The Autobiography of St Therese

Over the next few posts, I plan to introduce readers to the autobiography of St Therese, using my French edition of her story published shortly after her death in 1897. Here is the title page:

THERESE

I want to spend my time in Heaven doing good on earth.

of the Child Jesus 

and the Holy face

Died in the odour of sanctity in the Carmel convent at Lisieux

the 30th of September 1897 at the age of 24

He that is a little one, let him turn to me. [Prov IX, 16]

The STORY of a SOUL

written by herself

Letters and Poems

Fortieth thousand

After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses.

For those who want to read the autobiography in English for free online, please visit Story of a Soul. For those who want to listen to the autobiography, please visit The Story of a Soul.

Her family

Her father, Louis-Joseph-Stanislas Martin, was born in 1823 in Bordeaux where his father was posted as a sea-captain. He went all the way to Switzerland to try his vocation in the Abbey of Great St Bernard but was not accepted as a novice because he had not yet finished his Latin studies. His vocation was to be the father of a large family. He married Zélie Guérin in 1858 in Alençon, their native town.

Here are the nine children of this marriage:

• Marie-Louise (1860-1940, Carmelite sister)
• Marie-Pauline (1861-1951, Mother Agnès, Carmelite)
• Marie-Léonie (1863-1941), Order of the Visitation)
• Marie-Hélène (died aged four and a half)
• Marie-Joseph-Louis (died aged five months)
• Marie-Joseph-Jean-Baptiste (died aged nine months)
• Marie-Céline (1869-1959, Carmelite sister)
• Marie-Mélanie-Thérèse (died aged 3 months)
• Marie-Françoise-Thérèse (2 January 1873 - 30 September 1897)