Frequently Asked Questions
- How Did She Get the Name "Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face"?
- How Far is it From Paris to Lisieux, and Should I Consider Making the Trip?
- What are the Four Miracles That Led to Thérèse Being Declared a Saint?
- What Did She Mean by Her "Shower of Roses"
- When is Her Feast Day?
- Why is her Name Sometimes Spelled "Therese", "Theresa", and "Thérèse"?
- What is Meant by Her "Little Way"?
- Is There a Novena I Can Pray to St. Thérèse?
- What does it mean that St. Therese was declared a “Doctor of the Church”?
How Did She Get the Name "Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face"?
Following the biblical tradition, when people entered religious life, they took a new name to signify their new call from God. When she entered the Carmelite Monastery to give her life to God, Marie Francoise Thérèse Martin took the religious name “Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.” Thérèse had great devotion to the Infant Jesus, and her spirituality was a childlike simplicity and trust in God’s love. The Lisieux Carmelite Monastery had a great devotion to the suffering Holy Face of Jesus that was reflected on the veil of Veronica. This included an outdoor shrine in the cloister garden. Thérèse was constantly looking to see the hidden Holy Face of Jesus in everyone and everything, Thérèse therefor took it as the second part of her religious name. She explained, “I desire that, like the Face of Jesus, my face be truly hidden that no one on earth would know me. I thirsted after suffering and I longed to be forgotten.” Her religious name, Sr. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and Holy Face, came to signify what she was about and how God’s grace was working in her.
How Far is it From Paris to Lisieux, and Should I Consider Making the Trip?
By all means, if you are in Paris, get to Lisieux. Lisieux is a small town in Normandy, about 80 miles outside Paris. It is becoming one of the premier pilgrimage places in the world, currently receiving more than two million pilgrims a year, and the number continues to grow. It is a quick hour and a half train ride from Paris. The city is well established for receiving pilgrims with a number of places related to the life of St. Thérèse. There you can visit her house “Les Buissonnets”, the magnificent Basilica in her honor, her parish Church, and the Carmelite Convent. There is a small wonderful museum of her memorabilia. It is easy to get around and see everything in one day. Just walking around the town makes her come more alive. The Carmelite Nuns of Lisieux must protect the privacy of their life, so one cannot get into the Carmel cloister, but the Church is there and you can see the chapel where Thérèse prayed, her seat marked with a cross.
What are the Four Miracles That Led to Thérèse Being Declared a Saint?
Thérèse became a saint because of the way she responded wholeheartedly to God’s love and the grace of the Holy Spirit within her. We believe that God embraced her upon her death and shared with her a risen life of Jesus in heaven. While the Church recognizes the holiness and sanctity of many good people, official canonization is a long process. The Roman Catholic Church seeks definite signs before she officially declares someone a saint. In the case of St. Thérèse, the process went swiftly. In the popular piety of the people, she became a saint in their hearts even before the official declaration. A person is declared “Venerable” when there is evidence of extraordinary holiness and inspiration for others. It means that the cause of their canonization is being pursued. In order to move to the next step “Beatification”, two certified miracles are needed, attributed to the intercession of that person with God in heaven. Miracles must involve situations where there is no other natural explanation. They are evidence of supernatural intervention, through intercessory help.
Regarding St. Thérèse, in 1923 the Church approved two spontaneous cures unexplained by medical treatment. Sister Louise of St. Germain was cured of the stomach ulcers she had between 1913 and 1916. The second cure involved Charles Anne, a 23 year old seminarian who was dying from advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. The night he thought he was dying, Charles prayed to Thérèse. Afterward, the examining doctor testified, “The destroyed and ravaged lungs had been replaced by new lungs, carrying out their normal functions and about to revive the entire organism. A slight emaciation persists, which will disappear within a few days under a regularly assimilated diet.” These two miracles resulted in Thérèse becoming beatified.
Once she was declared “Blessed”, it took only two years for the necessary next two miracles to be approved. In 1925 two cures had been investigated and judged to be supernatural, through the intercession of St. Thérèse. The first involved Gabrielle Trimusi from Parma, Italy. Gabrielle had suffered from arthritis of the knee and tubercular lesions on the vertebrae. The final cure involved Maria Pellemans of Schaerbeck, Belgium. Maria suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis which had spread, as Thérèse’s illness had, to the intestines. The diagnosis of pulmonary and intestinal tuberculosis was made by a Dr. Vandensteene, who also examined Maria after she came back from visiting Thérèse’s grave. The doctor testified, “I found Miss Pellemans literally transformed. This young woman, out of breath from the least movement, moves about without fatigue; she eats everything given to her, with a very good appetite. The abdomen presents no tender point, when formerly the least pressure produced severe pain. All symptoms of tubercular ulceration of the intestine have disappeared.” In reports predating Maria’s return to health, two other physicians confirmed Dr. Vandensteen’s diagnosis of pulmonary and intestinal tuberculosis. On May 17, 1925, Thérèse was officially declared a Saint by Pope Pius XI.
What Did She Mean by Her "Shower of Roses"
Experience has shown that St. Thérèse’s “shower of roses” is both figurative and actual. As she was dying in the convent infirmary, Thérèse could look out and see the rose bushes blossoming. She loved roses. She had thrown rose petals as a child before the Blessed Sacrament. As she reflected on her quiet, hidden, and gentle life ending, she faithfully believed that God had great things in store for her. She believed that her mission was only beginning as she entered the fullness of life with God. She explained: “After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. I will raise up a mighty host of little saints. My mission is to make God loved…”
Shortly after her death, the rain of roses began. Sometimes roses literally appeared, and sometimes just the fragrance of them. Cures of painful and fatal diseases and many other miraculous experiences were attributed to her intercession. Sometimes people found inner peace and regained an inner warmth of spirit and confidence, by appealing to St. Thérèse. Many miracles and actions of St. Thérèse do not involve roses. More often than not, marvelous things happen in people’s lives as they ask for her heavenly intercession. The miracles, healings, and inner peace come from the trust one places in God, not from any manifestation of roses. St. Thérèse lived in the dark night of the senses and spirit, with little consolation. Thus, the friends and followers of St. Thérèse expect no consolation of sighted roses that their prayers are being answered. Her “little way” is about childlike trust and gentle love. She is the great apostle of faith in God’s love, not simple reliance on physical signs. Jesus warned us, and Thérèse experienced that the desire for signs is a sign of weak faith. It is always important to remember that St. Thérèse did not experience extraordinary phenomena in her life. Her faith was refined and strengthened by God.
Roses are Thérèse’s signature. It is her way of whispering to those who need a sign that she has heard, and God is responding. Thousands of people have given witness to the way Thérèse responds to their petitions and prayers with grace and roses. The grace is more important than the roses. So many miracles have happened through the intercession of St. Thérèse without any roses appearing; usually the deep inner peace of accepting God’s will and seeing His loving plan and presence is the “rose” experienced. Sometimes the lack of a physical “rose signature” is an affirmation of a strong faith.
One does not pray for roses. Thérèse’s message is about simplicity and love in the ordinary events of life. Trust in Thérèse is important, and when she wills, roses or their fragrance may appear. The stories are remarkable how roses have shown up in the lives and experiences of people, especially in the darkest times. The ordinary and constant way these roses and graces have shown up in people’s experience is extraordinary. It is important to always maintain the rose of confidence that our All-Loving God hears and responds to our needs, according to the mysterious ways of His Love.
When is Her Feast Day?
The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Thérèse the Little Flower, on October 1st. This date was chosen because Thérèse died on September 30th. Following the ancient custom of celebrating their entrance into heaven the next day, October 1st was chosen as the day to celebrate Thérèse’s life in eternity. Some people may remember that her Feast Day was previously October 3rd. That date was established for several reasons, including a packed liturgical calendar. In the liturgical renewal of the 1970’s, when the calendar of saints was updated and refined, St. Thérèse’s feast was properly moved to the more appropriate October 1st date. It is interesting to note that St. Thérèse’s home church in France celebrates her Feast Day on the last Saturday of September, no matter what the date.
Why is her Name Sometimes Spelled "Therese", "Theresa", and "Thérèse"?
All three are appropriate, but if one is to remain faithful to her actual French name, it is “Thérèse”. In English, we don’t have the vowel marks which the French have, so she is simply “Therese”. It became popular to use the more Anglicized version “Theresa”, but more recently it has caused confusion between her and Teresa of Avila. In order to avoid confusion between the two Carmelites, many choose to use the spelling more reflective of her French name, “Thérèse”. We believe she answers to all of them.
What is Meant by Her "Little Way"?
Thérèse saw herself as a child of God. She liked to keep things simple and focused as a child does. Trust, especially trust in God, is a childlike virtue. Some spiritualities have stressed complicated practices and extraordinary journeys of the soul as it responds to God’s grace and love. Thérèse’s spirituality is simple, and she calls it her “little way”. She believed and taught us that life presents enough challenges and opportunities for grace. She teaches us that God is everywhere – in every situation and person – and in the ordinary, simple details of life.
“Everything is grace” is probably the theme song of her spirituality. Her “Little Way” teaches us to do the ordinary things of life with extraordinary love. A smile, a note of encouragement, a phone call, suffering in silence, always having a positive word, a simple unnoticed task to brighten the life of another, and so many other simple deeds, done with love – these are the examples of her spirituality. The smallest action, done with love, is more important than great deeds done for personal glory, gratification or simply out of obedience. Thérèse teaches us that Jesus is everywhere and is the power for love and goodness operating within us. Such is the power and presence of grace. Thérèse’s life was hidden. To many, even in the convent, she seemed like such an average, ordinary person. Her greatness showed in the constancy of her love for others in the most simple ways.
Even in prayer, Thérèse teaches simplicity, talking to God and Jesus in direct, personal and heartfelt ways. She did not like long prayers. She fell asleep during community prayer. She disliked the rosary. She prayed from her heart as a child speaks honestly and trustingly to a parent they love. God calls us to respond to Divine Love in a childlike relationship of love, trust and bold confidence to “Abba” (which literally means “Dad’), and by doing the simple things for others well, and with love.
Thérèse was faithful to the Gospel of Jesus and the core of his message. She invites us to join in her “spiritual childhood” or “little way”. The power, appeal and simplicity of her message is why the Church declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.
Is There a Novena I Can Pray to St. Thérèse?
The most loved and repeated novena to St. Thérèse is the “Miraculous Invocation to St. Thérèse”. It is as follows:
O Glorious St. Thérèse, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid and inspire the human family, I implore your Miraculous Intercession. You are so powerful in obtaining every need of body and spirit from the Heart of God. Holy Mother Church proclaims you ‘Prodigy of Miracles… the Greatest Saint of Modern Times.’ Now I fervently beseech you to answer my petition (mention here) and to carry out your promises of spending Heaven doing good on earth…of letting fall from Heaven a Shower of Roses. Little Flower, give me your childlike faith, to see the Face of God in the people and experiences of my life, and to love God with full confidence. St. Thérèse, my Carmelite Sister, I will fulfill your plea ‘to be made known everywhere’ and I will continue to lead others to Jesus through you. Amen.
A novena prayer is usually nine days. These prayers are powerful. Sometimes, just a long personal talk with St. Thérèse, in your own words and from your heart, is just as powerful. Thérèse used and proposes a very simple spirituality. While some people have proposed that certain prayers must be said at certain times and before certain hours, and connected with other prayers, this is not Thérèse’s “little way”. She took seriously Jesus’ request that we not use lots of words, but rather pray to God our Father in simple, hidden and honest ways. Because a certain formula, place or time works for someone, it should not be canonized as the way to pray. Some people do a real disservice to Thérèse by surrounding her and their devotion to Thérèse with superstition. It is not important or even significant that a certain novena prayer be said before a certain hour or in conjunction with other prayers. This is nothing but superstition, not piety.
Pray to our saintly friend St. Thérèse with the honesty and love of a friend and the simplicity of a child. This is what she taught us. Novena prayers are very helpful and express the devotion of many hearts.
What does it mean that St. Therese was declared a “Doctor of the Church”?
Therese of Lisieux is the 33rd, and youngest, Doctor of the Church. She received this title from Pope John Paul II on October 19, 1997. To be a Doctor of the Church, a saint must be recognized by the Church as someone who has made a profound contribution to our understanding of God through their writings, study, or research. St. Therese’s simple and practical approach to spirituality through her “Little Way” had a huge impact on thousands of the faithful.