Therese Martin was born to Louis Martin and Zelle Guerin on January 2, 1873. At the age of 15, she entered the Carmelite convent at Lisieux, France. With the religious name of Sr. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, she lived a hidden life of prayer.

She was gifted with great intimacy with God. Through sickness and darkness, she remained faithful, rooted in God's powerful love. She died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24.

The world came to know her through her autobiography, «The Story of a Soul». She described her life as «a little way of spiritual childhood». She lived each day with unshakable confidence in God's love.

The inspiration of her life and her powerful presence from heaven touched so many people so quickly that she was canonised on May 17, 1925, by Pope Pius XI. She was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II, on October 17, 1997.

Patron Saint of the Missions

It was a Canadian prelate, Bishop Ovide Charlebois, o.m.i., who was the instigator of the process which led to the proclamation of St. Thérèse as Patron Saint of the Missions, by Pope Pius XI on December 14, 1927 .

From 1910 to 1933, Bishop Charlebois worked in Northern Canada , as Apostolic Vicar. Several times, he had heard the missionaries speak of the " roses " thrown over the Hudson Bay region by she who had said : « I will send a shower of roses. » Many were the facts related to him about favours obtained, each one more marvellous than the other. He decided to ask the Holy Father to proclaim Thérèse, Patron Saint of the Missions; had she not said that she would A help the priests, the missionaries, the whole Church?

The request projected by Bishop Charlebois was sent to the Holy Father bearing the signature of all the Canadian Ordinaries. But the Holy Father returned the petition saying : « Have all the missionary Bishops sign this petition » . The missionary Bishops signed and also related the " miracles " attributed to St. Thérèse in favour of the missions. ( Vie Thérèsienne, No. 110, p. 105)

For more information, go to the following web sites :

http://www.lecarmel.org/

http://therese-de-lisieux.cef.fr/