She thought she had no vocation

I finally saw the film "Therese: the story of St. Therese of Liseux."

One of the scenes that made me smile was the day before Therese’s final profession as a Carmelite nun when she comes panic-stricken to the mother superior and babbles that she’s realized she doesn’t have a vocation.

This is the future Saint Therese of Liseux speaking, who in a short time would become one of the greatest Carmelites of the modern era.

It is one of the very nice moments in the film. Another follows shortly thereafter, as a glowing Therese is led into the chapel the next day, lies prostrate and cruciform on what appears to be a black mat lined with small flowers, and then is raised up to receive the veil of a fully professed Carmelite.

There are other nice moments in the film as well.

Also, both the exterior and interior locations are gorgeous, the costumes are lovely, the soundtrack is sweet and very pretty in its small way, everyone in the film seems to be very devoted to the subject, and there are not too many films nowadays that are so thoroughly and unabashedly Catholic.

However, although there are many good things about the film, it is best seen with very low expectations of cinematic quality.

With that caveat in mind, Catholics who find traditional devotions comforting should appreciate this movie very much.