OUR PATRON SAINTS
St. Therese of Lisieux – Patron Saint of the TEC Movement
Because so many insights from St. Therese of Lisieux’s life parallel the spiritual process that guides the TEC Movement, the TEC Conference named Therese the patron saint of TEC in 1998.
ENCOUNTER
St. Therese’s mission was to enter into and bring others to the heart of Christ. She had a profound experience of love for God and neighbor. TEC shares this same mission.
WHEAT
St. Therese’s “little way” demonstrates that doing things, even the smallest daily tasks, can be sacrifices when done with great love. This is like the wheat/sacrifices we make on a TEC weekend (and beyond). Like a grain of wheat must die to produce fruit, we must “die to self” to share our love / live like Christ.
YOUTH
The young adults who experience TEC are around the same age as Therese was at the time of her major writings and death (15-ish). St. Therese lived to age 24. She remains young despite the passing of time, acting as a relevant role model to all.
GOING FORTH
After a TEC weekend, we are encouraged to go forth and share the encounter/our love with those in our lives. St. Therese is seen as a role model because she showed that it is possible to live a holy life without having to do anything extraordinary – attaining holiness and sainthood. “Holiness consists simply in doing God’s will, and being just what God wants us to be.” And we are to do this as He has called us. For 'If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.'”
- St. Therese of Lisieux, pray for us!
ENCOUNTER
St. Therese’s mission was to enter into and bring others to the heart of Christ. She had a profound experience of love for God and neighbor. TEC shares this same mission.
WHEAT
St. Therese’s “little way” demonstrates that doing things, even the smallest daily tasks, can be sacrifices when done with great love. This is like the wheat/sacrifices we make on a TEC weekend (and beyond). Like a grain of wheat must die to produce fruit, we must “die to self” to share our love / live like Christ.
YOUTH
The young adults who experience TEC are around the same age as Therese was at the time of her major writings and death (15-ish). St. Therese lived to age 24. She remains young despite the passing of time, acting as a relevant role model to all.
GOING FORTH
After a TEC weekend, we are encouraged to go forth and share the encounter/our love with those in our lives. St. Therese is seen as a role model because she showed that it is possible to live a holy life without having to do anything extraordinary – attaining holiness and sainthood. “Holiness consists simply in doing God’s will, and being just what God wants us to be.” And we are to do this as He has called us. For 'If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.'”
- St. Therese of Lisieux, pray for us!
St. Joseph - Patron Saint of the TEC Wheat Team
Because St. Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, parallels the sacrifice, discipline and work the Wheat Team strives to imitate, St. Joseph the Worker, is the Northwest TEC Wheat Team patron saint.
St. Joseph was a carpenter of Nazareth who supported and guided Jesus as a child. As we know, we are all children of God. Because we are God's children, we know St. Joseph is watching and guiding us as he looked after Jesus and Mary in Nazareth.
It is through St. Joseph’s labor of love that the Wheat Team seeks to do the same – looking over the team and candidates of the weekend.
The Wheat Team seeks anonymity and humility in their work. The last time Joseph appears in person in any of the canonical Gospels is in the narrative of the Passover visit to the Temple in Jerusalem when Jesus is 12 years old, which is found only in Luke. No mention is made of him thereafter. His purpose in this life was not to seek popularity or significance, but only to serve Mary and Jesus.
Prayer to St. Joseph
Foster Father of Christ and Patron Saint of the Wheat Team, we ask your son Jesus to help us become more like Him.
May He teach us respect and love all members of our TEC community; to better dedicate ourselves to those whom we serve.
May He enable us to support the team and candidates now entering our TEC family, and to encourage others to follow Christ through our examples of love in action, words, and prayers as His servants on this Wheat Team. Amen.
St. Joseph, pray for us!
St. Joseph was a carpenter of Nazareth who supported and guided Jesus as a child. As we know, we are all children of God. Because we are God's children, we know St. Joseph is watching and guiding us as he looked after Jesus and Mary in Nazareth.
It is through St. Joseph’s labor of love that the Wheat Team seeks to do the same – looking over the team and candidates of the weekend.
The Wheat Team seeks anonymity and humility in their work. The last time Joseph appears in person in any of the canonical Gospels is in the narrative of the Passover visit to the Temple in Jerusalem when Jesus is 12 years old, which is found only in Luke. No mention is made of him thereafter. His purpose in this life was not to seek popularity or significance, but only to serve Mary and Jesus.
Prayer to St. Joseph
Foster Father of Christ and Patron Saint of the Wheat Team, we ask your son Jesus to help us become more like Him.
May He teach us respect and love all members of our TEC community; to better dedicate ourselves to those whom we serve.
May He enable us to support the team and candidates now entering our TEC family, and to encourage others to follow Christ through our examples of love in action, words, and prayers as His servants on this Wheat Team. Amen.
St. Joseph, pray for us!