Year
Day
ALENCON
1873
January 2:
NBirth of Maria Francisca Teresa Martin, in Alençon (France) January 4: Baptism in the Church of Our Lady; godmother: her sister María de ella.
1875
From the age of two, she thinks: “I will be a religious.” . May 23: First communion of her sister Leonia of her.
1876
“From the age of three, I began not to deny God anything he asked of me.”
1881
October 3 Admission to the Abbey of the Benedictines as a half pensioner (College).
1882
October 2: Pauline’s entry into the Carmel of Lisieux. Teresa returns to school. December: Continuous headaches, insomnia.
1883
March 25 (Easter): While Mr. Martin, Maria and Leonie are in Paris, Teresa falls ill at the Guérin’s; nervous tremors April 6: Taking of the habit of Paulina (sister Inés de Jesús). Teresa can hug her sister in the parlor. April 7: relapse in the Buissonnets. May 13 (Pentecost): Smile of the Virgin and healing of Teresa. Second fortnight of August:
Holidays in Alençon, «presentation in society» .
August 22: First meeting with Father Pichon (spiritual director of the family), in Alençon.
1884
February-May: Letters from Sister Inés to prepare Teresa for her first communion. May 5-8: Preparatory Retreat. May 8: Teresa’s first communion at the Abbey. Profession of Sor Inés de Jesús in Carmel. June 14: Confirmation, by Bishop Hugonin, Bishop of Bayeux. August: vacations in Saint-Ouen-le-Pin (Calvados) at the home of her aunt, Madame de Guérin.
1885
May 3-10: Holidays in Deauville (Rose Chalet): May 17-21: Preparatory retreat for the solemn renewal of First Communion. Beginning of the crisis of scruples that will last “a year and a half” May 21: second solemn communion. July: holidays in Saint-Ouen-le-Pin. August 22 early October: Mr. Martin’s trip to Constantinople. End of September: vacations in Trouville, with Celina (Chalé de las Rosas). October: Teresa returns to school alone without Celina.
1886
February-March: headaches; Teresa takes lessons at Miss Papinau’s house. Early July: three days in Trouville (Chalé de las Lilas).
Around October 5:
a few days trip to Alençon, with his father and his sisters. October 7: Leonie’s entry into the Poor Clares of Alençon October 15: Mary’s entry into the Carmel of Lisieux. End of October: Teresa freed from her scruples. December 1: Leonia’s return to her family home. December 25: after midnight mass, GRACE OF “CONVERSION”, at Les Buissonnets.
1887
March 19: taking of the habit of Mary (Sor María del Sagrado Corazón). May 1: Mr. Martin suffers a paralytic attack. May: reading of Arminjon’s conferences May 29 (Pentecost): Teresa asks and receives permission from her father to enter Carmel at the age of fifteen. June 20-26: holidays in Trouville (Chalé de las Lilas). Spring-summer: spiritual conversations with Celina at the Buissonnets viewpoint. Julio: A picture of Jesus crucified reveals her apostolic vocation. July 13: murderer Pranzini sentenced to death. Teresa prays and sacrifices herself for her conversion. July 16: Leonia enters the Convent of the Visitation of Caén. September 1st. Teresa reads in the newspaper “La Croix” the account of Pranzini’s execution (the day before) and of his conversion. October 31: she visits Msgr. Hugonin, Bishop in Bayeux, to request authorization to enter Carmel without having the minimum age. November 4: she Departure for Paris with her father and Celina, then for Rome. November 20: Audience of Pope Leo XlIl. Teresa presents her plea to enter Carmel before the legal age. December 2: Return to Lisieux from Rome. December 28: Bishop Hugonin’s favorable response to the prioress of Carmel for the admission of Teresa.
1888
January 1: Teresa is informed of the Bishop Hugonin’s response. March: “one of the most beautiful months of my life.” April 9: Teresa enters the Carmel of Lisieux.
IN CARMEL
Postulancy: April 9, 1888 – January 10, 1889.
Occupation: wardrobe
1888
May 22: Profession of Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart (her sister Mary) May 28: General Confession with Fr. Pichón August 12: New attack of Mr. Martin’s illness in Les Buissonnets. End of October Teresa is admitted to take the habit by the Conventual Chapter. October 31: Serious relapse of Mr. Martin
1889
January 5-10: Spiritual Retreat for taking the habit. January 10: Taking of Teresa’s habit, in the presence of her father. Novitiate: January 10, 1889 – September 24, 1890.
Occupation: refectory -sweeps.
February 12: Hospitalization of Mr. Martin (Caén) Julio. Marian grace received in the hermitage of Santa Magdalena and week of “quietude”. December 25: Termination of the lease of the Buissonnets.
1890
In the course of the year, reading of the works of Saint John of the Cross.
August 28-September 8: retreat for profession. September 2: canonical examination and blessing of Pope Leo XIII. September 8th. profession. September 24 Taking the veil, without the presence of his father, due to illness.
1891
Around February 10: she is appointed assistant sacristan. April-July: prayer for Jacinto Loyson. October 8-15: retreat preached by Father Alejo Prou, a Franciscan. December 5: death of Mother Genevieve, foundress of the Carmel of Lisieux. End of the year: flu epidemic.
1892
May 10: Return of Mr. Martin to Lisieux. May 12: Mr. Martin’s last visit to the Carmel locutory, seeing his three daughters.
1893
February 2: composition of his first poetry. February 20: election of Mother Inés de Jesús for the priory. Teresa is associated with the spiritual formation of her novitiate companions. June: she paints a fresco in the oratory. June 24. Leonia enters for the second time in the Convent of the Visitation of Caén. September: Teresa stays in the novitiate; she is named second goalkeeper.
1894
January 2: comes of age. January 21: first “pious re-enactment”: Joan of Arc, whose role she plays herself. In the spring: she begins to suffer from the throat; cauterizations. June 16: entrance of Sister María de la Trinidad, who is entrusted to Teresa. July 29: death of Luis Martin (her father) in the castle of La Musse (Eure). September 14: Celina enters Carmel, she is entrusted to Teresa, who was Mistress of Novices. End of December: she receives from Mother Inés de Jesús the order to write her childhood memories.
1895
Year of the writing of Manuscript A. February 5:
taking of the habit of Celina (sister Genoveva).
February 26: Teresa spontaneously composes the poetry Vívir de amor. June 9 (Holy Trinity): During Mass, she is inspired to offer herself to merciful Love. June 11: she makes this offering to Love, together with Celina. Shortly after: at the beginning of the Stations of the Cross, an intense experience of God’s love (“wound of love”). July 20: Leonia leaves the Convent of the Visitation. August 15: entrance of her cousin Maria Guérin in Carmel. October 17: Teresa is appointed by Mother Inés to be the spiritual sister of the seminarian Belliere and aspiring missionary.
1896
January 20: Teresa gives Mother Inés her notebook of memories (Manuscript A). February 24 Profession of Sister Genoveva (her sister Celina). March 17: taking of the veil of Sister Genoveva and taking of the habit of Maria Guérin (Sister Maria of the Eucharist). March 21: Difficult election of Mother Maria de Gonzaga for the priory. Teresa is confirmed in her position as auxiliary teacher in the novitiate. April 2-3 (night from Thursday to Good Friday): first hemoptysis, in her cell. April 3 at night second hemoptysis. April 5 (Easter): sudden entry into the night of faith, a test that will last until her death. May 10: dream regarding the venerable Ana de Jesús. May 30: Mother Maria de Gonzaga gives Teresa a second spiritual brother: Fr. Roulland, from the Foreign Missions. July 3: Fr. Roulland’s first mass at Carmel and conversation with Teresa in the locutory. …