APOSTOLIC LETTER PROCLAIMS ST. THERESA DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
VATICAN CITY, OCT 19, 1997 (VIS) - Pope John Paul's Apostolic Letter for the Proclamation of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face as Doctor of the Church was made public today in French and Italian. It will be available in other languages in coming days.
Following are excerpts from that Letter:
"This past August 24, at the praying of the Angelus, in the presence of hundreds of bishops and before a multitude of youths from around the globe, gathered in Paris for the 12th World Youth Day, I wished to announce personally the intention to proclaim Theresa of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face as Holy Doctor of the universal Church on the occasion of the celebration of World Mission Day."
"Among the small, to whom the secrets of the Kingdom have been manifested in a wholly special way, shines Theresa of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, professed nun of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, the centenary of whose entrance into the heavenly homeland is celebrated this year. During her life, Theresa discovered 'new lights, hidden and mysterious meanings' and received from the divine Master that 'science of love' that she then manifested with particular originality in her writings."
"The reception of the example of her life and her evangelical doctrine in our century was rapid, universal and constant. ... Pius XI proclaimed her Blessed on April 29, 1923. A short time later, on May 17, 1925, the same Pope, before an immense crowd, canonized her in St. Peter's Basilica. ... Following these acts of recognition, the spiritual irradiation of Theresa of the Child Jesus grew in the Church and spread throughout the world. ... Her message, often summed up as the so-called 'little way', is none other than the Gospel path of holiness for everyone."
"The Shepherds of the Church, beginning with my predecessors, the Supreme Pontiffs of this century, who proposed her holiness as an example for all, also highlighted the fact that Theresa is a teacher of spiritual life through a particular doctrine, simple yet at the same time profound. ... This spiritual doctrine has been transmitted to us especially through her autobiography, derived from the three manuscripts which she wrote during the last years of her life and published one year after her death with the title 'Histoire d'une Ame'. ... This autobiography, translated along with other writings of hers into nearly fifty languages, made Theresa known in all the regions of the world, even outside the Catholic Church. ... Therefore it is not surprising that many petitions were presented to the Apostolic See asking that she be endowed with the title of Doctor of the universal Church. ... In a special way, as the first centenary of her death approached, ... and in light of these facts, I decided to have an attentive study be done to see if the saint of Lisieux had the prerequisites to be able to receive the title of Doctor of the universal Church."
"The main source of her spiritual experience and her teaching is the Word of God, in the Old and New Testaments. She herself confesses to this, especially highlighting her passionate love for the Gospel. In her writings more than one thousand Biblical quotes can be counted: more than four hundred from the Old Testament and more than six hundred from the New. ... Under the influence of the Spirit she reached for herself and for others a deep knowledge of revelation. ... Her doctrine coincides, as already noted, with the teaching of the Church. From childhood, she was educated by family members to participate in prayer and liturgical worship. ... Theresa nourished herself from her youth with the teaching of the 'Imitation of Christ', which, as she herself confessed, she knew almost by heart, ... as with the mystical doctrine of Saint John of the Cross, who was her true spiritual teacher. Thus it is not surprising that in the school of these two saints, later declared Doctors of the Church, she too, an excellent disciple, became a Teacher of spiritual life. The spiritual doctrine of Theresa of Lisieux contributed to the spreading of the Kingdom of God."
"Often during Vatican Council II, the Fathers evoked her example and her doctrine. Paul VI ... proposed her as a teacher of prayer and theological hope, a model of communion with the Church, entrusting the study of her doctrine to teachers, educators, pastors and theologians themselves. I myself, in various circumstances, have had the joy of referring to the figure and doctrine of this saint, in a special way during the unforgettable visit to Lisieux on June 2, 1980. ... The fact that recourse is taken to her doctrine in many documents of the ordinary Magisterium of the Church is a sign of the ecclesial reception of the saint's teaching, especially when speaking of the contemplative and missionary vocation, of trust in a just and merciful God, of Christian joy, of the vocation to holiness. The presence of her doctrine in the recent 'Catechism of the Catholic Church' is a testimonial of this. ... Theresa possesses a singular universality. ... The strength of her message lies in the concrete illustration of how all of Jesus' promises may find full realization in the believer who knows how to welcome trustingly into his own life the saving presence of the Redeemer. All these reasons are a clear testimonial of the current relevance of the doctrine of the saint of Lisieux and of the particular incidence of her message upon the men and women of our time."
"Meeting the wishes of a great number of Brothers in the Episcopacy and very many faithful from throughout the world, having heard the opinion of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and obtained the vote of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in what regards the emminent doctrine, with certain knowledge and mature deliberation, by the power of full apostolic authority, we declare Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, virgin, Doctor of the Universal Church. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
LIT/DOCTOR CHURCH THERESA/... VIS 971020 (1020)