October 1 marks the Feast Day of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, Patroness of all Missionaries and the Missions, Patroness of France and Doctor of the Church. Thérèse wished to spend her life on the mission fields but ill health prevented her from doing so. Before her health failed Thérèse had been selected for a missionary enterprise. But by the age of twenty four, Thérèse was dead. Her life had been almost totally hidden. At her death she seemed just another obscure nun in a country convent in France. Most of the nuns didn’t recognize her great holiness. One said, “I cannot understand why people speak of Sister Thérèse as if she were a saint. She never does anything notable.” What a remarkable person! What a remarkable saint!