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Thérèse of Lisieux, commonly known as the Little Flower, died in a French convent on September 30, 1897. Her popularity rapidly extended well beyond her Carmelite convent community, her hometown of Lisieux, and her country.
In 1925 Pius XI responded to the enormous outpouring of popular veneration by declaring Thérèse a saint, calling her a “Word of God” and a “master of the spiritual life” (Francois Jamart, Complete Spiritual Doctrine of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, trans. Walter Van De Putte, p. 7). Subsequent popes proclaimed her patroness of the missions and, with Joan of Arc, patroness of France.
The widespread veneration of Thérèse is amazing because she had no tangible achievements to her credit during the twenty-four years of her life. She did no apostolic work, founded no religious community, and engaged in no missionary activity. Except for her immediate family and her community of twenty or so Carmelite nuns, Thérèse lived virtually unknown.
A Shower of Roses
The memory of Thérèse would surely have passed from history had it not been for two…
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Wow. What a powerful story and yet just so simple. St Therese is my patron saint, and Therese is my confirmation name. This story about her reminds me that God is for everyone, even though we struggle so much to surrender totally to HIM. And to live a simple life - and not be consumed by all the secular temptations and not to feel ashamed if or when people find us “out”.