To read the full English text of Pope Francis's speech about St. Therese, courtesy of America magazine, please visit https://tinyurl.com/popefrancisjune62023

Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus
is Declared Blessed

The tableau showing Blessed Therese of the Child Jesus mounting to heaven which shone brightly in St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday

From Rome, published in the Tuesday, May 1, 1923 edition of La Croix. This is the Catholic newspaper of France, and this description is the first published account Therese's family, her Carmelite sisters, and all French persons interested in her cause read in 1923.  In the years before television, journalists wired long, detailed word pictures to recreate the events for the public.

Source: gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France.  See the original French article.

Special thanks to Mary Davidson, OCDS, who translated this article for "Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway" in honor of the centenary of the beatification of St. Therese on April 29, 2023.

[Our correspondent telegraphed on April 29]:

The Morning Ceremony [on Sunday, April 29, 1923]

The sky was covered when, this morning at 9:30, the pilgrims completed their entry into St. Peter’s; the lovely light, passing through intervals of clouds, bathed the facade of the Basilica.

The bells sounded ten o’clock when the clergy and the Chapter of the Vatican basilica left the sacristy, leading in procession Bishop Lemonnier [the bishop of Bayeux and Lisieux], who, wearing his miter, was accompanied by NN SS Ugulini et Cerretti [Msgr Caesar Cerretti, a Canon of St. Peter’s Basilica], the brother of His Excellency, Archbishop [later Cardinal] Bonaventura Cerretti, papal nuncio to France, as deacon and sub-deacon. Cardinal Merry del Val, archpriest of St. Peter, walked behind the line of purple-robed Cardinals. Cardinals Vico, di Belmonte, Fruhwirth, Ranuzi, Billot, Gasquet, Laurenti, Ehrle, the members of the Sacred Congregations of Rites, had taken their places on a bench on the Epistle side of the altar.

Father Rodrigo, postulator of the cause, accompanied by Msgr Verde, secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, approached Cardinal Vico [prefect of the Congregation]. He asked him for the Bull of Beatification, which was presented, and, having received it, gave it to Msgr Verde, who, according to custom, came to Cardinal Merry del Val to ask for authorization to promulgate this solemn document in the Basilica.

The Promulgation of the Decree

Moments later, Msgr de Orazio, one of the archivists of St. Peter’s, read from the top of the small pulpit that had been built in the choir, on the Gospel side, the great pontifical letter proclaiming Thérèse of the Child Jesus as Blessed. The life of the holy Carmelite was then recounted, after a preamble that showed her to be among the holy virgins who follow the Divine Lamb wherever He might go. By 10:30 a.m., the promulgation was complete.

The Basilica, now coming out of the subdued light in which it had been bathed, was suddenly all illuminated; the electric lamps came on and formed giant bouquets of light; the image of the Blessed was raised to the ceiling, surrounded by the glory of Bernini. Msgr Lemonnier then intoned the Te Deum.

The Mass

Before the beginning of the Mass, the Bishop of Bayeux incensed the relic of the Blessed, which was exposed on the altar. The composition of the Mass proper was marvelously appropriate for the virginal contemplative; His Holiness Pius XI himself gave it his approval. Veni de Libano began the Introit; the Epistle was taken from Isaiah 66:12-14; the Gospel from St. Matthew 18:1-4, and all the rest of the liturgical text sang of spiritual childhood, of abandonment to the love of God, of the virginal espousal of the angelic Carmelite and her Oblation to Merciful Love. 

The Afternoon Ceremony

 As impossible as it seems, the ceremony in the morning had a relatively modest character compared to that of the evening. By 5:00 p.m., an enormous throng, as large as on a canonization day, had already crowded in to the Vatican basilica. The sky, now nearly free of clouds, sent down a flood of sunlight onto St. Peter’s Square. As we crossed the threshold, we found ourselves bathed by the light of chandeliers placed along the pilasters, so appropriate for the great day.  From the top of the church, the image of Blessed Thérèse of the Child Jesus hung resplendent amid the glory of Bernini, surrounded by his timeless sculptures.

People in all the areas of the Basilica, whether seated or standing, were among pressing crowds, yet peaceable and patient, which seemed to radiate the sweet serenity of Blessed Thérèse.

Among the many Bishops that were in the apse, we saw:  Bishop Riviere, archbishop of Aix; Chapon, Bishop of Nice; Marty, Bishop of Montauban; de la Porte, Bishop of Berissa; Monnier, Bishop of Troyes; Ginisty, Bishop of Verdun; Termier, Bishop of Tarenlaise.  In the apse, behind them, among the distinguished personalities were MM Engerand and Cautru, deputies of Calvados. The other side of the choir was filled with diplomats in their official regalia: M. Jonnart, Ambassador of France, also present this morning, accompanied by the Ambassadors of Spain, of Chile, of Belgium, etc. The throngs of French pilgrims filled the Basilica with sound as they sang the Credo, then the Magnificat. The wait did not last long.

The Entrance of the Pope
and the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

At exactly 5:30 p.m., the silver trumpets announced the arrival of the Pope, who appeared on the sedia, or portable throne, in a red cape and white cap. Upon receiving his blessing, the crowd bowed and knelt. Here he is in the choir, following the twenty-five cardinals clothed in purple; he kneels, recollected, at the Faldistorio (a foldable seat without a back) as the Blessed Sacrament is exposed; The singing of Jesu corona virginum followed the O Salutaris and preceded the Tantum Ergo.  Bishop Lemonnier celebrated the Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Then the Carmelite Fathers offered to the Holy Father the reliquary containing a segment of a finger of the Blessed, the great wreath of ritual flowers, and finally the Life of the holy Carmelite.

The ceremony is ended; the Pontiff again passes through the crowd, whose emotion is barely contained. The Basilica slowly empties, and the throng makes its way toward St. Peter’s Square.  All faces are radiant. The celebration was beautiful, but the celebration of souls was even more glorious! 

B. Sienne

icon of St. Therese of Lisieux by Joan Cole, available at Trinity Icon Stores

 Shrine of Sainte-Thérèse of Lisieux  

In 1898, the publication of Histoire d'une âme made the young nun from Lisieux, who had died a year earlier, better known. Thanks to this publication in French, and then very quickly in many other languages, the message of Thérèse of Lisieux went out to conquer the world. At the same time, pilgrims flocked to the Lisieux cemetery, and the small size of the Carmelite chapel required the construction of another building.

The idea gained ground, and, in 1925, at the time of the canonization of Saint Thérèse, the project of a basilica was born. The architect Louis-Marie Cordonnier was chosen in 1927; the structural work lasted from 1929 to 1939, mobilizing 400 workers and engineers all week long on the hill overlooking Lisieux. In 1937, the Basilica was blessed by the legate of Pope Pius XI, Cardinal Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII.

After the 1944 bombings, which spared the newly built Basilica, work began again. The Basilica was consecrated in 1954.

Pilgrimage in the footsteps of the saints of Lisieux

From 1897 to the present day, pilgrims and visitors from all over the world have flocked to Lisieux to follow in the footsteps of Thérèse of Lisieux, who had come to join them in their lives and in their daily concerns. They visit in turn the Basilica, the Carmelite monastery, the "Buissonnets" (the family home of Saint Thérèse), and the Cathedral of St. Pierre.

The image of Saint Thérèse, present on the five continents in the most remote chapels as well as in the greatest cathedrals, allows us to make a diversion to the Basilica of Lisieux, erected in the “pays d’Auge” in her honour in the 20th century, where there is a significant reliquary. The recumbent statue, of Thérèse, otherwise known as a shrine, can be seen in the chapel of the Carmel in the city center, where Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face spent the nine years of her religious life. Finally, the walk to the Buissonnets house, inhabited by Louis Martin and his five daughters in November 1877 after the death of his wife, allows us to measure the youth of Thérèse from the age of 4 to 15.

Since 19 October 2008, the Basilica of Lisieux has contained the shrine with the bodies of Louis and Zélie Martin, declared saints by Pope Francis on 18 October 2015. This recognition thus offers Lisieux the presence of three saints from the same family.

Today, the various places of the Shrine of Lisieux receive more than one million people a year. The reputation of the Shrine of Lisieux places it second only to Lourdes as a shrine in France.

Visitors come from all five continents: America (United States, Brazil, Canada, etc.); Europe (Italy, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Spain, etc.); Asia (the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, India, etc.); Africa (the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal, etc.); and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand).

[To learn more about the work of the Shrine at Lisieux, visit its English Web site at https://www.therese-de-lisieux.catholique.fr/en/]

This article is excerpted from a press release published on the Web site of the Shrine at Lisieux (https://www.therese-de-lisieux.catholique.fr).  I reproduce it here with fervent thanks to the Shrine at Lisieux, the Shrine at Alencon, UNESCO, and all their partners in celebrating this worldwide honor done to Therese].  Look for more information about the universal significance of this award in the days to come.

"St. Therese on Air" icon by Brother Mickey McGrath, OSFS. Available from Trinity Stores.

A nature lover and sustainable development activist

taken up by Pope Francis

The contemplation of nature made Thérèse of Lisieux aware of the depth of the human person. It encourages humanity to care for creation, the development of which also serves the good of humanity.

From her earliest years, Thérèse of Lisieux's relationship with nature, through the elements, such as the sun, animals, flowers, the sea, the countryside, trees, and the earth, gives root to her universal message of love and reconciliation. She places it in a global economy, an ecology at the service of humanity, a society that takes into account the integral human. The education Thérèse of Lisieux received from her parents, in the family, opened her to these principles of life. 

The question of sustainable development refers in the Bible to the Book of Genesis, to the question of Creation, and opens the way to the integral ecology of which Pope Francis speaks in his second encyclical entitled "Laudato si'" ("Praise be to you"). It invites men and women of good will to take care of our earth, our common home, and ultimately to correspond to God's plan in his work of creation that he continues to instill day by day throughout the worl

Taking care of the common home also means taking care of the people we are (or are not) in a relationship with. A common house is made for the meeting of those who live in it.

 In "Laudato si,” Pope Francis draws on the example of "Thérèse of Lisieux"(n. 230 , editor's note) and, in substance, says that integral ecology begins here and now, precisely with a smile, a benevolent attention, an outstretched hand, which bring men and women of good will into contact with one another and awaken in them the desire for a common house where it is good to live, respecting the traditions and cultures of those who inhabit it.

This is the missionary desire of Thérèse of Lisieux, expressed here, to go out to meet the world in order to share with as many people as possible what makes her live and to desire to continue to "do good on earth.”

This article is excerpted from a press release published on the Web site of the Shrine at Lisieux (https://www.therese-de-lisieux.catholique.fr).   I reproduce it here with fervent thanks to the Shrine at Lisieux, the Shrine at Alencon, UNESCO, and all their partners in celebrating this worldwide honor done to Therese].  Look for more information about the universal significance of this award in the days to come.

 Statue of Saint Therese, Doctor of the Church.

Thérèse of Lisieux, "Doctor of the Science of Love”

John Paul II named Thérèse of Lisieux a Doctor of the Church on 19 October 1997 and dubbed her "Doctor of the Science of Love." The question of a "Doctorate" had been raised as early as 1932! Thérèse of Lisieux is today the only French woman to be a Doctor of the Church among the 36 Doctors recognised in the world. This means that her doctrine, teaching, and the path she traced is addressed to all humanity. This Love is universal. It transcends all times and all places and can be found in every culture. This "science of love" unites all the men and women of this world because it corresponds to the quest for meaning in our world, to the search for man's deepest self, which is to love. This "science of love" is revealed to be at the service of a world of solidarity.

She entered religion at the age of 15 and was novice mistress at the age of 22. A teacher and educator at heart, she maintained a relationship of trust, self-esteem. and respect for the personal development with those entrusted to her, which allowed her novices, sometimes older than herself, to grow in inner freedom, to assert themselves, to find their way, and thus to emancipate themselves. By her attitude, her words, her silence, her example, St. Therese reveals herself as a teacher of life.

Many schools in France and around the world bear her name which, beyond the name, represents a certain way of educating children and young people.

Even today, the spiritual closeness of Thérèse allows so many people on the five continents to benefit from this same invitation to follow this path of inner freedom, which is quite simply the path of spiritual childhood that Saint Thérèse discovered and whose experience she shares with those of our contemporaries who receive her message and let themselves be touched.

The way of Thérèse of Lisieux contributes to inner and personal peace of mind. It builds up the human person and develops a spirit of peace.

Since the year of her doctorate, religious and cultural initiatives around Thérèse of Lisieux have grown exponentially, with over 120 initiatives in more than 60 countries to date, from the northern to the southern hemisphere. Her message was spread more and more widely.

This article is excerpted from a press release published on the Web site of the Shrine at Lisieux (https://www.therese-de-lisieux.catholique.fr).   I reproduce it here with fervent thanks to the Shrine at Lisieux, the Shrine at Alencon, UNESCO, and all their partners in celebrating this worldwide honor done to Therese].  Look for more information about the universal significance of this award in the days to come.