St. Therese Of Lisieux Medal and Necklace

Sterling Silver St. Therese Of Lisieux Medal and Necklace

14KT Gold Filled St. Therese Of Lisieux Medal and Necklace

14KT Gold St Therese Of Lisieux Medal

St. Therese Lisieux

Saint Therese Martin was born at Alencon, France, January 2, 1873. She was the ninth and youngest child, but as four of the children died in their infancy, she was the youngest of the five surviving, who were all girls. All five subsequently embraced the religious life, four of them, among whom was Therese, entered the Carmel of Lisieux; the other one, the Visitation Convent at Caen.

A Holy and Religious Family

When Therese was about four and one-half years old her mother died, and her father left Alencon with his five children for Lisieux, in order that they might be near their mother’s relatives. At the age of eight Therese was sent to the Benedictine Convent at Lisieux to be educated. Soon thereafter her sister Pauline, who had been a second mother to Therese, decided to enter the Carmelite Order. This turned the child’s thoughts and aspirations towards the religious life, and she never wavered in her resolution to become a Carmelite. However, she had to pass through many trials.

The first was a serious illness, which terminated during the course of a novena to Our Lady of Victories. The statue of Our Lady in her room appeared to the child to advance towards her, and to smile graciously upon her. When Therese was thirteen her eldest sister, Marie, followed Pauline’s example and entered the Carmel of Lisieux. From that time until Therese entered Carmel two years later, Celine became her confidante.

Requests Directly to the Pope

When she reached the age of fourteen and a half, Therese spoke to her father of her desire, and while he gave his consent, her uncle and the Superior of the convent opposed the entry of one so young. Therese then pleaded her cause with the Bishop of Bayeux. He encouraged her to go on the diocesan pilgrimage to Rome, and he promised to speak to the Superior of the convent in Lisieux. Nothing could shake the child’s firm resolution to become a Spouse of Jesus. She accompanied her father on the pilgrimage, and during the course of the interview given to the pilgrims by Pope Leo XIII, Therese fell at his knees and said to him: “Holy Father, I have a great favor to ask you. In honor of your jubilee, will you allow me to enter Carmel when I am fifteen?”

The Vicar-General, surprised and displeased, said: “Holy Father, this is a child who desires to become a Carmelite, but the Superiors the Carmel are looking into the matter”. “Well, my child”, replied His Holiness, “do whatever the Superiors decide.” She clasped her hands, rested them on his knee, and made a final effort. “Holy Father, if only you say ‘yes’, everyone else would agree”. He looked at her fixedly, and said clearly and emphatically: “Well, well! you will enter if it is God’s Will”.

Therese entered the Carmel of Lisieux on April 9, 1888; her investiture took place on January 10, 1889, and she was professed on September 8, 1890. She cried, in the fervor of her soul on that day, “My Jesus, grant me martyrdom, either of the heart or of the body, or rather give me both”. God, Who, according to her own avowal, never refused her anything, granted her this request. Her life at Carmel was a continual martyrdom, all the more painful because so unsuspected.

Little Way to Heaven

Therese’s soul bloomed with the flowers of every virtue. When she read in the Sacred Scriptures, “Whosoever is a little one, let him come unto Me” (Prov. 9:4). She determined to be a little one in spirit, and committed herself with childlike confidence to God forever. She taught this path of spiritual childhood to the novices when but twenty-two years old, and she remained a little one to the end of her life. It is her mission to teach souls her Little Way to Heaven.

Filled with apostolic zeal, she exemplified the path of evangelical simplicity to a world full of pride and vanity. Her longing for sanctity redoubled itself under her trials. But Soeur Therese of the Child Jesus was not des tined to feed for long the little flock committed to her charge. In April, 1896, a hemorrhage of the lungs con veyed to her the first intimation of her coming end. It was not until the beginning of July, 1897, that she was sent to the infirmary. Rapt in ecstasy, and frequently repeating the words, “My God, I love Thee”, she went to meet her Spouse on September 30, 1897, at the age of twenty-four.

Two years before her death, Saint Therese offered herself as a victim to the love of the merciful God, and when she was dying she promised that she would spend her Heaven in doing good upon earth, and would let fall a shower of roses. This promise she has fulfilled and continues to fulfill. St. Therese was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925, and he appointed and declared her Patron of all the Missions.

St. Therese of Lisieux Rosary
UPC: 617759345919
Brand: Bliss