This page is intended to honour the memory of Fr Louis Guillet, OCD (1902–1992), and to make his work known to a wider public. Fr Louis Guillet was first a disciple and later a companion of Blessed Fr Marie-Eugène, OCD (1894–1967).
Fr Louis Guillet, OCD (1902–1992), stands among the most remarkable masters of the spiritual life in the twentieth century. Although his name has remained relatively little known beyond specialised circles, his teaching manifests a rare depth, clarity, and experiential authority in the domain of spiritual theology. In continuity with the great Carmelite tradition, he does not merely expound principles but guides souls with a sure discernment of the ways of grace and of the interior life. For this reason, he may be regarded, with full justification, as one of the significant yet under-recognised spiritual masters of his time. Among those he formed was Jean Khoury, founder of the School of Mary.
Those who knew him testify that one of his deepest joys was to see a young person begin to read St John of the Cross, recognising there the decisive entrance into a truly theological understanding of the spiritual life. His own interior world was also profoundly marked by a deep love, fascination and devotion to St Thérèse of the Child Jesus—yet this devotion can only be fully understood against the background of the extraordinary spiritual and ecclesial movement surrounding her in the early decades of the twentieth century. In him, these two Carmelite lights were not opposed, but harmonised in a lived synthesis of doctrine and experience.
Father Louis Guillet, O.C.D., was born in Le Poiré-sur-Vie, in Vendée, in 1902. Ordained a priest in 1927 in the Society of the Priests of Chavagnes, he pursued advanced studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University, earning doctorates in theology and philosophy. In 1932 he entered the Carmelite Order, taking the name Louis of Saint Thérèse. While carrying out various responsibilities within his religious province and ministering to the Carmelite communities, he devoted himself to the study of the Carmelite saints and went on to publish several influential works on Carmelite spirituality. He passed away in 1992.
Bibliography of Fr. Louis Guillet OCD (in French and till 1995)
The Spiritual Master (article written after the death of Bl. Marie Eugene)
Thérèse in my life First published in 1972, this insightful study by Louis Guillet offers a profound exploration of the life and spirituality of Thérèse of Lisieux, one of the most beloved saints of modern Catholicism. Writing from within the Carmelite tradition, Guillet examines Thérèse’s “Little Way” with theological depth and pastoral clarity. He illuminates the spiritual simplicity, humility, and radical trust that define her teaching, presenting not only a portrait of her life but also a guide to living her message in everyday circumstances. This edition presents the first English translation of the work, making an important spiritual text accessible to a wider audience more than fifty years after its original publication. The translation preserves the tone and insight of the original French while offering a clear and readable text for contemporary readers. Translated into English for the first time by Jonathan Samit. Ideal for students of Carmelite spirituality, devotees of St. Thérèse, and readers interested in the interior life, this volume provides both thoughtful analysis and enduring spiritual guidance. (Amazon USA – Amazon UK)
See How Much Love God Has Given Us. This 1978 Carmelite classic by Fr. Louis Guillet, which contains his important theological and spiritual synthesis, is now available in English for the first time. By first listening to the Word of God which reveals to us the love of the Father, the author tries to show us this divine love at work in man. God begins by calling, then he purifies in a radical way: and this is the entry into the kingdom of the wedding feast and finally the apostolate through communion in the agony, in the passion of Jesus. “Happy adventure,” sings John of the Cross. In this narrow path, the author takes the Castilian Carmelite as his guide. Teresa of Avila and Thérèse de Lisieux also contribute their insights. The work demonstrates independence from “any system” and is rooted in life, in experience, in order to help us love God. (Amazon USA – Amazon UK)
Three major books by Fr. Louis Guillet OCD (in French):
– Voyez quel amour Dieu nous donne, Paris, 1978. (His synthesis of Spiritual Theology, adding an entirely new part, i.e. a fourth stage to the classical three ways—centred on participation in the redemptive work.)
– Gethsémani. Sainte Thérèse: L’amour crucifié, Nouvelles éditions Mame, 1980. (Continuation and deepening of the fourth part introduced in the previous book.)
– Seigneur, augmente en nous la foi, Québec, 1995. (Posthumous work on contemplation according to St. John of the Cross.)