St. Thérèse of Lisieux: The Little Flower, Her Little Way and Story of a Soul
Quick answer
St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897), the Little Flower, was a French Carmelite nun who died of tuberculosis at twenty-four. Her autobiography, Story of a Soul, spread her Little Way of trust and love around the world. Pius XI canonized her in 1925, and St. John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997. Her feast is October 1.
Key takeaways
- Thérèse Martin was born in Alençon, France, on January 2, 1873, and her parents, Louis and Zélie, are canonized saints.
- She entered the Carmel of Lisieux at fifteen, after personally asking Pope Leo XIII for permission.
- Her Little Way teaches childlike trust in God and doing small things with great love.
- She is co-patroness of the missions, though she never left her convent.
She never founded an order. She never traveled as a missionary. She wrote one short book and died at twenty-four, almost unknown. Today she is one of the most loved saints in the Church.
A Family of Saints
Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin was born on January 2, 1873, in Alençon, France, the youngest of nine children, of whom only five daughters survived. Her parents, Louis and Zélie Martin, were canonized together in 2015. Zélie died when Thérèse was four, a loss that left the little girl fragile and easily moved to tears.
The Christmas Grace
On Christmas Eve in 1886, shortly before her fourteenth birthday, something changed. She overheard a tired remark from her father and, instead of crying as she usually did, she found herself at peace and joyful. She later called this her “complete conversion.” Her over-sensitivity had given way to strength.
Soon after, she felt a great desire to pray for sinners. She prayed for a convicted murderer, Henri Pranzini, who kissed a crucifix just before his execution. She took it as a sign that God had heard her.
Carmel at Fifteen
Thérèse longed to join her sisters in the Carmelite convent at Lisieux, but she was too young. On a pilgrimage to Rome in 1887 she broke the rule of silence, knelt before Pope Leo XIII and begged his permission. He told her she would enter if God willed it.
She entered on April 9, 1888. Her life there was ordinary on the surface. She did the laundry, served in the refectory, helped form the novices, and put up patiently with those who annoyed her.
The Little Way
Thérèse knew she could not perform great penances or win renown. She looked for “an elevator” to God, and she found it in Scripture, in Jesus’ welcome of the little ones. God Himself would lift her in His arms.
Her Little Way rests on a few simple ideas:
- Trust God completely, as a small child trusts a father.
- Do small things with great love: a smile, a kind word, a task done without complaint.
- Accept your weakness instead of being discouraged by it.
The Catechism quotes her words to describe the holiness and love at the heart of the Church (CCC 826). She wrote, in a famous passage, that her vocation was love.
Her Dark Night
Her last eighteen months were very hard. Tuberculosis caused her terrible suffering. At the same time she passed through a deep darkness of faith, in which heaven seemed closed to her. She kept making acts of faith and offered her trial for those who did not believe.
She died on September 30, 1897, at twenty-four. Her last words were “My God, I love You.”
Story of a Soul
At the request of her superiors, Thérèse had written down memories of her life. Published in 1898 as Story of a Soul, the book spread around the world within a few years. Pius XI canonized her on May 17, 1925, and in 1927 named her a patroness of the missions, along with St. Francis Xavier, because of her prayers for missionaries.
St. John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church on October 19, 1997. She had said she would spend her heaven doing good on earth (see CCC 956).
A Prayer to St. Thérèse (Original Prayer)
St. Thérèse, Little Flower of Jesus, teach me to trust God as you did. Help me to do small things with great love. In my dark days, hold me to the faith. Let fall upon those I love your shower of roses from heaven. Amen.
Continue Reading
Read about another great teacher of the Church, St. Augustine of Hippo, or discover the book she knew almost by heart, The Imitation of Christ.
Frequently asked questions
When is the feast day of St. Thérèse?
October 1. She died on September 30, 1897.
What is the Little Way?
It is a path to holiness open to everyone. Thérèse taught that we need not do great deeds. We can trust God as small children trust a loving father, and offer every little act of the day with love.
Why is she associated with roses?
She promised that after her death she would let fall a shower of roses, meaning graces from heaven. Many people who pray to her speak of receiving a rose as a sign.
How many Doctors of the Church are women?
She was the third woman to be named one, after St. Teresa of Avila and St. Catherine of Siena. Others have been named since.
Sources
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul
- St. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Divini Amoris Scientia (1997)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church 127, 826, 956, 2011, 2558
