The Carmelite convent in Lisieux. St. Therese experienced many crosses while living there, which she accepted willingly for the salvation of souls. (Wikimedia Commons photo)
After returning from the pilgrimage to Rome, St. Therese went to the Carmelite convent. She was told to write to the bishop, reminding him of his promise to make a decision regarding her request to enter Carmel at 15.
At New Year’s of 1888, Therese was told that the bishop had authorized her immediate entry into the Carmel, but that the superior had decided to delay her entry until after Lent.
There was a temptation to relax while waiting to enter the convent, but Our Lord made Therese understand the benefit she might derive from this time of waiting. She then resolved to give herself up to a more serious and mortified life. Therese wrote that her acts of mortification consisted in “simply checking my inclinations, keeping back an impatient answer, doing little services to those around me without setting store thereby, and a hundred other things of the kind.”
Like this year (2018), the Feast of the Annunciation was transferred to Monday, April 9, in 1888. It was the day chosen for Therese to enter the Carmel.
In the morning, after a last look at the happy home of her childhood, Therese set out for the Carmel, where she and her family attended Mass. During Communion, there were sobs on all sides. Therese did not shed a tear, but as she led the way to the cloister door her heart beat violently. Therese embraced all her loved ones and knelt for her father’s blessing. Louis knelt down and blessed her through his tears. Therese entered the cloister and the door of the Carmel closed behind her. She was welcomed by the superior and the community.
Therese wrote, “At last my desires were realized, and I cannot describe the deep sweet peace which filled my soul. This peace has remained with me during the eight and a half years of my life here, and has never left me even amid the greatest trials.”
Therese’s father, Louis, made the sacrifice of offering his daughter to God willingly. The day after her entrance into Carmel, he told his friends, “Thérèse, my little Queen, entered the Carmel yesterday. God alone could ask such a sacrifice; but he helps me so mightily that even in the midst of tears my heart is overflowing with joy.”
Life with the other 26 nuns in Carmel was not easy. Therese experienced many crosses which she accepted willingly for the salvation of souls. She experienced spiritual dryness, and her superior treated her very severely. Therese was grateful that the harsh treatments helped her not to be ensnared by human affection in the cloister.
Two months after her entrance into Carmel, Therese made her general confession to a priest. After the confession, the priest said, “Before God, the Blessed Virgin, and angels, and all the saints, I declare that you have never committed a mortal sin. Thank God for the favours he has so freely bestowed on you without any merit on your part.”
Therese found it difficult to express herself in spiritual matters. One of the older nuns said to her during community recreation: “I should think, child, you have not much to tell your superiors.” Therese asked, “Why do you think that, dear Mother?” The nun replied, “Because your soul is very simple; but when you are perfect you will become more simple still. The nearer one approaches God, the simpler one becomes.”
Therese was very fond of snow. She wished the earth to be decked with white snow on the day of her clothing ceremony. After the ceremony, the instant Therese set foot in the enclosure her eyes fell on the statue of the Child Jesus. Then, turning toward the quadrangle, she saw the ground was covered with snow. Jan. 10, 1889, was a joyful day for Therese.
小德蘭進入加爾默羅修院
小德蘭從羅馬朝聖返家後，便到加爾默羅修院打探，被告知嘗試寫信給當地主教，再追問可否准許她十五歲入修院的申請。
1887年元旦，小德蘭得悉主教已批准她可隨時加入加爾默羅修會，但修院院長決定要她等到四旬期過後才成事。
在這等待期，小德蘭感到要對神修鬆懈的誘惑。但天主使她知道從等待期怎樣取得靈性上的裨益：她決定在等待期渡更克苦節制的生活。她書憶當時的克苦包括「看守著自己內心的傾向、控制自己不作不耐煩的答覆、幫助周圍的人作些小服務，以及其它百多個類似的事。」
就如我們今年(2018年)一樣，1888年的聖母領報的慶節，改在4月9日的星期一；那天，正是小德蘭進入加爾默羅修院的一天。
是日早上，向渡過童年的居所作最後一次的回望，小德蘭起程離家，朝著她心儀已久的修院出發。她和家人參與了彌撒，領聖體時但聽到眾人在飲泣；但小德蘭並沒有灑下不捨的淚，只是領著眾人走過長廊時，心跳頓時加速。最後，她與眾人一一擁抱，跪下請求父親祝福。類斯跪下來，帶著熱淚祝福自己的小女兒。之後，小德蘭走進修院，大門在她和辭別的人之間關上；而修院內，她得到院長和修女們歡迎。
小德蘭寫道：「我最後的願望實現了，我的靈魂充滿著難以言寓的平安。這平安，在修院陪伴了我八年半的歲月，即使在受極度的試探時，亦沒有離我而去。」
父親類斯甘願把女兒獻給天主。小德蘭進入修院那天的次日，他向朋友們說：「德蘭、我的小皇后，昨天進了加爾默羅修院。只有天主才能向要求這種犧牲；但祂如此強力地支持了我：縱然在淚水中，我的心仍流露着喜悅。」
和二十六位修女一起生活其實不容易。小德蘭經歷很多的十字架，她為救靈而默默接受了；她又經歷神枯和院長嚴厲的待遇，卻又心裡慶幸嚴厲的待遇幫助她在修院內不被人性的愛所毒害。
小德蘭渡了兩個月修院生活，一次的總告解後，神父告訴她，說：「在天主面前、在聖母面前、在天朝諸神聖面前，我宣佈你從未犯過一個大罪！多謝天主對你的恩惠。」
小德蘭感到，自己在靈修上有種難以表達自己。有次指定的散心中，一位年長的修女對她說：「德蘭，我想你沒有什麼向你的長上說吧。」小德蘭奇怪地回問：「親愛的姆姆，你為何這樣想呢？」修女答道：「因為你的靈魂是很單純的；但當你成全時，你會變得更單純。人越接近天主，越是單純。」
小德蘭很喜歡雪，她希望她領會衣禮當日，大地都鋪上白雪。1889年1月10日，穿上加爾默羅會衣儀式後，小德蘭的眼睛落在聖嬰耶穌像去，然後再往四方院子外看，只見萬象已披上白雪 ── 這是小德蘭的一個愉快的日子。