1823–1894 and 1831–1877
Blessed Louis Martin, 1823–1894
Blessed Marie-Azélie Martin, 1831–1877
July 12
God loves all families and wants them to be happy. Blessed Louis Martin and Marie-Azélie Martin fell in love and got married. Louis was a jeweler and watchmaker. Marie-Azélie made a special kind of lace. They promised to live as holy a life as possible and teach their children about Jesus. The Martins did many things with their family, like take walks and tell stories. All of their five daughters became nuns. One, Thérèse de Lisieux, became a Saint.
Discuss: What does your family like to do together?
God loves all families and wants them to be happy. Saints Louis and Marie-Azélie Martin fell in love and got married. Louis was a jeweler and watchmaker. Marie-Azélie made a special kind of lace. They promised to live as holy a life as possible and teach their children about Jesus. The Martins did many things with their family, like take walks and tell stories. All of their five daughters became nuns. One, Thérèse de Lisieux, became a Saint.
Marie-Azélie wanted to become a nun as her older sister had, but because she suffered many illnesses, including respiratory problems, she was unable to follow that vocation. Louis Martin loved nature and gardening. He had originally wanted to become a monk, and after he was married and had children, used one room in the family home as a spiritual retreat where he could pray and read. He made several pilgrimages during his life, to Chartres and Lourdes in France, to Rome, and to Germany and Austria.
Pope Francis canonized Louis and Marie-Azélie in October 2015. They are the first Saints to be canonized as a couple. Their letters to each other were published in a book titled A Call to Deeper Love.
Activity
Teaching about Jesus
Verbal/Linguistic
Have the child plan the future. Have them decide what they will teach their children about Jesus.