Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Thérèse Martin was born at Alencon in Normandy, France in 1873. She lost her mother at an early age, but her home was warm and loving. After much opposition she entered the Carmel at Lisieux at the age of fifteen. She took the name Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face. She experienced much ill health and deep spiritual darkness for the final eighteen months of her life. She died at the age of twenty-four. Thérèse was canonised in 1925 and made co-patron of the Missions two years later. She was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1997. Her spiritual doctrine stresses God’s love and mercy to which she responded by spiritual childhood, an attitude of complete love and confidence in God. It is largely summarised in her phrase, ‘the Little Way.’