This is the third session which focuses on Thérèse of Lisieux. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from the John Clarke translation of Thérèse's Story of a Soul, reflects on core themes, and finishes with a meditative practice.

Resources:

• The transcript for this episode can be found here.
• The books we will be using this season are:
  • • Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Third Edition, translated by John Clarke, which can be found ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.
    • ⁠⁠⁠St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), edited by Mary Frolich⁠⁠⁠

Connect with us:

• Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until

May 15, 2026.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/ Thank you!

In this second dialogue session, Jim and Kirsten will focus on the meaning behind Thérèse's chosen moniker related to "The Child Jesus."

Resources:

• The transcript for this episode can be found here.
• The books we will be using this season are:

• • • Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Third Edition, translated by John Clarke, which can be found ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.
    • ⁠⁠⁠St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), edited by Mary Frolich⁠⁠⁠

Connect with us: Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?

• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until

May 15, 2026.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you!

This is the second session which focuses on Thérèse of Lisieux. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from the John Clarke translation of Thérèse's Story of a Soul, reflects on core themes, and finishes with a meditative practice.

Resources:

• The transcript for this episode can be found here.
• The books we will be using this season are:
  • • Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Third Edition, translated by John Clarke, which can be found ⁠⁠here⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.
    • ⁠⁠St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), edited by Mary Frolich⁠⁠

Connect with us:

• Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until

May 15, 2026.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you!

In this first dialogue session, Jim and Kirsten will focus on the depths of Thérèse's simplicity and why she's often referred to as "The Little Flower".

Resources:

• The transcript for this episode can be found here.
• The books we will be using this season are:
  • • Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Third Edition, translated by John Clarke, which can be found ⁠⁠here⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.
    • ⁠⁠St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), edited by Mary Frolich⁠⁠

Connect with us:

• Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until

May 15, 2026.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you!

This is the first session which focuses on Thérèse of Lisieux. In the tenor of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina, James Finley reads passages from the John Clarke translation of Thérèse's Story of a Soul, reflects on core themes, and finishes with a meditative practice.

Resources:

• The transcript for this episode can be found here.
• The books we will be using this season are:
  • • Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Third Edition, translated by John Clarke, which can be found ⁠here⁠, and ⁠here⁠.
    • ⁠St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), edited by Mary Frolich⁠

Connect with us:

• Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until

May 15, 2026.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠ Thank you!

Welcome to Season 13 of Turning to the Mystics.

This season we are turning to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux for spiritual guidance. In this episode, James Finley and Kirsten Oates cover the life and person of Thérèse and discuss how we can work with her ideas to transform our lives.

Resources:

• Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.
• The transcript for this episode can be found here.⁠
• The books we will be using this season are:
  • • Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Third Edition, translated by John Clarke, which can be found ⁠here⁠, and ⁠here⁠.
    • ⁠St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), edited by Mary Frolich⁠

Connect with us:

• Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?
• Email us: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until

May 15, 2026.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠ Thank you!

Season 13 of Turning to the Mystics will continue with our next mystic, St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

Our journey begins on March 16th, 2026.

Resources:

The books Jim will be referencing this season are:

• Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Third Edition, translated by John Clarke, which can be found here, and here.
• St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series), edited by Mary Frolich

In this episode, Kirsten and Jim answer Season 12 listener questions, which focus on the teachings of Brother Lawrence.

Resources:

• The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Connect with us:

• This podcast is made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠ Thank you!

In this special episode, Jim and Kirsten review the season and offer a way for us to turn to Brother Lawrence for guidance on our own spiritual path.

Resources:

• Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• The transcript for this episode can be found here.
• The book we are using this season can be ⁠⁠⁠⁠found here⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with us:

• Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 7th, 2025.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you!

On this special bonus episode, James Finley and Kirsten Oates interview Carmen Acevedo Butcher about her translation of Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence.

Carmen Acevedo Butcher is an award-winning translator, teacher, poet, and workshop leader.  Her Cloud of Unknowing translation received a 46th Georgia Author of the Year Award, and Martin Laird calls her translation of Brother Lawrence’s Practice of the Presence “the new standard.” She holds degrees in Medieval Studies from the University of Georgia, was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of London, and teaches in the College Writing Programs at the University of California, Berkeley. Carmen is a core faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Resources:

• Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• The transcript for this episode can be found here.
• Find out more about Carmen here.
• Carmen's book can be ⁠⁠⁠found here⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with us:

• Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 7th, 2025.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you!

In this third dialogue session Jim and Kirsten will focus on Brother Lawrence's place in our mystical lineage along with his specific connections to Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross.

Resources:

• Turning to the Mystics is a podcast by the Center for Action and Contemplation. To learn more about James Finley, visit his faculty profile ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.
• The transcript for this episode can be found here.
• The book we will be using this season can be ⁠⁠found here⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with us:

• Have a question you'd like Jim or Kirsten to answer about this season?
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠
• Send us a voicemail: ⁠⁠⁠cac.org/voicemail⁠⁠⁠

We'll be accepting questions for our Listener Questions episode until November 7th, 2025.

• This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would love to support the ongoing work of the Center for Action and Contemplation and the continued work of our podcasts, you can donate at ⁠⁠⁠https://cac.org/support-cac/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠ Thank you!