June 27, 2015: Pope Francis announces canonization of Louis and Zelie Martin for Mission Sunday, October 18, 2015

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Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin

The Shrine at Lisieux has announced that at an "ordinary public consistory" (a meeting of cardinals) this morning in the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace in Rome, Pope Francis announced that on Mission Sunday, October 18, 2015, Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux, will become the first spouses in the history of the Church to be canonized as a couple.  Thanks be to God. 

Canonization 2014- The Canonization of Saint John XXIII and Saint John Paul II (14036966125)
Pope Francis during the canonizations of St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II.  Photo by Jeffrey Bruno from New York City, United States [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
 
Palais apostolique et aile de Constantin

The Apostolic Palace seen from St. Peter's Square.  By Gaspard Miltiade (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Louis and Zelie will be named a saintly couple on the liturgical anniversary of their beatification in 2008 and of their daughter, St. Therese, being named a Doctor of the Church in 1997.  In 1997 and again in 2008, Mission Sunday fell on October 19.  In 2015 it falls on October 18.   The canonization ceremony will take place in Rome during the fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which has as its theme "the vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world."

Pope Francis announced the news during the celebration of Terce, the midmorning hour of the Divine Office.  He also announced, for the same date, the canonizations of Blessed Vincenzo Grossi, a diocesan priest from Italy, and Blessed Mary of the Immaculate Conception, a nun from Spain.

 

Carmen's parents speak about the acceptance of her healing as the miracle for the canonization of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin

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Carmen with her father and mother and mgr jacques Habert, bishop of seez, where louis and zelie martin spent their married life.  Valencia, May 2013.

“The news of the canonization of Blessed Louis Martin and Zélie Guérin fills us with emotion, with joy, and with gratitude. For us, they are part of our family, since we have prayed to them and they have interceded with the Lord to grant us the healing of our daughter. The Martin couple is an example of family union founded on love and on respect for children. And, thanks to them, we can demonstrate these values to our two children.”

--statement from the parents of little Carmen on the occasion of the approval of the healing of their daughter as the miracle necessary for the canonization of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin.  

Courtesy of the Shrines at Alencon and Lisieux.  Translated by Maureen O'Riordan

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin to be first spouses canonized as a couple in October 2015

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Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, who are to be named saints in October 2015

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, who are to be named saints in October 2015

Cardinal Amato announces that Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux, the first spouses in the history of the Church to be declared saints as a couple, will be canonized in October 2015

March 3, 2015.  Zenit.org reported today that Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, has announced that Louis and Zelie Martin will be canonized during the Synod on the Family, which will take place in Rome in October 2015.  No date was reported.  The cardinal spoke during a meeting organized by the Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV) to emphasize how important sanctity in the family is.  "Thanks be to God, in October two spouses, the parents of Saint Therese of Lisieux, will be canonized.  Saints are not only priests and nuns, but also lay people," the Cardinal said. Please see Zenit's article announcing the canonization of Louis and Zelie Martin. See also Nicholas Seneze's article in La Croix, which states that Cardinal Amato made the announcement on Friday, February 27, and that the recognition of the miracle for Louis and Zelie's canonization has not yet been officially announced by the Vatican.

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May 24, 2014: Stained-glass window dedicated to the Martin family to be blessed by Mgr Jacques Habert, bishop of Seez

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The stained-glass window dedicated to the Martin family in the church of St. Symphorien des Bruyères in the province of Orne, France.

On Saturday, May 24, 2014, at 11:00 a.m., Mgr Jacques Habert, bishop of the diocese of Séez, will preside at a Mass of thanksgiving for the restoration of the Church of St Symphorien des Bruyères in the province of Orne.  Then he will bless the three new stained-glass windows in the church, including the window pictured above, dedicated to the Martin family.  The window shows a scene from the life of the Martin family.  At left, Zelie is teaching her two youngest daughters to pray: Therese is on her lap, and Celine kneels in front of her.  One of the older Martin daughters looks on. The other two are near their father, who looks on. At the top of the window can be seen the words "Martin Family" and, at the bottom, the words "All Called to Saintliness." 

A family at prayer

A family at prayer

The Shrine at Alençon informed me that the window is based on the painting above, which represents the Martin family at prayer.

The family of Louis and Zelie Martin was chosen as a subject of the window not only by the Church but also by the mayor and the people of the commune of St Symphorien des Bruyères, a small municipality about an hour northwest of Alençon.  We congratulate the commune and the Association for the Conservation of the Heritage of the commune for completing the restoration of this fifteenth-century church after ten years of work. 

You may see other photos of the church on the Web site of Atelier Touchard Architectes, which accomplished the restoration.

May the life of the Martin family be a true icon for us.  May we see their hardships and joys all now illumined by the light of Christ.  May the light of their lives shine through ours so that they may obtain for us from God the same grace of seeing God in everything and everything in God. 

I thank the Shrine at Alencon (http://www.louiszeliemartin-alencon.com/eng/), which permits me to share with you the photographs and the story. 

Pietro Schilirò meets Pope Francis: "It was like meeting Jesus"

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Pope Francis with Pietro Schilirò

     Pietro Schilirò is the Italian child who was healed by God after the prayer of his parents and relatives to Louis and Zelie Martin. This healing has been officially recognized as a miracle, and it led to the beatification of the Martin spouses in 2008.  On March 29, 2014 Pietro, now 11, met Pope Francis in Rome.  Here is his first-person testimony:
 

     When I learned that the Pope was to meet with deaf people and their families, I asked Mom if we could go there too. We decided to write to the Pope to tell him that we would be very happy to greet him personally, but if that was not possible, we would be happy to receive his blessing even from afar.

     In St. Peter's Square, we lined up with all the other deaf people and their families. It moved me to see other people who were deaf like me. Some had trouble speaking; this touched me so that I had the desire to learn sign language, that I might be closer to them.

     Suddenly, my Dad’s phone started to ring.  We were told that Pope Francis would meet us personally at the end of the audience. We were very touched!

     After about 1 ½ hours, the Pope came in amid songs of joy and hands raised in a sign of salute (this is how the deaf applaud). After some testimonies, the Pope spoke to us.

     Then the Pope came down to the crowd to greet the people who were in front, including us! I was very excited and I asked Mom and Dad what I should say, because I could not find the words.

     Pope Francis approached; he was close to me! Mom and Dad greeted him, and Mom told him that we pray for him. Then he kissed me, and I burst into tears! I leaned against him, and my hearing aid fell to the ground. Then the Pope bent down to pick it up! Dad told the Pope that I was healed by a miracle granted by the Lord through the intercession of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, and he was very happy to hear that. He smiled and said, “I know that now there has been another miracle that is being studied. I am very happy!” And with a big smile he said, “Go now, and do not cry any more.”  And with a big hug, we said goodbye to Pope Francis.

     Then, before waving to everyone and leaving the room, he looked at me. With his fingers he gave me the ‘OK’ sign! I still felt close to tears, but I was so happy because of the Pope’s embrace. For me it was like meeting Jesus! I will never forget it.”

Pietro Schilirò

This translation by Mary Davidson and the photograph appear here by courtesy of the Web site of the Shrine at Alencon (www.louiszeliemartin-alencon.com).