Oct. 1

Left motherless at 4, she followed two older sisters into the Carmelites, entering at 15 as Sister Thérèse of the Infant Jesus. Poor health made her dream of missionary work impossible. In 1896 she contracted tuberculosis and died after months of suffering.

Posthumous publication of her autobiography, “The Story of a Soul,” prompted popular devotion. The “Little Flower” is remembered for her “little way” of seeking perfection in the ordinary with a simple but total trust in God.

She is the patroness of St. Theresa Parish and School in Phoenix and Santa Teresita Parish in El Mirage.