"From January 25 - February 14 a novena was made to the saintly Carmelite nun, Sister Theresa of Lisieux,¹ ... for Mr. Henry Wessling, the blind Jesuit scholastic. Over 2,000 letters were sent to the bishops, religious and faithful of this country, and to many places in Europe, asking for co-operation in this worthy undertaking."

The text of that letter² is as follows.

'We would appeal to your sympathy and charity in behalf of our stricken brother Mr. Henry J. Wessling S.J. He is totally blind -  the result of a chemical explosion which happened on the morning of October 3, 1910 when he was teaching the sciences in Canisius College, Buffalo, N.Y. Having spent 12 years as a member of the Society of Jesus, he was just completing the last period of a scholastic life prior to the study of theology when he lost the use of both eyes.

'In September, 1911 superiors sent him to Woodstock as a theologian in course. Two and a half years are gone and during that time he has, with the aid of his brothers reading to him, mastered his subject matter and successfully passed all examinations.

'The coming June would have seen him ordained to the priesthood!'

"The Catholic and secular press³ published the appeal while in many churches it was read from the altar, and in consequence about a million and a half souls joined in the prayers."

The source for this material is an article which appeared in the 1914 edition of the "Woodstock Letters".

1. It is cruelly ironic that the feast day of St. Theresa of Lisieux is October 1, the same date in 1910 when Fr. Wessling began the experiment which resulted in his loss of vision.

2. The letter was signed by the theological students at Woodstock College.

3. An article appearing in the May 10, 1914 edition of the "New York Times" apparently served as an update on the status of the attempts to have Mr. Wessling ordained.