The Story of a Soul by Thérèse of Lisieux

Louis had tried to become a canon regular, wanting to enter the Great St Bernard Hospice, but had been refused because he did not know Latin. Both her parents were devout Catholics who would eventually become the first (and to date only) married couple canonized together by the Roman Catholic Church (by Pope Francis in 2015). Therese was born on Rue Saint-Blaise, in Alençon, France on January 2, 1873, and was the daughter of Marie-Azélie Guérin (usually called Zélie), and Louis Martin who was a jeweler and watchmaker. Thérèse is well known throughout the world, with the Basilica of Lisieux being the second most popular place of pilgrimage in France after Lourdes. Her feast day in the General Roman Calendar was 3 October from 1927 until it was moved in 1969 to 1 October. Thérèse died at the age of 24 from tuberculosis. After nine years as a Carmelite religious, having fulfilled various offices such as sacristan and assistant to the novice mistress, in her last eighteen months in Carmel she fell into a night of faith, in which she is said to have felt Jesus was absent and been tormented by doubts that God existed. Thérèse felt an early call to religious life and, after overcoming various obstacles, in 1888, at the early age of 15, she became a nun and joined two of her older sisters in the cloistered Carmelite community of Lisieux, Normandy (yet another sister, Céline, also later joined the order). Pope Pius X called her 'the greatest saint of modern times'. She is one of the most popular saints in the history of the church. Thérèse has been a highly influential model of sanctity for Catholics and for others because of the simplicity and practicality of her approach to the spiritual life. She is popularly known in English as the Little Flower of Jesus, or simply the Little Flower, and in French as la petite Thérèse ('little Thérèse'). Thérèse of Lisieux OCD ( French: Thérèse de Lisieux ), born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin (2 January 1873 – 30 September 1897), also known as Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face ( Thérèse de l'Enfant Jésus et de la Sainte Face), was a French Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun who is widely venerated in modern times. Missionaries France Russia HIV/AIDS survivors florists and gardeners orphaned children homeless peoples tuberculosis the Russicum Alaska Pasay Antipolo Santa Teresita, Batangas Pueblo, Colorado Fresno, California Cheyenne, Wyoming Kisumu Witbank Gardens of Vatican City Archdiocese of Trivandrum 3 October ( Pre-1969 Roman Calendar, Melkite Calendar)ĭiscalced Carmelite habit, crucifix, roses.

The Story of a Soul by Thérèse of Lisieux