Elisabeth Leseur

[RoseMeg451]

I want to read one of the books about/ by Elizabeth Leseur and I found two, but I was wondering how similiar they are, basically if it’s worth it to get both or if I should just read one or the other. Could someone give me a reccomendation? Has anyone read either of these two books?

The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur: The Woman Whose Goodness Changed Her Husband from Atheist to Priest
or
Light in the Darkness: How to Bring Christ to the Souls You Meet Each Day

Thanks!

 

[PhilotheaZ]

I have read both, and they are both EXCELLENT. Elisabeth is one of my favorite Servants of God (she has not yet been beatified or canonized, but I hope she will be someday). I consider her my “big sister in heaven.”

I would recommend that you read her *Diary *first, so you can understand who she is, what she suffered, and her approach to spirituality. Then if you want to read more, read Light in the Darkness, letters of spiritual advice which she wrote to several family members and loved ones. They will make a lot of sense once you have the “big picture” from the diary.

Once you have read these, if you have fallen in love with her spirituality as I have, there are some more writings that until recently have been available only in French, but are now included in the book Elisabeth Leseur: Selected Writings, edited by Janet K. Ruffing, RSM. This book contains portions of the diary, but also selections from Lettres sur la souffrance (Letters on Suffering) and *Lettres à des incroyants (Letters to Unbelievers) *which have just been translated into English.

It is a happy coincidence that you asked about this today. I had just pulled some of her writings off my bookshelf last night to reread them, since the anniversary of her death (May 3, 1914) is next week. I hope that some day it will be her feast day on the calendar of the Church.

Enjoy!