Magnificat Vol. LVIII, No. 1 21 Saint Thereese of the Chi ld Jesus (1873‐1897) On January 2, 1873, Heaven was pleased to give a great gift to the earth: on that day, Marie‐Françoise‐Thérèse Martin was born in Alençon, France. At the age of fifteen, she left the intimacy of her family to enter an obscure Carmelite convent, where her life was rapidly consumed. On September 30, 1897, the soul of Sister Therese took flight to the Kingdom of Heaven, reserved for children and those who re‐ semble them.1 She was twenty‐four years old. A particular aspect of Saint Therese’s great‐ ness is her obscure, ordinary life, hidden from 1. Cf. St. Matthew 19:14. the eyes of the world and even from those around her. One of the Sisters wondered, “What will our Mother Prioress be able to say about Sister Therese after her death?” A thick veil of humility had hidden the super‐ natural value of such a brief and seemingly monotonous existence from everyone’s eyes. Therese’s answer sums up her entire life: “You will say that I have loved.” To love is the greatest work a human can accomplish on earth by the grace of God. And that is what Saint Therese did: she loved God and she loved her neighbor. In all things, she wanted to please God. This is the secret of her eminent sanctity. She wrote to one of her sisters: “If you want to be a saint, it will be easy for you. Have only one goal: to please Jesus.” The new year 2023 brings us some anniversa‐ ries worth highlighting. Among others, we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, the spiritual mistress of our Order and a great light for the Univer‐ sal Church, as well as the 350th anniversary of the birth of Saint Louis Mary de Montfort, Apostle of the Cross and Doctor of Mary. These two illustrious Saints are among the great patrons of our Order. They are our masters and models, our sure guides whom we can and must follow in all confidence. Let us take a quick glimpse at their teaching. Two great patrons of the Order of the Mother of God
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