St Therese  became one of the most popular saints of the twentieth century. Pope Pius XI made her the “star of his pontificate”. She was beatified in 1923, and canonized in 1925. Therese was declared co-patron of the missions with Francis Xavier in 1927, and named co-patron of France with Joan of Arc in 1944. On October 19, 1997 Pope John Paul II declared her the thirty-third Doctor of the Church, the youngest person, and at that time only the third woman, to be so honored. Devotion to Therese has developed around the world. Therese lived a hidden life and “wanted to be unknown”, yet became popular after her death. Today she is also the patron of florists; foreign missions; pilots; against tuberculosis; AIDS sufferers; illness; loss of parents; Australia; Russia; Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska; Diocese of Fresno, California; Diocese of Juneau, Alaska; Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado and many others.

What was so special about her? I think what made her popular was her down to earth spirituality which she proposed as a shortcut to holiness. The nine years in the convent she lived a very ordinary religious life. There are no miracles, exploits or austerities recorded of her. She attained a very high degree of holiness by carrying out her ordinary daily duties with perfect fidelity, having a childlike confidence in God’s providence and merciful love and being ready to be at the service of others at all times. She also had a great love of the Church and a zeal for the conversion of souls. She prayed especially for priests.

Theresa had the spiritual courage of a real heroine. “May Jesus make me a martyr of the heart or of the body-or better, both!” she wrote. And she meant it. Apart from the inconveniences of weather which she bore joyfully there were other kinds of sufferings, too. She suffered a lot from bodily ailments. There were also nuns who made fun of or insulted her. But she would offer her pain to Jesus. She would hide her hurts under a smile. She told Jesus to do with her was his will. Sister Theresa tried hard to be humble. She called her method the “little way” to holiness.