St Therese of Lisieux

Therese Martin was born in a small town in France in 1873. She was the youngest of nine children, four of whom had already died as babies. When Therese was four, her mother died, and the family moved to Lisieux. Here she grew up surrounded by the love of her father and her four older sisters. 

From the time she was very young, Therese had a wonderful love for Jesus, and was determined to give her life to God. She wanted to enter the Carmelite convent where two of her sisters were already but was refused because of her young age. However, because of her determination and refusal to give up her dream to serve God in this way, Therese was accepted into the order at the age of fifteen. 

As a Carmelite nun, Therese discovered what she called her ‘little way’. Her total trust in God and her confidence in God’s love for her, empowered her to live a life filled with love. She did small things with great love and kindness. She treated others with respect, compassion and dignity, even when she might be treated badly in return. She saw herself as a little flower, made and loved by God.

Therese died in 1897 at the age of 24 of tuberculosis.  She was made a saint in 1925.

Our school and our parish are named after St Therese. She is our special patron. St Therese helps us to follow Jesus as she did – by doing the little things well with great love. We too are flowers in God’s garden, and at St Therese School we are growing and blossoming into the people God created us to be.