Book Reviews2 Holy Simplicity: the Little Way of Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day & Therese of Lisieux

Dec 5, 2008

This is a wonderful book about the spirituality of St. Therese of Lisieux, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa), and Dorothy Day. All three of these 20th century women had a simple spirituality that did deeply impacted their lives as well as the lives of those with whom they worked. Blessed Teresa and Dorothy Day learned a great deal from St. Therese and her spirituality called the "Little Way." This little way is comprised of doing little things for God and for one’s neighbor such as helping an elderly person cross the street or by picking up the trash. It is a spirituality of true humility while living one’s ordinary life by doing small unselfish things.

Blessed (Mother) Teresa said she took the name "Teresa" to honor St. Therese as her example in life. She referred to St. Teresa of Avila, as the "Big Teresa" while Therese she called the "Little Teresa." Dorothy Day also had a devotion to St. Teresa of Avila. She gave her daughter the middle name, "Teresa" after St. Teresa of Avila and later learned of St. Therese of Lisieux and her "little way."

This reviewer is a Benedictine monk and recognizes some Benedictine influence in Dorothy Day’s life as a Benedictine Oblate. The Little Way and Benedictine spirituality are similar because both call for one to live in the ordinary day-to-day events of life. One does not have to do extraordinary things to reach holiness according to these two spiritualities. Humility and balance of life are important ingredients to these spiritualities which were clearly demonstrated by all three women.

Schorn tells stories of these three women and events in their lives to show how practicing this simple or little way can be done and what effects it can have on that person and their neighbors. He discusses the troubling problem of how not everyone who needs help can be reached because there are just too many people who need assistance. Schorn says even though not all can be reached, Teresa and Dorothy tried as hard as they humanly could. They wanted to help everyone, but they were sensible enough to know that this could not be done. Still they knew they had done all they could possibly do as they tried to help one person at a time.

Schorn has shown that practicing this simple little way can lead to holiness and that any one can do it with commitment and thought. This book flows very well and Schorn’s inspirational stories about these three women make this spirituality realistic and doable.

Joel Schorn is a writer and editor. He is the author of God’s Doorkeepers: Padre Pio, Solanus Casey, and Andre Bessette (2006) and co-author of A Faith Interrupted: an honest conversation with alienated Catholics (2004). His website is at www.joelschorn.com.

This book is highly recommended to those interested in Catholic spirituality, St. Therese, Bl. Teresa, or Dorothy Day.

 

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