Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
The youngest daughter of Louis Marin and Zélie Guérin who also became saints and wanted their children to be saints. The death of her mother at a young age was a major loss. Two of her sisters became Carmelites and each of their departure was another loss. Despite her best efforts Saint Thérèse could not join the order, even despite her request for intercession from the Pope, until the age of 15. Thus she found her “little way” to do little things with great love. Among her spiritual gifts were loving people even when they did wrong. When asked she shared she did this to demonstrate her great love for Jesus. She died at a young age at 24 though became known as a missionary Saint, despite never going on mission. The feast day for Saint Thérèse in the liturgical calendar is October 1. The National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica is in Royal Oak, Michigan. (Kremer, 2025)
From Dictionary of the Saints (1996)
Theresa of Lisieux [1873-1897]
The parents of Marie Francoise Thérèse were Louis Martin, a watchmaker, and his wife, Zélie Guérin, five of whose daughters became nuns. In 1888 Theresa entered the Carmelite convent of Lisieux in Normandy, where two of her sisters already were. She performed all the duties demanded of her by the austere Carmelite rule with great dedication and became assistant to the novice mistress when she was twenty-two. She considered volunteering for missionary work in Hanoi (now in Vietnam), and she is the patron saint of missionaries. But she contracted tuberculosis and died after eighteen months of heroic suffering. In her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, Theresa wrote that she would ‘let fall a shower of roses’ in the form of miracles and favours after her death. The book was published soon after her death and was an immediate and sensational success. Veneration for her became widespread, many miracles were attributed to her, and she was canonized in 1925, less than thirty years after her death. Her feast day is 1 October. Photo from Royal Oak, Michigan, 2025.
Prayer to Saint Thérèse
Dearest Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth.Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy. Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Loving God, you loved St. Thérèse’s complete trust in your care. Help me to rely on your providential care in each circumstance of my life, especially the most difficult and stressful. I trust you, Lord. Help me to trust you more! I love you, Lord. Help me to love you more!Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.