St Therese of Liseux

Patron of our Church and School

Therese Martin born in 1873, was a sensitive but strong willed child who was determined to be  Carmelite nun. At the age of fourteen her application to join the Convent at Liseux was rejected. She appealed to the Bishop and then on a pilgrimage to Rome pleaded with the Pope himself. Shortly afterwards her wish was granted.

The next nine years were not easy. She suffered poor health and had to cope with some very difficult companions.

The world would probably never have heard of Therese had she not been told to write down her life story which was published after her death. The book " A story of the soul" became a bestseller.

St Therese's "Little Way" of spiritual childhood is the way of trust, the way of simplicity in the doing of small things well and with love.

At the end of her life her promise was "I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth".

She died aged twenty-four in 1897 and was made a Saint in 1925. Over the years many have prayed for her help and have had their prayers answered.

In 1933 Fr. McNally, the first Parish Priest in Penwortham, built the orginal St Teresa's Church and our present school has its motto "Sicut Parvuli" (As little children) which reminds us of her "Little Way".