Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, 1873–1897

October 1

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux lived in France. As a little girl, she sometimes did bad things. She would cry if she didn’t get her own way. After her mother died, Thérèse was very sad. From then on, she always tried to choose what was good and turn away from sin. Her sister had become a nun. When Thérèse was old enough, she joined her sister at the Carmelite convent. Thérèse said she couldn’t do big, important things for God. But she could do little things like her chores. She offered them to God.

Before she died at age twenty-four, Thérèse wrote the story of her life, which she called The Story of a Soul. This story told of her confidence in God’s love. One of her emblems is a crucifix covered with roses, to symbolize her wish to “spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.”

Thérèse is the patron Saint of missionaries, florists, and France. All four of her sisters entered convents. Two of them were in the same Carmel as she was. In 1998, she was named a Doctor of the Church, a title given to writers of great holiness who advanced the cause of Christ and the Church.

Discuss: What is one little thing you can do for God today?

Activity
Chores
Interpersonal, Verbal/Linguistic

Explain that Saint Thérèse of Lisieux performed many miracles, but she knew that she could best serve God in the little everyday chores she did.

• Invite your child to make a list of little chores that he/she can do at home to serve the family and God.
• If he/she already has assigned chores, encourage him/her to add some additional ideas to the list.
• Have your child place check marks by the chores she/he pledges to do regularly, without recognition or reminders.
• Ask her/him to share her/his commitments with the rest of the family.
• Remind your child that as a servant of God, what he/she does for the rest of the family, he/she is also doing for Jesus.