...from Zenit:
"VATICAN CITY, JULY 4, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The prefect of the Congregation for Saints' Causes is expected to announce the date for the beatification of St. Thérèse's parents at celebrations marking their 150th wedding anniversary. According to Bishop Pierre Pican of Bayeux-Lisieux and other Church leaders in France, Cardinal José Saraiva Martins will attend the anniversary celebrations set for July 12-13 in Lisieux and Alencon (where the Martins married on July 12, 1858). Benedict XVI recognized Thursday a miracle attributable to the intercession of Louis and Marie-Zélie Martin. It involved the healing of Pietro Schiliro of Monza, Italy. Pietro was born in 2002 with a fatal lung malformation. Italian Carmelite Father Antonio Sangalli suggested that the child's parents pray a novena to Thérèse's parents to receive the strength to endure their suffering. However, Pietro's mother decided to do the novena to ask for her son's cure. When Pietro regained his health, he and his parents went on pilgrimage to Lisieux to thank the Martins. On July 13, Cardinal Saraiva Martins will preside at a Family Day in Lisieux, during which he will bless a statue of St. Thérèse."
What's interesting to me was that at one point Louis had wanted to be a priest, but his Latin was terrible. Mme. Martin was quite an enterprising business woman, with her own lace firm which she had established when she was still single. When she married Louis for the first year or so they lived as "brother and sister" until a confessor had advised otherwise. I'd read that in several of the books written about the family. One gets the impression it was Louis's idea to begin with! Thanks goodness at least one of them got frustrated!
"Uh, Louis, if you think I'm just going to cook your meals and wash your socks....DUDE."
4 comments:
I've often wondered what the priest said. It must have been a heck of a speech.
Well, it's interesting to be sure. I expect I'll have to wade through Mme. Martin's letters to her sister et al to find reference. One got the impression from the writings that it was Louis. I know I'd bring that to the confessor quickly.
"Fr. I'm about to clobber my husband."
"Why?"
"He won't consumate the marriage, I want children and this handshake every night isn't going to cut it much longer."
"[thinking Louis is nut][ tell him to come to me and I'll give him whatfor..[sheesh one thing for me to have to give up connubial bliss for the sake of the kingdom, but somebody better have a talk with this boy.]?
One wonders when this little bi of information was sprung on the other. The wedding night? Okay, buddy,I kept myself for you and now you tell me I'm supposed to live with you like a sister?!
When reading St. Therese's books, I always wondered why the parents were not also made saints! Oh, my, an entire family of saints! God's great Grace flowed to the children. Happy Day!
Yeah, happy day they took it beyond a handshake and a smile!
The had 4 other children two - died in infancy and one of the girls was about 4 or 5. She would have been Leonie's closest sister. They always treated her a bit as the "odd one out."
Next to Therese, I would have loved to have met Celine. She seemed like the most lively one. I feel really blessed that the span of my life overlapped hers. I do not know why such a thing would give one pleasure, but it does!
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