St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse's Royaume France

Joan of Arc believed. She had the will to believe and faithfully surrendered the faculty of her intellect in the “obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5) to Our Lord. Through the cold eyes of the skeptics, I could still see a beautiful light in Joan. However, through the eyes of the Church, looking outwardly in expectant joy toward the Kingdom, I saw Joan’s life burst forth in brilliant colors that ennobled that same Kingdom.

The great day of July 17, 2006 will forever be indelibly branded on my soul. More than that even, it is a day that goes through the outer domain of my soul to touch the very substance of my being. In other words, it was, and remains, a most important day. Just as Thérèse had congruously cooperated with God in bringing about my first grace of conversion, Joan of Arc was intimately involved in my ultimate renewal in the Holy Spirit through sanctifying grace.

I cannot express with enough sincerity how edified I am to be reading through St. Thérèse’s script for her play on the life of Joan of Arc, one of eight plays she wrote on various subject matters. This work exceeds my expectations in that our Little Flower, yet great Doctor of the Church, has interpreted her own life and spirituality in the historical person of Joan. Joan of Arc speaks true to her historical perspective, but we hear Thérèse’s voice.

Welcome to Season 3 of the Royaume France podcast. In these episodes I will take you through “The Dove and Rose” which can be found also in paperback and kindle formats through my Amazon author’s site. This will introduce you to the spirituality behind the Royaume France devotion to St. Joan, St. Thérèse, and French Catholic spirituality. My hope is that these essays will open your hearts and minds to a more dynamic and fulfilling relationship with St. Joan and St. Thérèse, as well as ground you in the earliest philosophical foundations upon which the entire model eventually would be built. I hope you enjoy, “The Dove and Rose”!

“You must be the one from Illinois we were expecting!”

The middle-aged woman behind the desk in the seminary vestibule, just through the door from the couch where I slept for an hour and a half, was cheerful and obviously better rested than I was. The table, which I had not noticed at 5:30am while walking past in a daze, now seemed to be alive with activity and, notably, a person who looked like she could help me. This was the registration desk. Registration was now open. It was 7:00am on July 17, 2006.

“Someone has been leaving a rose each week at the foot of Our Lady’s statue in the chapel.” Mrs. Birdsill smiled and looked warily at me. “We’re not sure who it is.”

That afternoon, I had, in thanksgiving for my total consecration, given one more beautiful red rose to Our Lady, and she, through St. Thérèse, returned a rose to me.

Chapters 3 tells the story of how I was introduced to the rosary and True Devotion to Mary through my wife Josey. Chapter 4 discusses how I was introduced to St. Thérèse of Lisieux as my life long spiritual sister.

The story of how I met St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

Chapters 1 and 2 cover my visit to Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy and my first experience with Catholicism after proposing to my wife.

I have written extensively on the subject of empathic devotion to St. Joan of Arc. Our Lord and Our Lady have transformed my life through this uniquely powerful relationship. The Holy Spirit has willed to provide the sanctifying grace I need in hierarchical fashion, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary and then through St. Joan. I have been fascinated for over a decade as to the process and mode of this grace. It feels as though I am called to think it through for whatever mysterious purpose that thinking out, that modeling of the grace, serves the Kingdom of God.