Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, Saint

TERESA DEL BAMBIN GESÙ E DEL VOLTO SANTO, SANTA

Feast day: 3 October

THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS AND THE HOLY FACE, Saint. - Discalced Carmelite, in the world Thérèse Martin, b. at Alençon (Normandy) on 2 Jan. 1873, d. at Lisieux on 30 Sept. 1897.

Lively, of a delicate tenderness, joined to rich gifts of mind and heart, very fond of the poor, considered the "Little Queen" of the family, she entered on 9 Apr. 1888 the convent of Lisieux, where two of her sisters were already living; she made her profession there on 18 Sept. 1890 and for some years was mistress of the novices there. She held and put into practice to the point of heroism the spirituality of childhood, according to the Gospel: complete abandonment to the influence of Grace, adopting the way of simplicity, always smiling, and of full trust in God with a love toward him of such strength as to offer herself as a victim for souls and the Church. She described herself, by order of her superior, in Histoire d'une âme (Lisieux 1898 and repeatedly thereafter), a book of singular enchantment, which exercised an extraordinary influence in the conversion of very many dissidents or erring souls. The innumerable miracles bestowed after her death spread her memory and trust in her to all parts of the world. She was beatified on 9 Apr. 1923; canonized on 17 May 1925. In 1923 she was proclaimed Patroness of the Carmelite missions; in 1925 of the Work of St. Peter for the native clergy; in 1927 of the missions, alongside St. Francis Xavier; in 1929 of the Russian College in Rome. Numerous churches, chapels, circles, associations and also religious congregations are dedicated to her name. Feast on 3 Oct. See plate CXLI.

Bibliography9 works

BIBL.: Autobiografia (con poesie, ricordi, avvisi e le estreme parole), Turin 1910 (frequently reprinted; more complete, ibid. 1945); P. Giloteaux, S. T. del B. G., Italian trans., Turin 1925; id., L'anima di S. T. del B. G., Italian trans., ibid. 1926; L. Lavoille, Vie de Ste Th. de l'Enfant Jésus, 3rd ed., Lisieux 1926; H. Petitot, Une renaissance spirituelle, Paris 1926; B. Williamson, The sure way of st. Th. of the Child of Jesus, London 1928; M. M. Philipson, S. T. del B. G., Brescia 1950. Raccolta di grazie straordinario: M. A. de Retours, Pluie des Roses, 7 vols., Lisieux 1925; A. Combes, Intro. à la spiritualité de Ste Thérèse de l'Enfant Jésus, Paris 1948.

Celestino Testore

@incollection{ec11_teresa_del_bambin_gesu_e_del_v, author = {Testore, Celestino}, title = {Teresa del Bambin Gesù e del Volto Santo, santa}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {XI}, pages = {1991--1992}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1953}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/teresa-del-bambin-gesu-e-del-volto-santo-santa} }

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