Servants of the Lord & the Virgin of Matará
Catholic Culture
St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
The Little Flower (1873-1897)
“Charity gave me the key to my vocation. I understood that if the Church had a body composed of different members, the most necessary and most noble of all could not be lacking to it, and so I understood that the Church had a heart and that this heart was burning with love. I understood that it was love alone that made the Church’s members act, that if love were ever extinguished, apostles would not proclaim the Gospel and martyrs would refuse to shed their blood. I understood that love includes all vocations…. Then in the excess of my delirious joy, I cried out: “O Jesus, my Love … at last I have found my vocation; my vocation is Love!’” (Ms B, 3vº).
Feast Day: October 1st
Online Resources
Virtual Tours and Photo Galleries
The Carmel of Lisieux has now completed more virtual tours and translations into English as part of a series released in 2012. Views of the interior of the Carmel are accompanied by the words of St. Thérèse
Entrance of the monastery from Carmel de Lisieux on Vimeo.
Choir from Carmel de Lisieux on Vimeo.
Inner courtyard from Carmel de Lisieux on Vimeo.
Sitting room from Carmel de Lisieux on Vimeo.
Therese’s cell from Carmel de Lisieux on Vimeo.
Therese’s infirmary from Carmel de Lisieux on Vimeo.
A visit to the Bussionnets, the family home of St. Therese (video courtesy of the Basilica of Lisieux).
See the Basilica of Lisieux in this video which gives a detailed look both inside and outside of this beautiful building dedicated to St. Therese (video courtesy of the Basilica of Lisieux).
Photo Gallery of the Basilica of Lisieux, including a picture of her tomb in the crypt.
Photo Galleries of St. Therese courtesy of the Carmel of Lisieux are organized by topic:
Official Websites from Lisieux
Official website of the Basilica of Lisieux:
This site has a lot of history about this great saint as well as some of her poems and prayers in the original French. The site is in French, but there is some translated information. There are also some great photos!
Official website of the Carmel of Lisieux
Currently this page has text only in French, although the sisters have a project to translate more parts of the page. It is full of photos and excellent material.
Archive Site of the Carmel of Lisieux
This Archive has very large collection of images and interactive maps.
Writings of the Popes about St. Therese
Apostolic Letter Divini Amoris Scientia by St. John Paul II (1997) in which the Pope explains the reasons why he declared St Therese a Doctor of the Church and the importance of St Therese for the Church today.
Homily given by St. John Paul II at the mass where Therese was officially declared a Doctor of the Church.
Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte by John Paul II (2000); the pope quotes St. Therese and uses her as an example of the Church’s mission of love (n. 42)
Address given by Pope Benedict XVI at a General Audience in 2011 in which he especially emphasizes Therese’s great love of Sacred Scripture.
“The Popes and Little Teresa of the Child Jesus” a 2003 article by Giovanni Ricciardi on “30 Days” on-line publication.
Writings
For a doctor of the Church, Therese has left relatively few official writings. At the request of her sisters, she hand wrote three manuscripts that make up an invaluable autobiography explaining Therese’s personal experience with God. In addition, the more than 200 letters that Therese sent to family, friends, and spiritual children around the world have been compiled. Twenty-one prayers, fifty-three poems, and eight theatrical productions written by the saint have also been preserved. Because of her popularity and importance there is a plethora of writings about St Therese.
Here are some high quality editions (ICS Publications) of her writings:
- The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St Therese of Lisieux by St Therese (trans. J. Clarke)
- St Therese of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations (trans. J. Clarke)
- The Letters of St Therese and Those Who Knew Her: General Correspondence, Volume 1 (trans. J. Clarke)
- The Letters of St Therese and Those Who Knew Her: General Correspondence, Volume 2 (trans. J. Clarke)
- The Poetry of St. Therese of Lisieux (trans. D. Kinney)
- The Prayers of St. Therese of Lisieux (trans. A Kane)
- With Empty Hands: The Message of St. Therese by C. De Meester)
- Story of a Soul: Study Edition by M. Foley)
- The Plays of St. Therese of Lisieux: “Pious Recreations” (trans. J. Clarke)
Scholarly Books About St. Therese:
- The Context of Holiness: Psychological and Spiritual Reflections on the Life of St. Therese of Lisieux by M. Foley (ICS Publications)
- St. Therese of Lisieux: Spouse and Victim by C. Ermatinger (ICS Publications)
- St. Therese of Lisieux: Nietzsche is My Brother by B. Edman (ICS Publications)
- The Passion of Therese of Lisieux by Guy Gaucher (Crossroad Publishing, 2001)
- Under the Torrent of His Love: Saint Therese a Spiritual Genius by Fr. Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus, OCD (Alba House, 1995; originally in French late 1960’s)
NOTE: ICS Publications (Institute of Carmelite Studies in Washington, DC) is an excellent source of high quality translations of the works of St. Therese, St. Teresa of Jesus, St. John of the Cross, St. Edith Stein and other Carmelite saints. They also publish scholarly works about Carmelite saints and spirituality as well as host conferences.
