Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and Her "Little Way"

Written by Alison Simpson | Published on August 18, 2026 | Last Updated August 18, 2026

Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus was born in Alençon, France, on January 2, 1873 to Saints Louis and Zelie Martin. When Thérèse was only 4 years-old, her mother passed away. She longed for the warmth of a mother. Without a mother, Thérèse grew a strong devotion to Our Blessed Mother and the Blessed Sacrament.

From a young age, Thérèse knew she wanted to join the religious life. When her older sister, Pauline, joined a convent, Thérèse was even more inspired. Sister after sister decided to follow Pauline's lead. With the departure of each sister, her longing only deepened. At first, she was turned away by the bishop and was told to return when she was older. However, Thérèse was determined and turned to the pope for permission. When she was finally of age and received approval from Pope Leo XIII, Thérèse joined Lisieux's Carmelite Convent at age 15.

Shortly after Thérèse joined the order, her father grew ill and suffered severe episodes of dementia. However, he pushed through and was determined to see his daughters all settled in to their lives at the convent. St. Louis Martin eventually died peacefully in 1892.

For the next several years, Thérèse dedicated her life to living in community with the sisters. Many sisters at the order suffered from scrupulosity, something that Thérèse had an on-going battle with from a young age. However, she reminded her fellow sisters of the warmth of the Father and His great mercy. 

Seeing her fellow sisters suffering from bouts of scruples, she felt even more inspired to step further into her "littleness". In her autobiography titled Story of a Soul, Thérèse wrote, "It is impossible for me to grow up, so I must bear with myself such as I am with all my imperfections. But I want to seek out a means to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short and totally new."

Part of embracing the "Little Way" is humbly accepting the cross Christ gave you. For Thérèse, this extended to accepting her tuberculosis diagnosis as a final offering of love. Thérèse knew her time was coming and asked Prioress Mother Marie de Gonzague if she could write her story down. This would later be published as Story of a Soul.

Before Thérèse passed, she said that she would spend her time in heaven doing good on earth. In fact, she promised a "Shower of Roses." And at age 24, Thérèse took her final breath, surrendered her life fully over to Christ, and said, "Oh, my God, I love you!" 

May Thérèse's life inspire us to recognize our littleness and climb into the arms of the Father. No matter what we are facing in our life, we can turn to the Father and ask for the grace to accept the cross that we are given. Ask for St. Thérèse's intercession, trusting that no cross is too heavy when carried with love. No child is ever too small to be held by God. St. Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us!

“I wanted to find an elevator which would raise me to Jesus, for I am too small to climb the rough stairway of perfection. I searched then in the Scriptures for some sign of this elevator, the object of my desires and I read these words coming from the mouth of Eternal Wisdom: ‘Whoever is a little one let him come to me.’ The elevator which must raise me to heaven is your arms, O Jesus, and for this I have no need to grow up, but rather I have to remain little and become this more and more.” 

~ St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul