St.Therese of Lisieux (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).

Online Resources

Virtual Tours and Photo Galleries

• A "taste" of the courtyard of the Carmel of Lisieux and a look at the cell of St Therese. The Carmel is preparing more virtual tours as a series of videos to be released in 2012.
• 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 Gallary 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:
  • childhood,
  • as a Carmelite,
  • with her community,
  • the play of St. Joan of Arc,
  • in paintings,
  • in drawings.

Writings of the Popes about St. Therese:

• Apostolic Letter Divini Amoris Scientia by Bl. 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 Bl. John Paul II at the mass where Therese was offically 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.

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!
  • Watch a short video about St. Therese.
  • Watch a video about the trip of her relics to the city of Amiens earlier this year.
• Official website of the Carmel of Lisieux : currently this page has text only in French, although the sistershave a project to translate more parts of the page. It is full of photos and excellent material.

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 of her writings:

• The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St Therese of Lisieux by St Therese (trans. J. Clarke, ICS Publications)
• St Therese of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations (trans. J. Clarke, ICS Publications)
• The Letters of St Therese and Those Who Knew Her: General Correspondence, Volume 1 (trans. J. Clarke, ICS Publications)
• The Letters of St Therese and Those Who Knew Her: General Correspondence, Volume 2 (trans. J. Clarke, ICS Publications)
• The Poetry of St. Therese of Lisieux (trans. D. Kinney, ICS Publications)
• The Prayers of St. Therese of Lisieux (trans. A Kane, ICS Publications)
• With Empty Hands: The Message of St. Therese by C. De Meester (ICS Publications)
• Story of a Soul: Study Edition by M. Foley (ICS Publications)
• The Plays of St. Therese of Lisieux: "Pious Recreations" (trans. J. Clarke, ICS Publications)

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)

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.