P. François-Marie Léthel - Ir. Ângela Coelho, Viver na Luz de Deus, Edições
Carmelo, 2025.
This book has been promoted by Carmel of St. Teresa, in Coimbra, and was authored by Fr. François-Marie Léthel, a Discalced Carmelite - a well-known French theologian specialized in the theology of holiness, who, among other things, was also one of the editors of the Positio on the process that conduced to the proclamation of St. Therese of the Child Jesus as Doctor of the Church. Father Léthel was also invited as official preacher in the spiritual exercises to the Roman Curia in the Lenten of 2011. The book was co-edit by Sr. Angela de Fátima Coelho, current General Superior of the Alliance of Santa Maria and Vice-Postulator of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of Sister Lucia. The study focuses on the spiritual journey of Sister Lucia, particularly on her experience as a Discalced Carmelite, a dimension of her life that is still little known or studied. As General Superior of the Discalced Carmelite Order, Fr. Miguel Marquez Calle, states in the preface to this book: "Fatima is a dialogue between Heaven and Earth; Lucia is the interlocutor of Heaven's desire to communicate with humanity. And this work, which now reaches readers, is a beautiful and profound dialogue between the spirituality of Fatima and the spirituality of Carmel. […] It is for me a great joy that both the Church and the Discalced Carmelite Order discover Lucia of Jesus never undermining Lucia of Fatima but acknowledging and thanking God for Lucia's vocation to Carmel." Starting from Sr Lucias’s intimate journal entitled "My Way", still unpublished for the most part but widely quoted here, the authors intertwine her spiritual experiences with the spiritual journey described in Saint Teresa of Jesus, "The Interior Castle", highlighted by the teachings of Saint John of the Cross and by Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus’ writings, as they take in consideration the apparitions at Cova da Iria. Thus, the authors invite the reader to let himself be moved and embark on this great inner adventure of living under the Light of God. In fact, what Venerable Sister Lucia experienced herself and recorded in her diary on June 18th, 1970: "Holiness is to live the Light of God that dwells in me, to live in the Light, to live from the Light, to live for the Light!", this is intended for all of us. The book has two essential parts: In the first one, which is entitled Before entering Carmel and is summarized in this expression: "It would be She [Mary] who would lead me and guide my steps", and it presents the spiritual
foundations of Lucia de Jesus, her Carmelite vocation and her spiritual journey up until she was received at the Carmel of Coimbra on March 25th, 1948. In the second part, regarding her life as a Discalced Carmelite, 3 major moments of her spiritual journey are contemplated – The preparation for the night, between the years 1948 and 1955; The dark night of the spirit, between 1955 and 1980; and finally, the transforming union, from 1980 onwards. This book also contains a brief acknowledgment by her Community Sisters and it is complemented by four valuable documents in appendix: a "Brief Chronology
of Lucia de Jesus’ Biography"; a "Diagram - Synthesis of the Spiritual Path according to Blessed Mary-Eugene of the Child Jesus, in I Want to See God"; the Church’s Decree on the Heroic Virtues of Lucia of Jesus; and a letter by the General Superior of the Discalced Carmelites on Lucia, published on July 16th,
2024 and titled "Path of Light".