in the world - 41 52

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viii CONTENTSPAGBCHAPTER XIII. : TRANSFORMATION INTO JESUS CRUCIFIED.The altar of sacrifice Past and present A touchinginterview Letters The glories of Carmel A royal

palace 160 171CHAPTER XIV. : CLOSE TO THE SANCTUARY. The " Angelof Lisieux " A night of grace The Queen of Virginsand Martyrs Janua call The little tribuneAugust 2, 1906 Last retreat 172 184

CHAPTER XV. : JOY IN SACRIFICE. Nocturnal Lauds Theschool of the saints Confidential letters Strongadvice Thirst for self-abasement Humiliations Acharacteristic letter Life echoed in a letter - 185 194

CHAPTER XVI. : LAST CONSOLATIONS. Overflowing charityOctober 4 The triduum With Him she lovedPreparing for a clothing The ceremony The " consuming fire " - 195 208

CHAPTER XVII. : FROM CALVARY TO HEAVEN. The lastvisit to the parlour Love and glory Extremeunction The dying nun A symbolic dream TheAngelas Heaven The Feast of the Dedication 209 224

APPENDIX :THE LAST RETREAT OF " LAUDEM GLORIA" - 227PRAYER OF SISTER ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY - 260LETTERS OF SISTER ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY TO A

FRIEND - - - 261LETTERS TO M. LE CHANOINE A - -265LETTERS TO MADAME - 271LETTERS TO SOMEONE WHO WISHED TO BECOME A

CARMELITE - 281FRAGMENTS OF LETTERS - 283LETTER FROM M. L ABBE D TO MADAME CATEZ - 285A SECOND RETREAT OF SISTER ELIZABETH - - 289

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONSTO FACE PAGE

SISTER ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY - FrontispieceELIZABETH AT THREE YEARS OF AGE - 14ELIZABETH ON THE DAY OF HER FIRST COMMUNI N - 28SISTER ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY ON HE CLOTHING DAY 78


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INTRODUCTIONELIZABETH CATEZ, the daughter of an officer in theFrench army, was born July 10, 1880. The familysettled at Dijon, and after the premature death of thefather, the mother devoted herself entirely to her twodaughters, who, in return, were passionately fond ofher and of each other. It was an ideal householdpious, but not narrow-minded, cheerful, and evidentlyin comfortable circumstances. At the time of herfirst Communion Elizabeth learnt to overcome hertemper ; she also made up her mind to become anun indeed, the thought was not new even then.The wise mother did not oppose the child, but hereducation must be completed. An attractive proposalof marriage was but half-heartedly entertained by themother, and not at all by the daughter. Instead or this,the love of our Lord grew steadily in the child s heartuntil it reigned supreme, and at length exclusively.The mother foresaw the ultimate issue, but demurreduntil the daughter had come of age, and then shehastened the sacrifice which must have been greaterfor her than for her child. The latter entered theCarmelite convent at Dijon, August 2, 1 901 ; took thehabit on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception,made her profession January n, 1903, received theveil on the 2ist, and died, after an illness of eightmonths, November 9, 1906.

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x INTRODUCTIONIt was a short and happy, if uneventful, life.There is a custom in many convents of sending outa circular after the death of a nun, giving a short

account of the life and virtues of the deceased. Inthis case the Superiors and sisters were able to saymuch of the interior life of Sister Elizabeth of theTrinity. Many of the recipients thought thatwhere there was so much to say there might bemore, and with the help of notes left by thedeceased, the reminiscences of friends, and letterswritten both before and after her entrance intoreligion, a " Life " was published in 1 909, and foundso many readers that reprints followed each other inrapid succession. The present volume is a translation of this Life."The reader will instinctively turn to another " Life"of a French Carmelite nun, Teresa of the HolyChild Jesus and of the Holy Face, known as the" Little Flower of Jesus," who was the senior ofElizabeth by six, and predeceased her by nine, years.They were, therefore, not exactly contemporaries.They had much in common, but there is also adifference which appears in their photographs : the" Little Flower " looks merry, Elizabeth happy. Alarge tree is covered with thousands of leaves, allsimilar, but no two alike. Happiness is thedominant note in the life of Elizabeth. It was theresult of her exquisitely tender love of our Lord asound, wholesome love, not in the least hysterical ; alove that made her yearn for humiliation, mortifica-cation, and even suffering, in imitation of Jesus." Do not deceive yourself," said a friend. " Godtakes such souls as yours at their word. ... Byentering Carmel you are plunging into an abyss of


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INTRODUCTION xisuffering. ..." She replied : " I am ready to takethe plunge. I hope to suffer severely, that is myreason for entering Carmel ; and if the good Godwere to deprive me of suffering for a single day Ishould fear He had forgotten me/ Accordinglyshe had much to suffer, but her suffering was evertempered with an overwhelming sense of happiness.It would seem, however, that she was spared aswas also the " Little Flower " the keenest trials,such as a sense of dereliction and interior darkness ;perhaps these are reserved for maturer years. As anexample of the kind of suffering that fell to her lotmay be mentioned the pathetic story though belonging to the earlier part of her life of the conversionof Monsieur N , so passionately prayed forduring a mission at Dijon. Hope, desire, all butthe accomplishment of her most ardent wishes,disappointment, fear, and despair, succeeded eachother ; she was already a nun when news reached herof the apparently impenitent death of MonsieurN .Many are the saints and saintly persons of whose

consuming love of our Lord thrilling accountshave

been given. Human language is poor in describingthe deepest emotions. In this life we hear much thatwe have heard before, but rarely have words carriedconviction more forcibly : Elizabeth died of love.The " Little Flower of Jesus" has taken theworld by storm. There is every indication thatElizabeth of the Trinity will prove the peer of hersaintly sister in religion.

BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN, O.C.D.ST. LUKE S, WINCANTON.

Feast of All Saints, 1912.


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APPROBATIONOF THE

FIFTH FRENCH EDITIONFROM

HIS LORDSHIP MONSEIGNEUR MONESTES, BISHOPOF DIJONfivECHE DE DlJON,

October 15, 1912,Feast of St. Teresa.

VERY REVEREND MOTHER,A short time ago, while in your chapel, Iwas wondering with what words of praise I shouldcouple the approbation you are awaiting for the newedition of a volume for which an ever-increasingdesire is manifested. While I mused, I was struckby the intimate conviction that the book is its ownrecommendation, as will be evident to whoever readsit carefully.The Holy Spirit is acting in a marvellous mannerwithin the Church in our days. Every age haswitnessed such special interventions adapted to thesocial condition, the religious mentality of the epoch.Their diversity, as shown by history, does but moreclearly demonstrate the unity of this continuousaction. It is the meeting together of divine truthand mercy in order to carry on the work of redemption, to enlighten, to purify, and to save mankind.Positivism has now penetrated everywhere ; it has

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APPROBATION xiiiraised for the masses a solid wall between the visibleand the supernatural order of creation. It has declared that there is no real intercourse between oneworld and the other, for that on which man dwellsalone exists ; that no ray of light filters through thiswall, for there is but one light that which illuminesthe earth. Multitudes of souls pass to and frobeside this barrier of materialism and infidelity,careless as to what may be behind it, never evenraising their eyes to see whether a glimpse of bluesky can be seen above its coping. They fully verifythe Psalmist s mournful denunciation : " They keeptheir eyes fixed on the earth."Yet the Lord of life does not leave us to gazefor ever undisturbed upon so desolate a future.Not only does He open heaven to our hopes, but Hedescends into our very being, dwells in us, associatesus in time with His eternal life the unspeakablemystery known to the Church from the very first.Yet it is wonderful to witness how this truth is beingdemonstrated in the world by chosen souls, whatevertheir character, their state of life, or their mentality.It consoles us, while offering

us thepresage

of thedawn of a regeneration, to behold, amid the wickedness and impiety of our times, souls so penetratedby divine life that they can exclaim with the Apostle:" I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Thereis no such commotion as ushers in great social orhistorical changes ; God descends into His creaturesto sanctify the individual, and by increasing thenumber of His elect, will obtain salvation for themany. The rushing, mighty wind is hushed, theera of public revelation is closed, yet the mysticDove maintains Its flight and rests upon souls of


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xiv APPROBATIONgoodwill. The same work is still performed. AsPere Foch says in his luminous little work onthe Interior Life : " This coming, this approach, ofthe Holy Spirit to our souls constitutes what istermed by theologians an invisible mission of theHoly Ghost. But this invisible mission differs fromthe solemn, visible, striking mission known underthe name of Pentecost solely by its accessory, externalcharacteristics ; radically, the mystery is the same inboth cases. . . ."As in the former case, in order that the marvelsof this second and continual Pentecost may be knownto the whole world, God raises up apostles. And itis one aspect of the marvellous action of which Ihave been

speaking, that,as a rule, He raises them

chiefly from the cloister, from the midst of solitude,at the very time when the cloistered life is mostseverely condemned and persecuted. The voice ofthe messengers proclaiming the reality, the beauty,the ecstasy "of our fellowship with the Fatherand His Son,"* as St. John expresses it, has beenheard issuing for some time past from our monasteries and from numerous quarters. I could citemany, but Catholic piety already knows of them. Iwill only speak of Carmel, and there specify, withmingled pride and emotion, Sister Elizabeth of theTrinity, a member of the humble community of theCarmel of Dijon. One day the Dove rested uponher, and stayed until It took Its flight with her whendeath changed her life of union by grace into the lifeof union in glory.The book, of which, although several editionshave been published, another is already required,* i St. John i. 3.


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xvi APPROBATIONher intercession. This is the realization, becomingdaily more incontestible, of the hope expressed byyou when first you published your Souvenirs. Youwrote : " May the fragrance of this life of prayerdraw many souls to the interior life, the school ofperfect self-renunciation !" Render thanks to God.The " Life of Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity " isrevealing to many a soul in France "the gift ofGod. * The foreign translations of the book provethat her " voice is heard unto the ends of the earth."It is for you, in the austere peace of your Carmel,the school of the illustrious and saintly reformerwhose deeds we heard recounted this evening, tohelp the victorious apostolate of your young sister byyour prayers, your sacrifices, and your virtues. Maythese powerful intercessions spread the kingdom ofGod, above all, in our dear Burgundy. This is mychief hope, my most fervent wish !

JACQUES LOUIS,Eveque de Dijon.


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APPROBATIONOF

HIS LORDSHIP MONSEIGNEUR DADOLLE, LATEBISHOP OF DIJON, WHO DIED MAY 22, 1911EVECHE DE DlJON,

September 24., 1909.FOR the last few days I have taken my spiritualreading from the proof-sheets of the " Reminiscencesof Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity."

I have thus made acquaintance with a soul of abeauty I believe to be unrivalled even in Carmel.May I be allowed to offer a few remarks, togetherwith the Imprimatur which I give to this exquisitework ?Our little sister s life was spent within a narrowlimit of time twenty-six years. But, though onlythe last six of her few years were spent behind thegrille of the cloister, we should be inclined to think,and even to assert, that Elizabeth was a Carmelitealmost from her birth.When at seven years old the sweet child declaredthat she " would be a nun," she was one already, sofar as the gratuitous gift of attraction was concerned,and never ceased to develop the religious spirit byher exceptional recollection, her mortification whichshe practised while in the world by a thousand littlexvii b


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xviii APPROBATIONSsecret sacrifices, her most careful watchfulness overself, and finally by her zeal, all of which are specificvirtues of the Carmelite vocation. Indeed, it mightbe said that it was the grace of her baptism which ledher unerringly to the heights from which she passedstraight to those of Carmel : " In Carmeli verticem"

Fortunately for us, our sister has unconsciouslyhelped us to paint her portrait. Part of her diary,written before she entered the convent, and later on,her letters, her notes of retreats, and her poems, arethe sources from which she is vividly depicted forthose who never knew her, or who only caught apassing glimpse of her.The merit of Elizabeth s poems lies chiefly intheir purpose, their ardour, and their expression.As for her prose, it is genuinely beautiful. Some ofher letters are real masterpieces.Her object, in all she wrote, was to impart a shareof the light of Carmel to those she had left in theworld. She drew liberally from her store, whichwas invariably the most solid teachings of theGospel. How she understood St. Paul! . . .We wonder, as we read her letters, where shecould have learnt her style. Her very soul is pouredout in them and what a delightful soul it is, in itssimplicity, its freshness, its serenity !Her idea is always pregnant and exact ; the high-toned feeling which animates it, giving it reality, isconstantly clothed in expressions of extraordinaryforce or grace.However, this is far from being a question ofliterary merit.

I will only say to those who look upon the cloisteras the tomb of family affection : " Read our Eliza-


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APPROBATION xixbeth s letters to her mother and sister and showus anything you think can compare to such intensityof love for kith and kin."

I give my blessing to the " Reminiscences," andalso to the hand that has so deftly woven the simplecrown of earthly glory for her little " Praise ofGlory," as Sister Elizabeth styled herself in this life.

PIERRE,Eveque de Dijon.


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LETTEROF

MONSEIGNEUR SAGOT DU VAUROUX,BISHOP OF AGEN

AGEN,December 24, 1909.VERY REVEREND MOTHER,It is hardly twelve years since your sisters of

Lisieux published the wonderful and touching historyof one of the youngest of their number, who died inthe odour of sanctity at the age of twenty-four.The book was a great success. Many a soul feltdeep emotion on reading the exquisite pages whichso lucidly set forth virtues both heroic and captivating.

Never, in modern times, had the spirit of Carmelshone forth more clearly, never had it been moreeasy to understand the union in that spirit of sweetness and austerity of Rule, of joy and suffering, ofpeaceful and trusting simplicity, in the combat betweendivine love and nature. And now, Sister Teresaof the Infant Jesus has a gentle rival, who, thoughnever for a moment suspecting it, is her equal inperfection and beauty of soul. It is the young girl,I might almost say the child, whose life you relateunder the modest title of " Reminiscences."

Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity lived twenty-sixyears, five of which were spent in your fervent com-

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INTRODUCTORY LETTERS xxiiimunity. Her character was frank and gay ; she wasvery intelligent, and, like St. Teresa your matchlessMother, she delighted in what was clear and practical,loving and kind-hearted, ardent and refined. Shethirsted for self-denial and sacrifice, and possessed, inthe highest sense of the word, the art of makingherself loved. " Something I cannot describeseemed to emanate from her," said one of her friends :" it was so pure, so ardent, yet so gentle ; it was assweet and mild as the fragrance of virtue itself."She would, had she cared to do so, have won many atriumph in the world ; indeed, I venture to affirmthat it would be impossible for any man who, thoughhe held no religious belief, had any spark of uprightness, to read the book you have just written withoutinvoluntarily feeling the angelic charm of your littlesaint. How lovable she was, yet how strong in thefulfilment ofduty, however painful it might be ! Howshe combined a love of God with a love of all thatdeserves our respect ! What a marvellous harmonythere was in her of human qualities and divinegrace IWhat appears to me the most remarkable in thelife of Sister Elizabeth is the exact conformity of her

views, her special devotions, her interior life andher words with the soundest principles of mystictheology. Your dear daughter always kept to theright path. No act of hers throws a shadow over thepicture that her virtues paint so brilliantly ; no speechfrom her lips ever jars the melody of the ceaselesscanticle sung by her love to Jesus. She did notrefine on truths, her imagination never carries heraway from the regions of sane reason reason taughtby faith and animated by love. Subtle or confused


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INTRODUCTORY LETTERS xxviimy life are connected with your houses. I neverrecall that past without being moved and helped byit So that I am but paying a debt of gratitudewhenever I can help your Order to any slight extentby my words or by my affection for it.

I give my blessing to the second edition of yourbook, Reverend Mother, and beg to remain yoursdevotedly in our Lord, CHARLES PAUL,Bishop ofAgen.


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LETTERFROM THE

VERY REVEREND FATHER PRIOROF THE "ABBAYE DE LA REINE DU CIEL,"AU MONT-CESAR, LOUVAIN

"REGINA CCELI,"February 15, 1910.VERY REVEREND MOTHER,

For the glory of God and of Sister Elizabethof the Trinity, the humble nun whose great soul youhave so vividly described, allow me to tell you whatan indelible impression the reading of your holy" Reminiscences " has made upon me. I call them

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