Light Love Life: A Look at a Face and a Heart, Elizabeth of the Trinity (English and French Edition) Paperback – January 1, 1984

Book was received in excellent condition and was received quickly.

A unique and meditative combination of photos and texts of/by Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity. Book really presents a biography in pictures and words, highlighting themes characteristic of her spirituality.

> 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 sister was a tearful one. In all probability, this was the last time the three women would ever embrace each other before Elizabeth would disappear behind the grille. Elizabeth has swollen eyes. Her new brother-in-law of two months took four negatives at this last family gathering. To be sure of a good picture of her Carmelite daughter, Madame Catez also hired a professional photographer. In this hour of emotion and suffering, Elizabeth does not seem ill at ease. Required to pose in a rather incongruous setting, she must have hoped it would be soon over. Her head is bowed. She is looking down. Her facial expression looks stiff and without sparkle. After the solemnity of her Veiling (January 1903), Elizabeth posed for her traditional "Profession" photograph ~~ in the traditional place (the garden) and in the traditional pose which includes holding a religious object. There were three attempts to get this pose right. This fact is known because her scapular and toque (coif) were secured by a pin and in each attempt, they are adjusted a little differently. Her sleeves are down and a bandage on her left finger covers the chilblains from which she suffered in the unheated Carmel. "LIGHT LOVE LIFE ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY: A Look at a Face and a Heart" includes 70 photographs of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity ~~ 50 as a young girl and 20 as a Carmelite nun. In many of these pictures, faces or details are enlarged. However, none of the old proofs have been retouched, even if they bore marks of time: spots, scratches or cracking. In many ways, Elizabeth of the Trinity is similar to her Sister in Religion ~~ Therese of the Child Jesus. Like Saint Therese, Elizabeth's spirituality was formed on the Gospels. Elizabeth Catez was born in 1880 in France. Her father was a military captain. The eldest of two daughters, Elizabeth was a youngster when she first demonstrated a very hot temper. In frustration, her mother once threatened to send her to live with the Sisters of the Good Shepherd who ran a correctional facility for girls! However, after her First Holy Communion, Elizabeth overcame these tantrums. She was eight years old when her father died and her mother moved the family to Dijon where Elizabeth ~~ a talented pianist ~~ blossomed into a very Social Woman who enjoyed dancing, music and fashionable clothes. At this same time, however, Elizabeth also taught catechism to the children in her parish. Throughout this stage in her life, Elizabeth discovered that her love of Jesus far surpassed her love of worldly things. In 1901, she entered the Dijon Carmel and was given the name "Elizabeth of the Trinity." She died five year later with Addison's disease and was declared "Blessed" in 1984. "LIGHT LOVE LIFE ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY: A Look at a Face and a Heart" is a fantastic pictorial! Its wonderful photographs bring Elizabeth to life and are a treasure.

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