Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin

``Miss no single opportunity of making small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.``

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus was born on January 2, 1873 at Alencon, France. She entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux at the tender age of 15.

St. Thérèse taught us the Little Way - a way that asks us to surrender to God's will and to do all things, even the smallest tasks, with great love.

She died of tuberculosis on September 30, 1897 at the age of 24.

Her autobiography, Story of a Soul, was published a year after her death. Millions of copies have been sold since.

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus is a patroness of the missions, not because she went on a mission anywhere, but because of her special regard for the missions and the prayers and letters she gave in support of missionaries. She is also the patron saint of florists and soldiers.

“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.” Roses have been described and experienced as Saint Thérèse’s signature. Countless millions have been touched by her intercession and imitate her “little way.” She has been acclaimed “the greatest saint of modern times.” In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Thérèse a Doctor of the Church – the only Doctor of his pontificate – in tribute to the powerful way her spirituality has influenced people all over the world.