Scottish Catholic Observer

The map was first unearthed when the relics of the Little Flower visited England and Wales 10 years ago.

It was drawn by St Thérèse in pencil when she was still at school and she mapped the country of ‘Ecosse’ and four of the locations which she is poised to visit in the next few weeks—Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Paisley.

Bishop Brian McGee of Argyll and the Isles Diocese said St Thérèse is ‘fulfilling her wishes’ by now visiting these places and ‘bringing people closer to God’s work.’

God’s work

“St Thérèse wanted to be a missionary and she also said that she wanted to spend her time in Heaven doing good on Earth and bring people closer to God’s work,” he said.

“The relics visit will be a great opportunity for spiritual growth in Scotland and for people to learn more about St Thérèse. By drawing that map all those years ago and pinpointing the various Scottish landmarks I guess you could say that she is now fulfilling her wishes to go to these places.”

Canon John Udris, spiritual director at Oscott Seminary, was a member of the planning committee of the relics visit to England in Wales in 2009.

Preaching the Gospel

On Friday Canon Udris will give a homily at one of the opening Masses at Carfin Grotto.

“I became aware of the map when we were planning the visit a decade a go,” he said.

“Within her writings St Thérèse further alludes to her wish to become a missionary when she says, ‘I’d like to travel the world and preach the Gospel in every continent even to the most remote isles.’

“I think in those words she is being a missionary. It’s almost as if she is fulfilling what she wrote and drew all those years ago.”