Saint Therese adopted the name "little flower" for herself in keeping with her life of humility and modesty. She also believed that even the smallest tasks, when performed out of love for God, have merit. St. Therese once wrote that God "has created the great saints who are like the lilies and the roses, but He has also created much lesser saints to be like daisies or violets." On her deathbed St. Therese promised that her prayers in heaven would come down like a shower of roses. After her death there were so many miracles attributed to her the Vatican put her on the fast track to sainthood and waived the 50-year waiting period. It is believed that you can always tell when St. Therese has heard someone's prayer because out of nowhere someone will present the person with a rose.
Father Frank Salmani
St. William Church, Warwick
