Ste Thérèse

When I was in grammar school, we were told the story of Ste Thérèse. I remember watching a filmstrip about her. She seemed terribly exciting to me because she was the first saint of whom there were actual photographs and not just some painting or sculpture. She was a real person.

She was portrayed as this beautiful girl who loved Jesus more than anything and gave her life to serving Him. It all seemed terribly romantic. Yes, she died young but that's because God wanted her close to Him.

Over the years, my impression of Ste Thérèse did not change much. She was a role model of holiness to be imitated. She was just all sweetness and light.

I just finished reading her work "Story of a Soul". BAM! I got a wakeup call. I always knew she died of tuberculosis. I thought she sort of faded away and died. Now it turns out she suffered tremendously. The doctor who treated the sisters would not diagnose the TB but insisted she just had a lung infection.

The infection destroyed her lungs and she got gangrene in her intestines. Her agony was intense. She said that if she did not have faith she would easily take her own life. She instructed those caring for her to make sure the medicines were out of her reach so she would not be tempted.

I was bowled over when I read this. I never knew about this. I really have a new found respect for her as up until now I thought she had a fairly magical life.


Ste Thérèse, ora pro nobis.