Light Love Life: Elizabeth of the Trinity

by Conrad De Meester

Book Overview

This marvelous book back in print after an absence of twenty-five years invites the reader to meet Elizabeth of the Trinity in selections from her own writings and in the more than seventy photos that... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0935216073
• ISBN13: 9780935216073
• Release Date: January 1984
• Publisher: ICS Publications
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 1.3" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Elizabeth of the Trinity Pictorial

> Elizabeth of the Trinity is known throughout the world for her writings on Carmelite spirituality. But, in addition to her written work, a treasure was found in the archives of the Carmel of Dijon ~~ over 70 photographs of this young French nun. Thanks to photography, we are able to see Blessed Elizabeth in her times, in her family, in her Monastic community. We can see her as a child, an adolescent and a nun. In all of these stages of her life, we see a varied but yet a remarkably identical face ~~ a face with its clear, composed features. A face that is unified by her gaze. Elizabeth's gaze is almost always steady despite the long poses needed by photographers at that time. This album presents the face of someone who, during her life, had captured the attention of others because of the richness of her gaze. The extern sisters who were the first to greet Elizabeth said that the expression of her eyes immediately struck them ~~ so deep and so embracing. The Prioress (Mother Germaine of Jesus) observed in her expression and appearance a person who was perfectly calm and unconcerned with herself. Throughout this 144-page soft covered book, Elizabeth guides the reader and makes these wonderful photos come alive through well-chosen quotations from her diary, her letters, her poems and her spiritual writings. The photographs evoke and the text explains. There exist 50 negatives of Elizabeth (Catez) as a young girl. Some were taken at solemn moments in her life ~~ baptism, confirmation, Holy Communion, the "adieu" before entering Carmel. Others attempted to capture happy gatherings ~~ trips, visits, vacations. Sometimes, they were the work of professional photographers. But, most of the time, these wonderful photos were the work of amateurs. On August 2, 1901, when Elizabeth entered Carmel, she never would have dreamed that 5 years later, the Carmel would possess 20 photographs of her as a nun. Her first photo as a Postulant dates only three days after her entrance when group photos were taken to celebrate the foundation of the Carmel in Paray-le-Monial. Shortly before this, Mother Germaine's brother had donated a camera to the Monastery. Around the time of each nun's profession, a photograph was taken to be given to the family. A copy was also kept in the Dijon Archives. There were two other occasions which gave the families the opportunity to photograph the nuns. The first was at the Clothing Ceremony when the postulant left the enclosure to embrace her family and to attend the first part of the ceremony with them. In Elizabeth's case, five negatives were taken of her. The second occasion was when the novice left the enclosure shortly before her Profession to be interviewed by the Bishop's delegate . After this interview, she could spend a couple of hours with her famly in the exterior quarters of Carmel. From this there are six negatives of Sister Elizabeth on December 22, 1902. This meeting with her mother and sis

Carmelite Spirituality

For anyone who is interested in Carmelite Spirituality and history, this is a must have book! A in-depth journey with Bl. Elizabeth of The Trinity. Theresa Anderson, OCDS