Mary Frances Teresa Martin was born of saintly parents at Alcon (Orne) on January 2, 1873. She was educated by the Benedictine Nuns at Lisieux. After her ninth year she tried to enter the Carmelites, and put her case before the Bishop of Bayeux and Pope Leo XIII, who she visited. At the age of fifteen she was allowed to enter the Carmel at Lisieux (April 9, 1888). She died at the age of twenty-four. There was nothing extraordinary about her religious life; she was perfect in her simplicity, humility, charity, her love of God and her trust in Him. She offered herself as a victim to the “merciful love of the good God.” She was just a little child in the arms of Jesus.

Her way of sanctity was a little way: Pius XI said: “We wish that St. Teresa’s secret of sanctity should be made know to every one of our children. We have set her before the children of the Church as a striking and most precious example.” Countless miracles have been wrought through her intercession. On her death bed she said: “I do not intend to remain idle in heaven. My longing is to labor even there for the Church and souls. Our Lord will work wonders for me that will infinitely surpass my boundless desire. After my death I shall let fall a shower of roses.” She was canonized May 17, 1925.
(Source: The New Roman Missal, Rev. F. X. Lasance)