Thérèse does not offer herself to the justice of the Lord to save sinners, she offers herself to his mercy. Yet, without inventing anything, Thérèse rediscovered the Gospel and contemplated the mercy of God. She was told about a vengeful God whose wrath would fall on sinners. According to Hélène Mongin, “Thérèse triggered a Copernican revolution in the spirituality of her time. Nevertheless, there’s something else essential that explains such interest. The paperback version of the Carmelite’s work that she published in 2015 has sold nearly 32,000 copies, while her larger format edition has reached 7,500 copies since 2018. It’s much more than an autobiography! From the moment she made that decision, her simple, authentic, intimate, and humorous text became universal,” says Hélène Mongin, writer and editor at Éditions Emmanuel. ‘The History of a Soul’ is a worldwide bestseller because Thérèse of Lisieux doesn’t tell the story of her life, but of God’s work in her life. “The life of a little Norman nun who died at the age of 24 would not have interested anyone. They buy Story of a Soul because it’s the best key to the spirituality of the little Thérèse who’s a guide who inspires, mobilizes, and energizes them,” she explains.
“Often, they’re people on a spiritual quest, without necessarily being practicing believers. Marie-Sophie Goniaux, bookseller at La Procure in Lille, has noticed that demand is about twice as high as usual: at least a few copies per week, with a visibly larger public. In concrete terms, 578 copies – all editions and formats combined – sold in this bookstore alone in 2022. “Certainly, the kick-off of this jubilee year has had its small impact, even if for us the book is always a constant seller,” explains Mathilde Mahieux, who is in charge of the religious section of the prestigious Parisian bookstore La Procure. Since January 2, 2023, the 150th anniversary of the birth of little Thérèse, sales of her book have been higher than at the same time in 2022. She finally decides to buy the paperback version, “cheap and easy to put in my purse.” Thérèse’s birth, we decided to discover her texts, so I wanted to start with her bestseller,” she told Aleteia. “In my prayer group, with the year celebrating the 150th anniversary of St. It’s not easy for the young woman to choose.
She turns the display on which about 15 different editions of Story of a Soul by Thérèse de Lisieux are jostling each other. Laure, a young graphic designer of 26, hesitates.
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