During the last agony of St. Therese, her sister, Leonie Martin, and her aunt and uncle, Celine and Isidore Guerin, were praying in the chapel of the Carmel.  Immediately after Therese died, her sister Pauline had this note given to them.  She writes:

September 30, 1897

J.M.J.T.

Beloved Relatives and
Dear Leonie,

     Our Angel is in heaven.  She gave up her last sigh at seven, while pressing her Crucifix to her heart, saying "Oh!  I love You!" She had just raised her eyes to heaven, what was she seeing!!!

Your little daughter
who loves you more than ever
Sister Agnes of Jesus
r.c.i.

(translation from Letters of St. Therese of Lisieux, Volume II, tr. John Clarke, O.C.D.  Washington, D.C.: ICS Publications, 1988, p. 1186).

Death Notice

It was with a lively feeling of sadness that we learned last Thursday evening of the death at the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of a young person who gave to a life of prayer and sacrifice the most beautiful years of her youth.  Mademoiselle Marie-Francoise-Therese Martin, renouncing the world at the age of fifteen years and consecrating herself to God, became Sister Therese of the Child Jesus.  She disappears after ten years of an angelic life in the shadow of the cloister, and we have the sweetest confidence that the death that came to fetch her in the flower of her youth, in putting an end to her long and cruel sufferings, has already placed on her head the immortal crown that was the object of her continual desires here below.

The funeral will be celebrated Monday morning in the chapel of the Carmel.

Le Normand offers to the family of Sister Therese of the Child Jesus, to the Mother Prioress and the other nuns of Carmel the homage of its respectful condolences.

Translation © 2010 by Maureen O'Riordan.  All rights reserved.

J. M. J. T.

You are very humbly asked by the Carmelite nuns to remember, in your most fervent prayers, the soul of their dear Sister Therese of the Child Jesus, who fell asleep in the Lord on September 30, 1897 at the age of 24 years, nine of which she spent in religion.

You are also invited to assist at the funeral Mass, which will take place in their chapel on Monday, October 4, at 9:00 a.m.

RESQUIESCAT IN PACE

 from our monastery of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Immaculate Conception

the Carmelites of Lisieux

 
Translation © 2010 by Maureen O'Riordan.  All rights reserved.

You are invited to assist at the service and burial of
Marie-Francoise-Therese Martin
in religion
Sister Therese of the Child Jesus
who fell piously asleep in the Lord
September 30, 1897
in her 25th year.

It will take place on Monday, October 4, at 9:00 a.m. precisely.
                                                                                               PRAY TO GOD FOR HER!

From:

Mademoiselle Leonie Martin; Monsieur and Madame Isidore Guerin; Monsieur le Docteur La Neele and Madame La Neele; Mademoiselle Alphonsine Mace; Mademoiselle Marie Mace, in religion Sister Marguerite-Marie, Superior General of the Augustine Sisters of the Immaculate Conception at Paris; Monsieur et Madame Alphonse Mace; and the family.

Her sister, uncle, aunt, and cousins

Lisieux, September 30, 1897

 Translation © 2010 by Maureen O'Riordan.  All rights reserved.