Quote of the day, 17 May: St. Thérèse

I desire to accomplish your will perfectly and to reach the degree of glory you have prepared for me in your kingdom. I desire, in a word, to be a Saint, but I feel my helplessness and I beg you, O my God! to be yourself my Sanctity!
SAINT THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX, PRAYER 6

Dearest little sisters,

How our hearts beat as one and exult with joy and gratitude toward our God of love, who has made our little Thérèse a masterpiece of grace and humility—in a word, a very great saint. How good He was to cause this flower of Paradise to blossom among us! But our dear parents were worthy of possessing her.

In the face of this triumph, this supreme glory, this song rises quite naturally from our hearts: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” [Lk 1:46–47].

To tell the truth, human language is quite powerless to express what is taking place in the highest part of the soul. So it is silence alone that suits—like the silence reigning among the Blessed in Heaven.

You have no doubt noticed, as I have, dearest sisters, that the pilgrimage for the canonization departs on the 13th, the anniversary of our little sister’s healing: “The Blessed Virgin came toward me and smiled at me…” That was 42 years ago—how moving that is!

And the statue—have you received any news of it? I believe we must make the sacrifice of doing without it on the 17th. It’s a real pity, since our Reverend Superior was supposed to come to solemnly bless it. We’ll be having a great celebration here: exposition of the Blessed Sacrament all day, etc., etc… But don’t be disheartened—perhaps God wills this deprivation to be united to our prayers, for there is deep suffering in beautiful France, and what would we not do to help save her? Sacred Heart of Jesus, may Your Kingdom come!

We greatly admired the beautiful envelope used for the letter of thanks to the Holy Father, and how touched I was that my little Céline signed her name after mine. Truly, I recognize most humbly that she is far superior to me in every respect. I thanked with all my heart our beloved Mother [Superior] for her offering united to yours for the Holy Father. She is so exquisitely delicate, our Mother—I am often moved to tears by it.

Finally, my heart is so full of tenderness that it overflows into the Heart of our All Jesus, in whom our hearts are united on this incomparable day of glory.

Servant of God Françoise Thérèse Martin, V.S.M. (Léonie)

Letter to her sisters Marie, Pauline, and Céline
10 May 1925 from the Visitation Monastery in Caen

Note: The entire Carmelite family rejoices on this day, the 100th anniversary of the canonization of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, 17 May 1925.

Thérèse aux Roses – The Iconic Statue

The statue affectionately known as Thérèse aux Roses—Thérèse with Roses—has become one of the most beloved and widely recognized images of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Sculpted in 1922 by Father Marie-Bernard (Louis Richomme), a Trappist monk of Soligny-la-Trappe, the statue captures the spiritual essence of Thérèse’s “little way.”

Clothed in the Carmelite habit, Thérèse holds a crucifix entwined with roses—a visual embodiment of her promise to “let fall a shower of roses” from heaven. The sculpture was based on a 1912 charcoal drawing made by Thérèse’s sister, Céline Martin (Sister Geneviève of the Holy Face), whose artistic vision helped define her sister’s iconography. In all, Fr. Marie-Bernard sculpted 18 masterpieces of St. Thérèse in collaboration with the Carmel of Lisieux.

A white marble version of Thérèse aux Roses was placed outside the Carmel of Lisieux in 1923, just two years before Thérèse’s canonization. Since then, reproductions of Thérèse aux Roses have been enshrined around the world—from parish chapels to hospital corridors—each one a silent witness to the radiant simplicity of holiness.

We always refer to the website of the Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux for the vast majority of our quotes concerning Saint Thérèse, Saint Zélie, and Saint Louis Martin, but if you would like to purchase any of the English translations that appear on the Archives website, please visit the website of our Discalced Carmelite friars at ICS Publications. 

Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: “5,000 Torches Light Dome of St. Peter’s When Sister Therese Is Made a Saint” — headline from the* St. Louis Post-Dispatch*, reporting on the canonization of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, celebrated on Sunday, 17 May 1925. Image credit: Excerpt from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 18 May 1925. Sourced via newspapers.com (public domain).

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
What prevents me from begging God to make me a great saint?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#anniversary #canonization #CélineMartin #familyLife #LéonieMartin #Saints #StThérèseOfLisieux #statue

Our family was what is called a patriarchal family. Our parents, who in their youth had both considered entering religious life, kept a very fervent practice of the Christian life in their marriage.

My father absolutely made it a law to close his jewelry store on Sundays—despite the practice of other merchants in this specialty to the contrary and despite the urgings of his friends, who pointed out that he was losing the business of Sunday shoppers.

He was, moreover, quite devoted to religious practices and willingly sought the company of clergymen; and, out of respect for the priesthood, greeted all priests he met, even those he didn’t know.

Our mother was very pious and had affiliated herself with the Third Order of St. Francis. She applied herself to the education of her children to form them in practices of piety and thoughts of the faith.

Servant of God Léonie Martin
Sister Françoise-Thérèse, V.H.M.

Witness 7, Question 11
Ordinary Process for the Beatification of Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: This image of Saints Louis and Zélie Martin seated together is actually a composite image created from two different photographs of Louis and Zélie. Image credit: Discalced Carmelites

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/07/11/leonie-witness7/

#causeOfBeatification #familyLife #LeonieMartin #memories #ServantOfGod #SrFrançoiseThérèseMartin #StLouisMartin #StZélieGuérin #testimonies

SCRIPTURE

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying.

Luke 8:40–42

READING

For the last two months, my little Léonie has had a kind of purulent eczema on her entire body, and the illness is getting worse every day. I’m very upset and the doctor doesn’t know how to treat it. He told me to give her some antiscorbutic syrup [anti-scurvy medicine], which I did, but the ravages of the illness didn’t lessen. It seems that these kinds of illnesses are almost incurable. Please, give me your advice and tell me what I should do. Perhaps you know some famous specialists who will be able to give you some effective remedies. You wouldn’t believe how much I suffer seeing my poor little daughter in this state. I’ve just written to our sister Élise [Sister Marie-Dosithée, V.S.M.] asking that she say a novena for her.

Saint Zélie Martin

Letter CF 12 from Zélie Guérin to her brother Isidore
5 March 1865

PRAYER

Saints Louis and Zélie,
you who in your life as a couple and as parents
have borne witness to an exemplary Christian life,
by putting God first,
by fulfilling the duties of your state in life
and practicing the evangelical virtues,
we turn to you:

Help us to have unshakable trust in God
and to abandon ourselves to His Will,
as you did through the joys,
as well as the trials, grief, and suffering
that marked your lives.

Help us to love God with all our hearts,
to persevere through our daily difficulties,
and to abide in the joy and hope
that a living faith in Christ gives us.

Intercede for us

(Mention your intentions here)

that we may obtain the graces we need
today and every day of our lives.

Our Father…

Glory be…

Saints Louis and Zélie, pray for us.

Martin, Z 2011, A Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, 1863-1885, Society of St. Paul, New York.

All scripture references are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America as accessed from the Bible Gateway website.

Don’t become discouraged and give up prayer, says St. John of the Cross. We offer varying novenas to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as well as novenas to St. Joseph, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, and St. Edith Stein.

Let us unite in prayer

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/07/05/lzmnovena24-4/

#advice #illness #intercession #LéonieMartin #medicine #novena #prayer #SrMarieDosithée #StZélieMartin #StsLouisMartinAndZélieGuérin

V+J!
La Musse, 1 July 1896

My dearest little sister,

If you knew how often I think of you, and how sweet your memory is to me, it brings me closer to God, and I understand your desire to go see Him soon to lose yourself eternally in Him. I too desire this like you; I love to hear talk of death and I do not understand people who love this life of suffering and continual death.

For you, my dear, you are ready to go see the good Lord, surely you would be well received; but as for me, alas! I would arrive empty-handed and yet I have the audacity not to be afraid, do you understand that? It is incredible; I know and I acknowledge it, but I cannot help it.

How are you, my dear little sister? On this subject alone, I do not trust you because you always tell me that you are well or better, and I do not believe it at all. When you write to me, above all, tell me the exact truth and speak to me about the good Lord and all that can help me progress in virtue; that is the only thing that truly pleases me and that I expect from our beloved Carmel.

If you knew how much I need help to not give in to the pleasures and vanities of the world, because despite all the possible goodwill, one is insensibly drawn into it, and if one does not find death there, at least piety and pure love for Jesus are greatly altered; we no longer have anything to offer to this dear Beloved but withered flowers. How many times have I not offered Him such flowers myself? Dear sister, you will prevent me from doing it again, won’t you? I am so weak; you know that I count on you.

How happy I am not to go to the wedding [of Hélène Maudelonde and Jules Houdayer], thank you! thank you! for always knowing how to stop your little runaway horse.

Thank you, to my dear little Mother Agnes, for her good letter. I give you all a big hug, just like I love you. I beg you, ask the good Lord for me in particular that He may deliver me from my scruples; always turned inward on myself, this does me horrible harm and extremely delays my progress in perfection: be sure that I am pointing right to the wound to show it to you.

Your little sister, who cherishes you with all her heart,

Léonie, Child of Mary

p.s. Do not forget me with our good Mother. I am afraid that Marie of the Eucharist will forget Madame St. Francis de Sales’ scapular; two large pieces of her dress, without any embroidery, only the images.

Servant of God Sister Françoise-Thérèse (Léonie) Martin, V.H.M.

Letter to her sister Thérèse, 1 July 1896

Note: The Servant of God Sister Françoise-Thérèse Martin died Tuesday, 17 June 1941 at around 1:30 in the morning. You can learn more about the life of Léonie Martin in English thanks to Martin family expert Maureen O’Riordan, and in French thanks to the Visitation Nuns in Caen.

Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/06/16/leonie-1jul96/

#death #familyLife #illness #Jesus #LéonieMartin #love #scruples #SrFrançoiseThérèseMartin #weakness

Servant of God Léonie Martin suffered from #eczema since childhood; in 1890, her condition was flaring badly, so a pilgrimage to Lourdes was planned. Read the letter from St. Thérèse describing Léonie's plans
🌊 https://carmelitequotes.blog

#stthereseoflisieux #leoniemartin #servantofgod #celinemartin #celine #leonie #pauline #pilgrimage #ourladyoflourdes #lourdes #feastday #catholic #carmelite #quotes