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She gazed at the crucifix,"Oh, I love him, my God, I love you!" this marks the dying words of Theresa of Lisieux. This saint is truly for modern teenagers. She was born on January 2, 1873. She lived her whole life in France. She was one out of nine children,only five survived though. They were all girls and all of them entered a convent. She was a spoiled child when she was young, until her mother died,then she became closer to God. At age fifteen, she joined the Carmelites,an order of nuns. Her life was devoted to others and humble. At the age of twenty-four she died of tuberculosis. She became famous after her death by her book called "A Story of a Soul,", which was published a year after her death. She was canonized in 1925 by Pope Pius X. She is known as Saint Theresa the Little Flower. Just recently on October 19, 1997 Theresa became the 3rd woman doctor of the church. You can pray to her about anything. She once said she would send a shower of roses down from heaven and since her death miracles have been performed. Her feast day is celebrated on October 1. If you have any problems, you should definitely pray to Saint Theresa; your prayers will be answered. She was a very simple woman with a special little way. Her "little way" consisted of three qualities: the of spiritual childhood, an emphasis on the ordinary circumstances of everyday life, and primacy of love. She is the patron for us modern young people who have answers yet experience doubt, tears,and pain in our "journey of life". To some people God gives great graces....You may have a hidden life, a life of small things through which you can come to God in a little way, like the Flower,Saint Theresa did.

Regarding Saint Therese, there are different types of Novenas. I personally pray this Novena for nine days, as the word "Novena" means nine days. 

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WHY I LOVE THEE, MARYO thou who cam'st to smile on me
At the dawn of life's beginning,
Come once again to smile on me...
Mother!
The night is nigh.

I fear no more thy majesty,
So far removed above me,
For I have suffered sore with thee;
Now hear me, Mother mild!

 O let me tell thee, face to face,
Dear Mary, how I love thee;
And say to thee forevermore:
I am thy little child.

Then Pray 5 Our Father's, 5 Hail Mary's, 5 Glory Be's. This is to be said only once a day for nine days.
Add to this Novena on the Holy Rosary you can be sure that Our Mother will also come with her loving heart to intercede.
 
 
 
 
 

Marie Francoise Therese Martin was born on January 2, 1863 at Alencon in Normandy France. She lived the life of a normal child and entered the Carmel of Lisieux in 1889 when she was 15 years old. Finally St. Theresa entered eternal life on September 30, 1897. Theresa was not a great healer or miracle worker, but a woman who was faithful to her everyday chores to a heroic degree.

 St. Theresa also had a great devotion to the Mother of God, and our mother, heaven's Queen. The great love that Theresa had for Mary is seen in a poem she wrote shortly before her death.