Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway

 Statue of Saint Therese, Doctor of the Church.

Thérèse of Lisieux, "Doctor of the Science of Love”

John Paul II named Thérèse of Lisieux a Doctor of the Church on 19 October 1997 and dubbed her "Doctor of the Science of Love." The question of a "Doctorate" had been raised as early as 1932! Thérèse of Lisieux is today the only French woman to be a Doctor of the Church among the 36 Doctors recognised in the world. This means that her doctrine, teaching, and the path she traced is addressed to all humanity. This Love is universal. It transcends all times and all places and can be found in every culture. This "science of love" unites all the men and women of this world because it corresponds to the quest for meaning in our world, to the search for man's deepest self, which is to love. This "science of love" is revealed to be at the service of a world of solidarity.

She entered religion at the age of 15 and was novice mistress at the age of 22. A teacher and educator at heart, she maintained a relationship of trust, self-esteem. and respect for the personal development with those entrusted to her, which allowed her novices, sometimes older than herself, to grow in inner freedom, to assert themselves, to find their way, and thus to emancipate themselves. By her attitude, her words, her silence, her example, St. Therese reveals herself as a teacher of life.

Many schools in France and around the world bear her name which, beyond the name, represents a certain way of educating children and young people.

Even today, the spiritual closeness of Thérèse allows so many people on the five continents to benefit from this same invitation to follow this path of inner freedom, which is quite simply the path of spiritual childhood that Saint Thérèse discovered and whose experience she shares with those of our contemporaries who receive her message and let themselves be touched.

The way of Thérèse of Lisieux contributes to inner and personal peace of mind. It builds up the human person and develops a spirit of peace.

Since the year of her doctorate, religious and cultural initiatives around Thérèse of Lisieux have grown exponentially, with over 120 initiatives in more than 60 countries to date, from the northern to the southern hemisphere. Her message was spread more and more widely.

This article is excerpted from a press release published on the Web site of the Shrine at Lisieux (https://www.therese-de-lisieux.catholique.fr).   I reproduce it here with fervent thanks to the Shrine at Lisieux, the Shrine at Alencon, UNESCO, and all their partners in celebrating this worldwide honor done to Therese].  Look for more information about the universal significance of this award in the days to come.