Recognition as founders and saints

A desire to have two saints recognised

From the day following Mother Thérèse’s death, the memory of the two founders became intimately linked in the prayer of the Congregation. On August 25, 1886, a letter from the Superior General established a novena to obtain their “glorification”. From now on, every year, masses and communions are offered on September 26 for Mother Thérèse and on December 12 for Father Terme.

This spiritual association was quickly coupled with a desire to open their Causes for beatification jointly. Superior General Mother Marie Aimée devoted considerable energy to ensuring that the holiness of the founders would be presented as a model to the Universal Church. At the General Chapter of August 1887, Bishop Raffaele Virili was named the sole Postulator General for both Causes. Thousands of relics of Mother Thérèse were already in circulation and the recollections were being organized.

The Causes were initiated in their respective dioceses: Lyon for Mother Thérèse, Viviers for Father Terme. The canonical paths of the two founders parted ways.

Father Terme: popular fervor without canonical results

Historical research on Father Terme began early, under the impetus of Bishop Ernest Bourret of the diocese of Rodez and a friend of the Congregation. Originally from the neighboring village of Le Plagnal, Bishop Bourret had encouraged the local parish priest to gather testimonies and documents, thus enabling the preservation of precious items, such as the letter on the Sacred Heart that Father Terme wrote in 1830 to the parish priest of Payzac.

On August 23, 1882, Father Terme’s remains were exhumed. They were removed from the cemetery and set into the wall of the church in Le Plagnal. This physical proximity increased the devotion of the faithful, and soon reports began to circulate of graces obtained. In 1888, Father Vinson, parish priest of Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès, wrote a report for Bishop Bonnet of Viviers on the graces obtained through the intercession of Father Terme.

Shortly after the exhumation, the communities were asked to make a novena through the intercession of Father Terme for the healing of Mother de Fraix who was gravely ill. The Congregation made a vow to the founder that, if their prayers were answered, they would work for his beatification.

Despite the enthusiasm of the local population, witnessed firsthand by Mother Marie Aimée in 1890, and the efforts that were undertaken, the Cause of Father Terme encountered obstacles. As early as 1891, the bishop of Viviers expressed reservations about continuing the Cause. He was made cautious by the memory of heavy financial burdens incurred during a previous Cause in the diocese.

The Congregation continued its efforts. For example, in 1914 it published a biographical brochure. But the Cause of the missionary of the Ardèche did not progress beyond the preliminary stage.