Prayer ministry revitalizes 88-year-old St. Thérèse Shrine in Boonton

SHRINE TO ST. THERESE THE LITTLE FLOWER  Located in Boonton, the St. Therese Shrine is open for visitors and a prayer ministry meets at the shrine every Tuesday at 1 p.m. St. Therese of Lisieux is also known as the Little Flower. She was a Discalced Carmelite nun in France and she died at the age of 24 on Sept. 30, 1897. The shrine is located at 54 Rock Lane in Boonton.

BOONTON  Last spring, Carol Bsarany began a prayer group. Seven people joined her to pray the rosary for the intentions of the nation and the world at the St. Thérèse Shrine here, a small stone structure that resembles a tiny country church located off the beaten path. Because the shrine is dedicated to St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, members of the group also prayed the Memorare and Novena Prayer to St. Thérèse.

During the next few months, popularity of this group grew and at its last meeting, more than 100 joined to pray together. The shrine was closed during the winter for much-needed renovations made possible by a benefactor with connections to the shrine. Earlier this week on May 1, it reopened and every Tuesday at 1 p.m., the St. Thérèse Community Prayer Ministry invites all to pray with them at the shrine, located at 54 Rock Lane in Boonton.

“I would visit every single day the shrine,” said Bsarany. “When I would pray, I would ask God, ‘What do you want me to do?’ Give me some insight. I received a response of something telling me, ‘Why are you praying here alone?’ I began the group and it has really taken off. People are hungry for something meaningful. With the situation in Ukraine and the way things are in America, people are looking for something more.”

Bsarany, a parishioner of St. Mary in Denville, first came across it in 2007. She was going through cancer treatments at the time, and her friend Pat Anderson, knowing how devoted she was to St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, took her to the shrine for the first time. “I didn’t know about this place,” said Bsarany “And when I went, I loved being there. St. Therese helped me a lot during that time.”

Located 1.5 miles away from Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) Church here, the shrine is in the care of the parish. Achille Arci founded the shrine 88 years ago. According to OLMC Church, it represents the gratitude of the founder and a promise he made and kept some 100 years ago.

The written history of the shrine states, “Arci became very ill and was told by physicians bereft of bedside manner that he was incurable. Arci didn’t want to accept that prognosis, so he prayed fervently to St. Thérèse for help. He promised her that if he was cured, he would build a shrine in her honor and visit her home in France to pay his respects. Apparently, St. Thérèse liked that idea, because after a five-year battle with his illness, Arci was suddenly and miraculously cured. Keeping his promise would require the help of friends. He formed a small society of devout Catholics to build a modest shrine to St. Thérèse. The group solicited donations and volunteered labor to make the small shrine a reality. In 1933, it was erected on what was then Arci’s property.

“In October 1952, Arci traveled to Lisieux, France to visit St. Thérèse’s home. When he returned, he continued tending to the shrine until his death in 1957. This was his second promise to St. Therese.”

Afterward his death, members of the Arci family took care of the shrine until it was transferred to OLMC in 2020 for its perpetual care. Recently, thanks to a generous donation from the Arci family, the shrine has received a lot of love and attention after closed this winter. New improvements, which will protect the Shrine, include security cameras, heating and cooling system, and exterior gutters with rain barrel collection. The interior has also been repaired and refreshed.

Lori Testa, OLMC’s parish administrator, has been leading the renovation work now but admits she had never visited the shrine prior to the parish taking ownership of it. “I needed to see this place and found such a peaceful and serene place. You can truly feel how special it is,” she told The Beacon. “I wanted to read a little bit more about St. Thérèse and read her autobiography, Story of a Soul. Through this process to renovate it, I used it as a guide to honor her and to make the all those who visit the shrine happy. We have many people who support it. I met a woman who is not Catholic but likes to visit the shrine. The lawyer for the transfer of ownership is a Jewish man, who also feels it is a special place. You really see how much the shrine has touched so many people.”

Prayer meetings will be held weekly on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. through Oct. 30. Last year, during the winter months, meetings were held in St. Catherine of Siena Church in Mountain Lakes.

Bsarany attends the prayer group with her husband Ray, whom she said came into her life through the intercession of St. Thérèse. He directs the parking at the small shrine, since it is hidden in a residential neighborhood. “What began with seven people has now become my church family. I don’t know what I would have done without this ministry, she said.

During the spring, visitors will see a flower garden planted as part of the continued beautification of the shrine.

Bsarany welcomes all to prayer ministry or to just visit the shrine. “Join us for fellowship and you will meet some wonderful people. You will enjoy your visit and leave with an uplifted spirit and renewal. If you are praying for someone or asking for a favor, you can light a candle to help with your request. Be sure to bring your rosary and if possible, a lawn chair. If you do not have one, we will provide you with what you need.”

Information: Carol Bsarany (973) 271-9252.