BIOGRAPHY OF Saint Thérèse (of the Child Jesus) of Lisieux

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Also known as

• Francoise-Marie Therese Martin
• Teresa of the Infant Jesus
• the Little Flower of Jesus
• the Little Flower
• Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Profile

Born to a pious middle-class French family of tradesmen; daughter of Blessed Louis Martin and Blessed Marie-Azelie Guérin Martin, and all four of her sisters became nuns. Her mother died when Francoise-Marie was only four, and the family moved to Lisieux, Normandy, France to be closer to the family. Cured of an illness at age eight when a statue of the Blessed Virgin smiled at her. Educated by the Benedictine nuns of Notre-Dame-du-Pre. Confirmed there at age eleven. Just before her 14th birthday, she received a vision of the Child Jesus; she immediately understood the great sacrifice that had been made for her and developed an unshakeable faith. Tried to join the Carmelites, but was turned down due to her age. Pilgrim to Rome, Italy at for the Jubilee of Pope Leo XIII whom she met and who knew of her desire to become a nun. Joined the Carmelites at Lisieux on 9 April 1888 at age 15, taking her final vow on 8 September 1890 at age 17. Known by all for her complete devotion to spiritual development and to the austerities of the Carmelite rule. Due to health problems resulting from her ongoing fight with tuberculosis, her superiors ordered her not to fast. Novice mistress at age 20. At age 22 she was ordered by her prioress to begin writing her memories and ideas, which material would turn into the book History of a Soul. Therese defined her path to God and holiness as The Little Way, which consisted of child-like love and trust in God. She had an on-going correspondence with Carmelite missionaries in China, often stating how much she wanted to come work with them. Many miracles attributed to her. Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997 by Pope John Paul II.

Born

2 January 1873 at Alcon, Normandy, France as Francoise-Marie Therese Martin

Died

7pm Thursday 30 September 1897 at Lisieux, France of tuberculosis

Canonized

17 May 1925 by Pope Pius XI

Patronage

• African missions
• sick people; against bodily ills, illness or sickness
• AIDS patients
• aircrews or pilots; aviators
• Australia
• black missions
• florists and flower growers
• foreign missions (proclaimed on 14 December 1927 by Pope Pius XI)
• loss of parents
• missionaries
• parish missions
• restoration of religious freedom in Russia
• tuberculosis
• World Youth Day 2013
• France (1944 by Pope Pius XII)
• Russia
• Anchorage, Alaska, archdiocese of
• Cheyenne, Wyoming, diocese of
• Churchill - Baie d'Hudson, Manitoba, diocese of
• Fairbanks, Alaska, diocese of
• Fresno, California, diocese of
• Hamilton, Bermuda, diocese of
• Juneau, Alaska, diocese of
• Kisumu, Kenya, diocese of
• Corner Brook and Labrador, Newfoundland, diocese of
• Pueblo, Colorado, diocese of
• Witbank, South Africa, diocese of
• Apostleship of Prayer

Representation

• roses
• Discalced Carmelite nun holding a bunch of roses
• nun with roses at her feet
• roses encircling a crucifix

Readings

For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. - Saint Therese of Lisieux

What beauty? I don't see my beauty at all; I see only the graces I've received from God. You always misunderstand me; you don't know, then, that I'm only a little seedling, a little almond. - Saint Therese of Lisieux

You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them. - Saint Therese of Lisieux

Oh! no, you will see, it will be like a shower of roses. After my death, you will go to the mailbox, and you will find many consolations. - Saint Therese on 9 June 1897 after Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart told her we would be very sorry after she died