The Pilgrimage
For the first time in 18 years, the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux, one of the most popular saints of modern times, are visiting Australia in 2020 on a four-month pilgrimage with her parents, saints Louis and Zélie Martin.
The relics were in the Diocese of Broken Bay from the 5th-9th of March.
For the booklet which was prepared and distributed, click here.
This booklet includes information on these saints and the itinerary for the Broken Bay leg of the pilgrimage.
St Thérèse of Lisieux & Ss Louis & Zélie Martin
“Little things done out of love are those that delight the heart of Christ.”
St Thérèse of Lisieux is one of the patron saints of mission. St Thérèse loved the work of mission and wanted to travel to spread the Gospel all over the world and show how Jesus loves all people. One of the famous things she said was ‘I would like to preach the Gospel on all the five continents...’
St Thérèse of Lisieux is one of the most popular saints in the history of the Catholic Church. St Thérèse saw herself as a child of God. She liked to keep things simple and focused as a child does. Trust, especially trust in God, is a childlike virtue. Thérèse’s love for God was very simple and she called it her ‘little way.’ She teaches us that God is everywhere—in every situation and person—and in the ordinary, simple details of life. It is because of this that so many people have followed her example and grown to love her because she shows us that we can love God in simple acts of kindness and love for others.
© Office Central de Lisieux
Though St Thérèse never actually went on mission, she is a patron saint of mission because what makes a missionary is not the legs but the heart! A missionary is a person whose heart burns with love for Christ.
Thérèse was born in France on January 2nd, 1873. Her mum was Marie-Azélie (Zélie) Guérin and her dad was Louis Martin. He worked as a jeweller and watchmaker, but Zélie's lace-making was so successful that he stopped his work to support hers. Thérèse was the last of nine children born to Louis and Zelie Martin. However, only five of these children lived to reach adulthood.
Thérèse lived a very simple and holy life. At age 15, she entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux to give her whole life to God. She took the religious name
Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Thérèse's four sisters all became nuns as well, dedicating their lives to God.
St Thérèse said: “I will seek out a means of getting to heaven by a little way—very short and very straight, a little way that is wholly new.” In fact, she asked special permission from the Pope to become a nun so young.
© Sanctuaire de Lisieux
Louis and Zélie Martin were very proud of their daughters and showed them great love, but sadly Zélie, her mother, died when Thérèse was only four years old. She never had the chance to see her daughters become nuns, loving God and people with their lives.
St Thérèse lived a simple life of prayer and was gifted with a great closeness to God. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she remained faithful to God, rooted in His merciful love. After a long struggle with tuberculosis, she died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her last words were the story of her life: "My God, I love you!"
Thérèse was made a saint on May 17th, 1925 by Pope Pius XI, only 28 years after her death. All four of her sisters were still alive when their little sister Thérèse was declared a saint. St Thérèse of Lisieux is the patron saint of aviators, florists, illnesses and mission. She is also considered by Catholics to be the patron saint of Russia. Her feast day is October 1st.
© Sanctuaire de Lisieux