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Mrs. Andres, a third-order discalced Carmelite, spoke about the role St. Thérèse played in her personal life and in forming her spirituality. She shared personal anecdotes and reflections, passed around books and photos, and read quotes from the writings of St. Thérèse, painting a picture of the Little Flower as a model of trust and child-like dependence on God. “If you read her words, you’ll learn these amazing truths that will put your soul at peace,” Mrs. Andres said. “Her words are yet another way a saint attempts to tell us of God’s ineffable love for us, how He just wants us to let Him love us, be our father and take care of us.”

In speaking about the Little Flower, Mrs. Andres also touched on another, lesser-known, little flower, telling the story of Servant of God Marcel Van, a Vietnamese boy who became St. Thérèse’s spiritual younger brother. Mrs. Andres shared Marcel’s story with great delight, explaining how he exemplifies that, through St. Thérèse’s Little Way, sainthood is accessible to everyone. “God has all kinds of saints,” she explained, “and some of them, like little violets, seem absurdly small besides the lily or the rose, but they contribute equally to the beauty of creation, filling out the Body of Christ.”

Encouraged by her message of God’s love and inspired by her devotion to the saints, the women of ���ϲ����� left Mrs. Andres’s talk uplifted by her infectious joy. “It was so special having Mrs. Andres come over and share her love for St. Thérèse,” said Rosemary Favila (’27). “It felt like we were meeting her best friend!”