Saint Theresa Statue
“Feast Day: October 1st
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, 1873 – 1897, was the youngest of nine siblings. Her mother died of breast cancer when Thérèse was only four and a half years old. Thérèse was often sick and suffered from nervous tremors. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux recovered from the emotional and neurotic attacks after gazing at a statue of Mother Mary. It is said that Mother Mary smiled at her on May 13, 1883. She suffered from scrupulosity, a psychological disorder characterized by pathological guilt or obsession associated with moral or religious issues.
Thérèse saw the world as God’s garden, each person being a different kind of flower. Her beautiful inspiration is placed in the Church as “the Little Flower.” She was a French Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun in the cloistered community of Lisieux, Normandy.
In 1923, the Church recognized two spontaneous cures that couldn’t be medically explained. Sister Louise of St. Germain was cured of her stomach ulcers between 1913 and 1916. The second cure involved Charles Anne, a 23-year-old seminarian who was dying from advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. The night he thought he was dying, Charles prayed to Thérèse. Another cure was the healing of Sister Gabrielle Trimusi, of the Poor Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Parma, Italy), from arthritis of the knee and tuberculosis of the vertebrae. The final cure involved Maria Pellemans of Belgium. She was transformed from the diagnosis of pulmonary and intestinal tuberculosis after visiting Thérèse’s grave.”
Petition
Oh! Saint Thérèse of Lisieux! I implore your miraculous intercession for a miracle. Send your healing energy to me and those I am praying for. I am asking for a physical healing, please. Help me to open my heart and actualize the love of the Divine. Bless me and those I love. Thank you!
O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love. O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God to grant the favors I now confidently place in your hands. (mention in silence here) St. Therese, help me always to believe as you did in God’s great love for me so I might imitate your “Little Way” daily. Amen[1]
[1] https://www.littleflower.org/prayers-sharing/prayers-to-st-therese/
Excerpted from The Essential Guide to Archangels and Saints by Margaret Ann Lembo
