Therese seeks a sign from God that her chosen vocation to save souls through His Son’s blood might be granted. She chooses a notorious and unrepentant criminal named Pranzini to pray for. She reads that, though he did not go to confession before his beheading, he did kiss the wounds of Christ on the Crucifix when offered to him by a priest. Her sign fulfilled!

Up until this point, Therese main spiritual reference was Imitation of Christ, whose contents she had completely memorized. At age 14 her thirst for knowledge led her to read Fr. Arminjon’s conferences on The End of this World and the Mysteries of the World to Come. From these she experienced joy beyond this world, and saw this world’s sacrifices as petty compared to the reward of heaven.

All of these things she confided in her sister Celine.