Students Discover Saints' Human Side Through 'The Little Way of Trust'

All Saints Day may conjure up in people's minds a picturesque image of the saints in heaven with halos and icons associated with their lives. Students at Our Lady of Mercy School in Baton Rouge discovered the human side of the saints through St. Thérèse of Lisieux. They learned she was also a child who had to learn to overcome fears.

On Oct. 16 author Dina Zelden read her book "The Little Way of Trust" to students in kindergarten through third grades. The book focuses on the true story of three-year old Thérèse (Martin) overcoming her fear of descending the stairs of her childhood home in Alençon. The idea of writing the story came to Zelden during a trip to France in 2022.

"Growing up in South Louisiana, I've always had an affinity for France," said Zelden. "I felt very connected specifically to the way God revealed himself in France, as France is known as the eldest daughter of the church."

She made a trip to France desiring to buy property where Americans can visit and hear lectures about French Catholicism, French saints, and devotions originating from France.

While staying at a bed and breakfast in Normandy, Zelden was inspired by a statue of St. Thérèse lodged in the wall. A vase of fresh flowers was placed at her feet.

She told the B&B owner she couldn't wait to visit the convent at Lisieux, where St. Thérèse lived out her vocation as a Carmelite nun.

"He said, 'That is good for sure. But you will really meet Thérèse in Alençon,'" said Zelden.
Dina Zelden reads the book "The Little Way of Trust" to third grade students at Our Lady of Mercy School. Photo by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator
She took his advice and was overwhelmed by her experiences there.

"You really feel the love of the family," Zelden said. "You really feel they were working their way to heaven, day in and day out. 

"I think sometimes we've lost a little bit of that living the liturgical year in our daily lives, not just on Sundays," said Zelden. She is the sister-in-law of Father Joshua Zelden, parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Baton Rouge.

As one passes through the rooms at Alençon, the scene is further enhanced with sounds of a crackling fire, pans moving around, etc.

When standing at the stairs, one can hear a recording of a child's voice saying " Maman (Momma)." One could also view a film based on the letter written by St. Zélie Martin about her young daughter St. Thérèse overcoming her fears of going down the stairs.

"Visually it shows little feet on edge of the stairs and the little night gown," said Zelden. "I knew kids would love this story,"

The story also speaks of St. Thérèse’s love for and trust in her mother. Each time the little saint called out to her mother, she would not descend the steps until she heard her mother reply from another room, "Yes, my child."  

St. Thérèse later applied this to her "stairs to Jesus" metaphor for the spiritual path to God. She concluded that her "elevator" to heaven was not a great feat of her own, but the loving arms of Jesus, who would carry her to God.

Zelden said, "Many people might think of the book as only for three-year-olds because that is the age of St. Thérèse in the book ... but when they are a little bit older they love to look back and say, 'Oh yeah, I used to be like that.’ It's still in their heart, it resonates with them.  And of course, they're looking ahead because now they understand more about what it means to be a saint. They put it together, 'Oh wow, the statue I see of this saint in the church was like me when I was three and was scared to so something alone in my house."

This point was observed by students in the third-grade class asking questions about St. Thérèse.

Zelden emphasized to the students that everyone has a universal call to be a saint.

"When you see a picture of a saint, when you see a statue of the saint in church, that person wasn't just born that way. They didn't just become a saint overnight. They were actually always people just like you."

To purchase the book, visit saint-symphorien.com/shop.