By: Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ
On Oct. 22, 2025, the relics of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face came to the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland. In his homily that day, Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, reflected on the powerful witness of St. Thérèse. His words have been edited for clarity.
When I learned that St. Thérèse was coming to California, I searched online to find her schedule. To my disappointment, Oakland Cathedral was not listed as a destination. I reached out to Father Donald Kinney, who is present in the sanctuary today, and requested that St. Thérèse be allowed to visit us. He explained that there were many requests and only a limited number of days available.
Personal Experience with St. Therese
I shared with Father Kinney the experience that my brother, Father Stephen, and I had with St. Thérèse. In the year 2000, for the holy year and World Youth Day, we took 12 boys from Loyola High School in Los Angeles to Rome. We attended Mass with the pope, participated in outdoor gatherings, and visited many churches. On our final night, we had the freedom to choose our activity. I presented two options to the group: we could visit the best gelato shops in Rome, or we could join the long line outside a small church where the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a French saint, were being venerated. The boys unanimously chose to visit the relics.
After waiting for over an hour, we reached the relics. Many of the boys touched or kissed the relics, and one particularly spirited boy embraced the glass case and wept. Now, 25 years later, three of those 12 boys have become priests — two for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and one for the Dominican Province of California. Remarkably, St. Thérèse granted us this favor, even though we had not asked for it. Today, we have the opportunity to venerate her relics and seek her intercession, as she is known for helping those most in need.
St. Therese’s Intercession: The Story of the Murderer
In 1887, before entering the convent, St. Thérèse read about a murderer in Paris who had killed three people and was condemned to die by guillotine. The man showed no remorse or repentance throughout his trial. Disturbed by this, St. Thérèse prayed fervently for his conversion and salvation, employing all means available to her, including offering sacrifices, praying, and requesting a Mass for him.
As his execution approached, Thérèse intensified her prayers and asked Jesus for a sign of the man’s repentance. On the day of his execution, he ignored the priest at first, but before kneeling at the guillotine, he seized the priest’s crucifix and kissed the wounds of Jesus three times—a sign of repentance. St. Thérèse was comforted, having received the sign she sought, and recognized that her prayers had helped save his soul. This experience ignited her “thirst for souls,” and she continued to intercede for those most in need.
A Miracle: The Story of Edith Piaf
Among St. Thérèse’s most well-known converts was Edith, a woman born in 1915 under a lamp post in Paris. Abandoned by her circus-performing parents, Edith was raised by her grandmother, who worked as a cook in a bordello. The women there cared for Edith, but when she contracted meningitis at age three and became blind, her caregivers pooled their resources to take her to Lisieux, where miracles were attributed to St. Thérèse.
At Thérèse’s grave, the women made a paste from the dirt and applied it to Edith’s eyes. Three days later, her sight was miraculously restored, with no medical explanation. Edith grew up to be the most famous singer in France — Edith Piaf. Throughout her life, she kept a statue of St. Thérèse at her bedside and prayed to her before every performance and during times of trouble. Despite her struggles with addiction and searching for love, Edith always sought Thérèse’s help. Upon her death, over 50,000 people attended her funeral, and she was buried holding the statue of St. Thérèse.
Seeking Love and Support
Saint John of the Cross once said, “In the evening of life, we will be judged by love alone.” Many people today face challenges such as abortion, assisted suicide, euthanasia, harmful relationships, and addiction—often searching for love and support in the wrong places, much like Edith Piaf.
St. Thérèse’s appeal lies in the profound love shown by Carmelite nuns, who love everyone as Jesus does. Jesus constantly looks at us with love; his gaze never turns away in anger. When we sin, we avert our eyes from his love, searching elsewhere for what we need. Through confession, we turn back and receive his love again. St. Thérèse discovered her vocation “to be love in the heart of the church.” We, too, can strive to look at others as Jesus does—with eyes of love.
