Quote of the day, 16 September: St. Louis Martin

Dear Marie,

I have a moment and I’m taking advantage of it to send you a few lines, while Fr. Marie is walking in Scutari. We’re feeling very well and find ourselves wonderfully situated in this lovely private home which the Vincentian Fathers recommended to us.

We would have left for Smyrna today, but the boat service is disorganized, and we’ll have to wait until Thursday or Friday.

Now what can I tell you about the beautiful city of Constantinople? I’ve been all over the city, and the more I see, the more I admire it. There are some magnificent things, and we’ve visited several mosques, of which the most beautiful is certainly Saint Sophie’s in Stamboul; it was built by Constantine the Great in 325.

The basilica was completely destroyed by fire in 532. Emperor Justinian I rebuilt it, and it is to him that this building owes its current form. Justinian wanted this monument to be the most enduring and the most magnificent of all time. The entire Empire was stripped in order to decorate it.

The Grand Bazaar in Constantinople is a curious thing. This complex labyrinth forms a city within a city with its streets, alleyways, passageways, and intersections.

Each street is assigned a specialty. The Grand Bazaar closes every evening before sundown and doesn’t open until nine o’clock in the morning.

On Fridays, the Turkish shops are closed, on Saturday, it’s the Jews’ turn, and on Sunday, it’s the same thing for the Christians.

We visited the Cistern of Asparis; it rests on 64 columns and was built under Leo the Great.

Now, my first, my big girl, my diamond, let’s talk a bit about our little affairs. In rereading your last letter, I see that what you’re doing couldn’t be better while I’m not there. So continue, and you’ll make me happy. My poor big girl, how I would like to have you with during my entire beautiful journey!…

Tell my dear “little Paulin” [Sr. Agnès, Pauline Martin] that I think of her often, too, and I thank God for having given her such a lofty vocation. Thank her well for me for her lovely letter, and also don’t forget to pay my humble respects to Madame Marie de Gonzague [the prioress].

We expect to be in Athens on Sunday, and from there we’re going to Naples. Only then am I intending to go look for news from all of you at the Post Office General Delivery.

Give a big, big hug for me to my Léonie, Céline, and my Queen [Thérèse]. As for my beautiful little Pearl [Pauline], sadly, it’s impossible to pass through the grille! Finally, say many kind things to your uncle and aunt [Isidore Guérin and his wife Céline], as well as to Jeanne and Marie [cousins, the daughters of Isidore and Céline]. A little pat on Tom’s head, the brave, faithful dog. Is he still crying for me?

Your father who loves you.

P.-S. You did well to give some pears. Give, give always and make some people happy.

Saint Louis Martin

Letter to Marie Martin
Sent from Constantinople, 16 September 1885

Note: On this date in 1885, St. Louis Martin wrote to his daughter Marie from Constantinople, where he was traveling on pilgrimage with a priest to Constantinople, Athens, and Rome. In his letter, he praised Marie for her excellent management of the household during his absence and shared detailed descriptions of the remarkable sights he had witnessed.

Learn more about the members of the Guérin and Martin families

The Martin and Guérin Cousins (1892)
Back, L-R: Léonie Martin, Marie Guérin
Front L-R: Jeanne Guérin, Céline Martin
Tom, the spaniel
Photo credit: Discalced Carmelites

Martin, Z & Martin, L 2011, A Call to a Deeper Love: The Family Correspondence of the Parents of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, 1863-1885, trans. Hess, AC, ed. Renda, F, Society of St. Paul, New York.

Featured image: Detail from Deësis (Christ with the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist), c. 1261, mosaic, imperial enclosure, south gallery, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. Image credit: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).

#familyLife #HagiaSophia #MarieMartin #StLouisMartin #TomTheSpaniel

Quote of the day, 13 April: St. Louis Martin

My incomparable Father,

What Céline tells us is so like you! Ah, what a father we have! Truly, you are one of a kind… and so I’m not surprised that God is calling all your children to Himself, this father who cannot be matched! You are so precious to His heart that He cannot help but look upon you—and all who are yours—with a love beyond compare.

How our dear mother [St. Zélie] must be smiling down at you. How joyful she must be to see her little boat so well steered by you, guiding us all toward heaven.

O best of fathers, how great our responsibility will be if we do not become saints—if we do not follow in the path of your generosity. Ah, how Jesus will repay you a hundredfold for the lily you offer Him today—barely opened, yet full of freshness and purity.

Oh, your crown in heaven! My beloved Father, I see it already—radiant and beautiful. Ah, pray that your diamond not be too pale beside such glory.

I can say no more. You fill my heart—I am entirely yours.
Our Mother [Prioress Marie de Gonzague, O.C.D.] couldn’t help but weep as she read Céline’s account.
Ah! What a father you are!!

Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, O.C.D.
(Marie Martin)

Letter from Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart to her father, St. Louis Martin, 9 April 1888

St. Thérèse crosses the threshold of the cloister, a later watercolor
Photo: Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux
Visit the Archives site to see the annotated sketch for this watercolor and all of the artworks associated with the life of St. Thérèse.

Note: St. Thérèse entered the Carmel of Lisieux on the Feast of the Annunciation, which was deferred to Monday, April 9 in the year 1888 because March 25 was Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord.

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. If you would like to purchase English translations for the collected works of St. Thérèse, 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: St. Thérèse outside the Lisieux Carmel. Image credit: Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
What can you offer God this Holy Week with purity, generosity, and love?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#CarmelOfLisieux #familyLife #generosity #MarieMartin #MarieOfTheSacredHeart #postulant #religiousLife #StLouisMartin #StThérèseOfLisieux #vocations

Quote of the day, 3 February: Pauline Martin

My beloved little sister, you’ll be able to come on Friday [January 29th], the elections won’t be until Monday or Tuesday [February 1st and 2nd].

I can’t be without you for a moment. Who could understand such a union! Let us love the good Lord well! Everything is here, and there’s nothing out there!

The weather is so sad! We need to create a Blue Sky in our hearts.

Soeur Agnès de Jésus (Pauline Martin)

Letter from Sr. Agnès de Jésus to Sr. Marie du Sacré Coeur (Marie Martin)
25-28 January 1886

Note: On 3 February 1886, Mother Marie de Gonzague was elected to her third term as prioress of the Discalced Carmelite monastery of Lisieux. At the time of her death in 1904, she had served 6 years as sub-prioress and 21 years as prioress of the community. You can read the biography of Mother Marie de Gonzague on the website of the Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux.

 

Mother Marie de Gonzague
(Marie Davy de Virville)
Caen, 20 February 1834 – Lisieux, 17 December 1904
Credit: Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux

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

#CarmelOfLisieux #elections #MarieMartin #MotherMarieDeGonzague #nuns #PaulineMartin #prioress #SrAgnèsDeJésus

Quote of the day, 10 January: Marie Martin

My dear little daughter, I don’t want the eve of such a beautiful day to pass by without speaking a little word to her from her Jesus. Her Jesus! He has made her a bed of lilies! “My beloved browses among the lilies!” [Song 6:3], says the spouse in the Canticle.

I want to give my little daughter the only picture that is dear to me among all others…. Aunt at Le Mans [Sr. Marie-Dosithée, V.S.M.] gave it to me, and I am attached to it, for it says much to my heart.

But all for the little fiancée of Jesus! What is too beautiful for her?

Oh! yes, “…happy the lily that remained without spot until the hour of reaping” [inscription on the holy card mentioned above]. One day, we shall reap, rejoicing! [Ps 126:5] And this hour will come! And it will be a day without clouds, and the more we shall have suffered the more radiant that day will be. Then! then! Ah! I keep silent…. This day will be so beautiful, it will be so sweet, this day which will have no setting!!

My whole heart to my dear angel, whom I adorned for Jesus on the day of her First Communion and whom I’ll adorn on the day of her espousals.

Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, O.C.D. (Marie Martin)

Letter LC 107 to St. Thérèse, 9 January 1889

Note: During the Ordinary Process, Pauline Martin explained the date chosen for St. Thérèse’s clothing: “Having begun her postulancy in April, at the age of 15 years and three months, normally she could have received the habit within six months, before the end of October; in fact, she wasn’t clothed until 10 January 1889. Around that time our father was very ill, and we hoped that this delay would enable him to attend her clothing ceremony at a later date.”

Thérèse of Lisieux, S & Clarke, J 1982, General Correspondence: Letters of Saint Therese of Lisieux: Volume 1 1877-1890, Centenary ed., Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington DC.

Featured image: The lilium longiflorum is also known as the Easter lily. Image credit: Golden Age Photos / Adobe Stock (Stock photo)

#CarmeliteHabit #Clothing #happiness #Jesus #lilies #MarieMartin #PaulineMartin #StThérèseOfLisieux

Quote of the day, 3 January: St. Zélie

My little girl was born last night, Thursday [January 2], at eleven-thirty. She’s very strong and in very good health. They tell me she weighs eight pounds. Let’s say six, which is still not bad. She seems very sweet…

I barely suffered a half hour. What I felt before was practically nothing. She’ll be baptized tomorrow, Saturday. The only thing missing to make the celebration complete is all of you. Marie is going to be the godmother, and a little boy close to her age will be the godfather.

I received your letter, as well as the box containing the New Year’s gifts. I don’t know if I should scold you. I want to very much, and yet I also want to thank you, but everything is too beautiful and too expensive. Céline wore her beautiful fur and muff for the first time on the first day of the year.

I wish all of you a happy New Year. Please remember me to Monsieur and Madame Fournet and Monsieur and Madame Maudelonde.

I look forward to sending you a longer letter. I can’t write a long one today.

Marie and Pauline have been on vacation since Tuesday evening. They’ll stay with me until Monday or Tuesday.

Saint Zélie Guérin Martin

Letter CF 84 to her sister-in-law Céline Fournet Guérin
3 January 1873

Note: M. and Mme. Fournet were the parents of Céline Fournet Guérin, the wife of St. Zélie’s brother Isidore. M. and Mme. Maudelonde were Céline Guérin’s sister, Marie-Rosalie Fournet Maudelonde and her husband César. The Maudelonde, Guérin and Martin families often saw each other in Lisieux or on vacation, especially at Trouville.

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.

Featured image: Photographer Glen Bledsoe captures this image of a vintage cradle and bedroom in the Methodist Parsonage at Willamette Heritage Center in Salem, Oregon. Image credit: glenbledsoe / Flickr (Some rights reserved)

#Alençon #baptism #birth #CélineGuérin #letter #MarieMartin #PaulineMartin #StThérèseOfLisieux #StZélieMartin