<p>Marie-Françoise Thérèse Martin was born in Normandy, France, in 1873, ninth and youngest child of Louis Martin, watchmaker, and Azélie-Marie Guérin, lacemaker; only five daughters survived to adulthood. Their mother died when Thérèse was only five years old and the family moved to Lisieux where she was raised by her father, her sisters and an aunt. Three of her sisters became Carmelite nuns and the fourth joined the Visitandines.</p>
<p>At 15 Thérèse entered the Carmel of Lisieux. Her motto was a phrase from the great Carmelite mystic John of the Cross, 'Love is repaid by love alone.' Thérèse held special devotions to the heart of Jesus and to the spiritual Motherhood of Mary. Because of tuberculosis, Thérèse's activities were limited. She pioneered the ideal of the 'little way': fidelity in the small things, trust and complete self-surrender to God.</p>
<p>Thérèse had a gift for writing and the prioress, her sister Pauline, directed her to write first about her childhood, then about her life in the convent. These were combined into <em>The Story of a Soul</em>, a modern spiritual autobiography.</p>
<p>The 'Little Flower' died on September 30, 1897. Though Thérèse's life spanned only 24 years, her faith and simplicity were remarkable. She was canonized in 1925, and made Doctor of the Church in 1997. She is a patroness of missions.<br /></p>
<p>©2011 <em>Living with Christ, </em>Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., <strong>http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/</strong>. Reprinted with permission.</p>
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