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Saint Therese was born Marie Francoise Therese Martin daughter of Louis Martin and Zelie Guerin Martin on January 2, 1873 in Alencon, France .
Saint Therese was the youngest of nine children. As a young child, she suffered from poor health and that poor health remained with her until her death at the age of 24 from tuberculosis on September 30, 1897.
At the age of 15, she entered the Carmelite Convent at Lisieux, France . With the religious name Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and The Holy Face, Marie Francoise Therese Martin lived a holy life of prayer.
The world came to know her through her autobiography "The Story of a Soul". What truly matters in life, she said, is "not great deeds, but great love". She described her life as "a little way of spiritual childhood."
Saint Therese was canonized a Saint on May 17, 1929 by Pope Pius XI, and in 1997 Saint Therese was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II.
"My mission - to make God loved - will begin after my death," she said. "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses."
Countless souls have been touched by her intercession. She has been acclaimed "The greatest Saint of modern times." Everywhere in the world, her roses continue to fall. Our Parish has a Perpetual Novena in her honor every Monday afternoon at 5:15 PM, in the Church.
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