Abstract

This study is an exploration of the circumstances and events which preceded the declaration of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux as a doctor of the church in 1997. The emphasis is placed on the major Vatican documents outlining the details of the October 19, 1997 proclamation, especially the Apostolic letter issued by Pope John Paul II. The title "doctor of the church" is examined through both a history of the term and its meaning in the contemporary Roman Catholic Church. The implications of the proclamation of Thérèse of Lisieux as the only doctor of the church to be named by John Paul II, and the third woman to have received the title are highlighted.