Martin Sisters - Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart (Marie Louise Martin)

Marie Louise Martin was born in Alençon, France on February 22, 1860. Marie was the first-
born child of nine children of Louis and Azélie Martin. Marie was baptized by Father Lebouc at
the Cathedral of Saint Pierre-de-Montsort on February 23, 1860. Her godfather for her baptismal
was her grandfather Isidore Guérin Sr. and her godmother was her aunt Marie Louise "Élise"
Guérin.

She had a strong and fearless spirit, but her mother always saw the other side of her
“extraordinarily tender heart”. (SR) Marie’s temperament was straightforward and frank. (M)
Her family’s nickname for her was “The Gypsy” however, later in life, her father would also
nickname her his beloved “Diamond”.

Each morning, Azélie would make it a habit to rise early to attend morning Mass. Before
participating in Mass she would light a candle and pray reverently before the statue of Our Lady.
Humble at heart, Azélie petitioned Our Lady for the children that she and her husband were
given by God, that one day they would become saints. She would also ask Our Lady for her
children to be more reverence toward God then she was.

Sadly, four of the Martin children would never make it to adulthood. Azélie gave birth to her
fourth child on October 13, 1864, Marie Hélène who passed away on February 22, 1870, at the
age of five. Louis and Azélie were given the blessing of receiving another child, on September
20, 1866, with the birth of their first son, Joseph Louis Martin. It was with great sadness the he
too past away a year later on February 14, 1867. On December 19, 1867 the birth of their
second son, Joseph Jean Baptiste was born. However, he too was taken away from them on
August 25, 1868. The life of Louis and Azélie’s sixth daughter, Marie Mélanie Thérèse was very
short from August 16, 1870 to October 8, 1870. Later, Azélie would remark: “Four of my
children are already in their eternal home, and the others—yes, the others, will also go to that
heavenly kingdom, laden with more merits, for they will have been longer in the fight.”(DBT)

Marie's education started at home first where she was taught by
her mother. Once Marie reached 8 years old was when her parents
felt it was time for her to have a formal education. Marie learned
early the value of what her parents spent on her education. She
wrote letters expressing her gratitude for what her parents gave up
financially so that she would have a good education briefly at the
Providence of Alençon. She diligently tried hard at every subject
she was given to show her parents the benefit of giving her this
opportunity. As Marie stated in a letter on January 1, 1868:
“How your little girl is happy to be able to, at the beginning of
this new year, to express the gratitude for the countless blessings
you never stop giving me surrounding my childhood. Oh, yes,
dear father and mother, your beloved child feels deeply all that
she owes you, how I also thank you and how fervently she prays
to God…” (LOM1)                                                                                 Carmel de Lisieux

In October 1868, Marie entered the Visitation boarding school in Le Mans, France. Her beloved
aunt, Sister Marie-Dosithée, was a nun who taught at the boarding school. Marie’s aunt would
give Marie spiritual and moral guidance over her life while Marie was a student. While attending
the boarding school, Marie’s aunt Sister Marie-Dosithée gave both her and Pauline a pearl to
practice their virtues. Marie was instructed by her aunt to tell her parents the truth about not
doing so well in some of her subjects that she was learning. But with strong conviction, Marie
stated: “I was told that I was making progress but I know how to analysis verbs and I will tell
you also that I am the second for spelling and I was very close to being the second for writing
but I am in 4th place because I turn my letters too but I will try to be the first
when I do my next composition.” (LOM3)

A year later in a letter to her parents in January of 1869, Marie shares her dedication to her
parents about learning her lessons: “I got one for my grammar lesson and that I know my Bible
lessons really well and I have no marks and I hope to be a child of Jesus. I'm doing everything I
can to get there and to please you…I pray to the baby Jesus every night to give me the grace to
be a child of Jesus.” (LOM5)

Due to the severe illness of her beloved aunt, Marie’s First Holy Communion was moved
up one year. Marie constantly prayed to St. Joseph to intercede for her aunt’s cure and was not
willing to accept her death as God’s Will. Instead, she wanted to try and change it. (M) On July
2, 1869, Marie’s prayers were answered and Sister Marie-Dosithée was there to witness her
First Holy Communion. Her aunt lived for 7 more years. It was one of the happiest days of
Marie’s life for she was now in union with Jesus Christ. When this glorious day was over,
she started to weep that it had all ended too soon. Marie’s mother remarked in a letter to Sister
Marie-Dosithée: “Marie appears to be reserved and shy; underneath her shyness is a heart of
gold.”(SR) In 1869, Marie received confirmation and chose the name of Josephine in gratitude
to St. Joseph for his intercession in healing her aunt. (M) Marie and her sister Pauline sang in
the Church and her family always remarked about the beauty of their voices.
(SF)

When Marie received the sad news in a letter that her sister Mélanie died on October 8, 1870,
she couldn’t stop crying. It was a very sad day for her and she immediately wrote to her mother
to try and comfort her for their great loss.

On July 19, 1870, The Franco-Prussian War began. France declared war on Prussia and the
lower German states then aligned themselves with the North German Federation. The French
military would soon realize that the German army was far more superior in combat than their
French adversaries. As each battle ensued, French towns in the northern part of France started to
fall, leaving behind massive amounts of wounded and dead. Once the Germans had advanced
onto Le Mans in the latter part of December of 1870, parents from all over the area rushed to
retrieve their children from the Visitation boarding school; Louis and Azélie were no exception.
Marie's mother sought out several options to retrieve their children but the only option was for
them to travel the lengthy road to Le Mans. It was impossible to go by train because the French
army was using it for the war effort. Louis set off along the dangerous roads to Le Mans to
retrieve his daughters. As Marie describes in a letter to her uncle Isidore and to her aunt Céline:
“Mom told me that since the railways had stopped running we would come back to Alençon by
carriage... My dear uncle, mom told me that you are not going to war. I'm glad and I pray to the
good God that Dad does not leave either.” (LOM6) Louis safely brought his daughters back
home amongst seeing for themselves the spoils of war. Sadly, Le Mans fell on January 11, 1871.
The Germans in turn used the boarding school to house the wounded, which in some cases, the
wounded soldiers transmitted deadly communicable diseases to the local townspeople.

After the fall of Le Mans, the city of Alençon would be no exception. It too fell. As the German
army advanced onto Alençon, Azélie led all of the children into the root cellar as the bombs
started to land nearby. Once the smoke cleared and the town officially surrendered, the
Germans then forced each French family to house a number of German soldiers. The Martin
family housed nine German soldiers on the bottom floor of their house during their occupation,
which then lasted until May 10, 1871. After the occupation, both Pauline and Marie returned to
the Visitation boarding school in Le Mans.

It pained Marie from being separated from her parents for such a long time. She held so much
reverence towards them, that being without them became at times unbearable. But as conflicting
as it may be, she did not want to leave the Visitation boarding school either because she would
rarely see her aunt. As she states in her letter to her parents on January 21, 1872: “I will tell you
that I am no longer sad now because I try not to think too much about Alençon, because the
thought of being away from you makes me sad, though it also hurts me to leave the Visitation
because I would never get to see my aunt, but if she was not a religious and could come to stay
with us I would be very happy ... It is true that I must do my education and I know that the
Visitation is one of the best but it’s hard being so far from you both.” (LOM7)

On January 4, 1873, when her youngest sister Thérèse was baptized, Marie became her
godmother. Later this same year, Marie contracted typhoid fever and was sent home from the
Visitation boarding school as a result. She suffered a long illness with many relapses yet soon
recovered. Her parents kept a vigil over her while she was suffering from this illness. On May 5,
1873, after two to three weeks of Marie’s continued suffering, her father made an eighteen-mile
pilgrimage on foot to Church. Her father prayed and fasted for Marie’s cure in a valiant effort to
save her life. During this time of Marie’s illness, her mother said: “You would one day take care
of your younger sisters and the house after I die." (SR)

In late May of 1873, Marie’s symptoms to her illness had subsided temporarily and she thought
she was finally healed but it would take a few more months where she was completely healed.
She took the time in May to write to her sister Pauline, who was still at the Visitation boarding
school. Marie wrote: “I am happy to write to you a little letter today because I know you'll be
glad. I will tell you that I am healed and that I am not angry because I assure you I was bored
a lot in bed. This morning I got up earlier than the other days that I spent in bed because I went
to the eight o'clock Mass. I would have wanted to go to the Pavilion but our mother thought it
was too far, and I did not go. I am eagerly waiting for your vacation because I am delighted to
see you if you only knew! We will also have lots of fun because we will be going by carriage to
see the wet nurse taking care of Thérèse; we shall gather large daisies and cornflowers as it will
be fun for my little Pauline! (LOM9)

In October 1874, this was the start of the last semester that Marie had at the Visitation boarding
school before she graduated. Marie knew that she would miss her time at school because of the
fond memories she had while being there especially with her aunt Sister Marie-Dosithée. Marie
expressed her feelings in a letter to her uncle Isidore and aunt Céline on December 25, 1874:
“Yet I hardly dare desire this semester, as it will also see the end of my life as a boarder and it
will not without sorrow that I leave my aunt and the Visitation where I am as committed now.
Finally we have to finish everything and avoid having to later regret the time I have spent in the
convent well I'll try to use whatever I have left.” (LOM11)

On August 2, 1875, Marie completed her studies. She made the Honor List several times and
was awarded six first place prizes such as the “Cross of Excellence” during her years at the
Visitation boarding school. Marie reflected upon her experience at this school: “Oh if I had not
had my aunt, whom I did not want to hurt, I should have never had remained seven years behind
those grilles.” (SR) When Marie returned home for good, her mother wrote to Sister Marie-
Dosithée: “Marie is now grown up; her character is of a very serious cast and she has none of
the illusions of youth. I am sure that when I am no longer here she will make a good mistress of
the home, and do her utmost to bring up her little sisters and set a good example.” (SF) After
completing her studies Marie would return periodically for spiritual retreats at the school. (LM)

Marie knew when she left the Visitation boarding school that one of her roles would be to
educate her little sisters. Céline was the first in line to receive this benefit before she entered
school herself. The relationship between Céline and Thérèse was very close, they were great
companions, and what one wanted to do the other followed. Education was no exception and
Marie described in a letter about Thérèse’s eagerness to learn after seeing Céline being taught by
her: “The time will advance that I will have to take care of Céline, for it is I who am responsible
for educating. She is still too young and too delicate to go to school, and I assure you I am happy
and very proud of my mission. She knows how to read and write fairly. Now she learns a little
catechism and Bible history, it amuses me to show her a lot; it's a real distraction for me
when it is not bad. But too often, Thérèse by her presence disturbs our serious studies. She
enters, quietly, in my room to give pleasure to overthrow my ink or my feather, seized the books
that come to hand, and then runs away like a little thief. When she returns, it is to tease her sister
by repeating a small mocking voice every word that poor Céline learns with so much pain.
Finally, she is a pretty pixie, our baby. This comical little Thérèse is nice, malignant, and cute all
at once.” (LOM12)

Marie’s mother Azélie brought up the subject of marriage to her and it upset her greatly. Marie
remarked to her mother that: “She would never marry, and begged her mother not bring up the
subject of marriage again.” (M)

One of the most special events during the holidays was Christmas. Each year, their shoes would
be aligned against the fireplace where on Christmas day the girls would find special treats left for
them. On December 25, 1875, Marie watched Céline and Thérèse come down and search for
their presents hidden in their shoes. They saw many treats in the shoes but when Thérèse
spotted the doll all of the treats became secondary. As Marie described the ritual: “On Christmas
morning, still asleep, they came down in night gowns, not caring about anything but running like
two little crazies through the house looking for their little shoes. They finally ended up finding
them all lined up in front of the fireplace. There were at least half a dozen, slippers, boots,
rubbers, it was all full of bags of candy, small sugar cubes, and little Jesus cookies! But what
seemed the funniest was seeing the beautiful dolls out of these boots and patiently awaiting the
arrival of their mothers. This is also what was the funniest, was when Thérèse saw the famous
doll she threw everything aside to fly to it. Unfortunately, her feelings of happiness did not last
and after knowing her lovely daughter, she starts to move away. Two days later, annoyed to see
that her doll was not working fast enough, she broke the tips of both feet, one arm is already
removed and soon, I think it will be over for this poor doll. But I'm wrong, when it is completely
dead; it will be her burial, and really, the funeral of a doll, now that's funny. Thérèse has already
gone through more than one experience with having a funeral for her dolls.” (LOM13)

In the latter part of 1875, Thérèse showed an interest in learning
to Marie. So without any thought to Thérèse understanding what
Marie asked her to do in regards to learning the alphabet, Marie
choose random words for her to learn. The next day, Marie had
her read to her and to her amazement; Thérèse read each word
correctly without any mistakes. Marie said: “I think in six months,
she will read fluently, because she has an extremely precocious
intelligence.” (LOM14)

In the summer of 1876, Marie made a retreat to the Visitation
boarding school where she was once taught. She describes
in a letter to her aunt Céline her enthusiasm of the experience
she had during her retreat: “The solitary retreat that I want
to talk about is the Visitation. Oh! It is a charming retreat that
which I found made me so happy that I almost wanted to stay
there. The retreat was so enjoyable, I would gladly do one every                 Carmel de Lisieux
month if possible… I am really not one of those people who see
everything in black inside a convent; I see it all in pink. But do I not let you think I want to be a
religious, because it is not at all my intention. To be locked forever in a cloister it must be a little
sad, but to be locked for a few days it makes me totally happy. The good nuns took very good
care of us! They lent us their cells so that we could do a better retreat, because you have to be
alone for a good retreat. This is not what I liked best; sometimes I did not know what to do in
my cell. Always thinking of the good God, death and judgment, it's a bit serious. . . But I was
annoyed when I said goodbye to my loneliness and I walked the cloisters by reading the fine
sentences that are written on the walls of the monastery. And then I returned to my cell. My aunt
visited me quite often during short visits that were allowed. I was happy to see my good aunt, I
love her more than ever, as I have wept on leaving, it seemed to me that I never would see her
again, she is so unwell. Finally I hope that God will leave us some time and I'll see her next year
during my next retreat.” (LOM15) While on retreat, Marie met a Jesuit priest who gave them
instructions. She liked him very much, “he looks like a saint, and he is one of course, also I
really like the Jesuits since I know them there. All the former students have been seeking
direction; there are some who found it a bit harsh, I found it myself totally to my ideal.”(LOM15)

Our Lady played an important part in the Martin family home. They prayed to God for her to
intercede on His behalf countless times. They honored her religiously in their home. As Marie
describes in May 1877: “ For me I find it rather resembles a chapel (the room they set aside for
Mary). My month of Mary is so pretty that it competes with that of Notre Dame. This is quite a
business of arranging the month of Mary at home, mom is too difficult, more difficult than the
Blessed Virgin! She needs white thorns that rise to the ceiling, walls covered with greenery,
etc…” (LOM16)

Marie, her mom, Pauline and Léonie went on their last spiritual pilgrimage together to ask Our
Lady of Lourdes to cure their mother’s breast cancer. But it was not to be. Her mother’s breast
cancer was not cured and Marie made a promise to her mother before she died, that she would
rear her younger sisters. Her mother told her to: “Continue to devote yourself increasingly to
your sisters. Take care that in watching you, they have a good model to imitate.”(SF)

On July 28, 1877, Marie writes to her aunt Céline Guérin about the condition of her mother
Azélie. She starts in the letter wishing to give her good news about her mother’s condition but
sad to say she wasn’t able to. Her mother was only getting worse. Marie describes taking her
mother to church: “Since the beginning of the week, Mom was sicker. Sunday, she still wanted
to go to the first Mass, but it took courage and heroic efforts to get her to the church. Every step
she took a sharp pain resounded in her neck, sometimes she had to stop …When I saw her so
weak, I begged her to go home, but she wanted to go to the end, believing that this pain was
going to subside and it did not happen, rather, she had great difficulty in returning to church, as
she does not want to repeat such imprudence.” (LOM17) The suffering of her mother took an
undying toll on Marie, she herself suffered from sleep deprivation, she was afraid to leave her
mother’s side for one minute and she wasn’t able to have that alone time she so valued with her
mother. Marie describes the delicate care she took in taking care of her mother: “Yesterday our
poor mother spent a very sad night. Louise stayed up for two hours. I would have liked to do it
myself but I was denied. I have not slept better for it, the thought of seeing mom suffer so
deprived me of sleep. Finally, about three o'clock, I had my turn at the sad consolation of going
to treat her. Oh! If I could only spend the nights with her, it would be a great relief for me. I don’
t want to leave her for a moment, Oh! She does not tire of me, I am sure! I regret to see the
Sisters of Mercy come here. There must come a night for this and I'm not going to be alone with
my poor little mother. It's so sad to see her taken care of by strangers, I cannot stand it, and I
think it's cowardly and ungrateful. But yet they must and I know it is not ungrateful; it is not
enough at all. Despite the good will that I try to help Louise, she is worn out with fatigue at the
end of the day. But we must also say that this poor girl treats mom with great dedication and
patience, not to mention her strengths and that if she had behaved badly to Leonie she tries
thereby to forgive them.” (LOM17)

On August 9, 1877, Marie describes the pain her mother suffered from her illness: “Last night
she suffered as she said aloud: "Oh! My God, you see that my strength fails me to suffer, have
mercy on me! Since I must stay here in this bed of pain without being able to relieve myself, I
beg you do not abandon me! “Sometimes she cries, she looks at us all one after the other and
then she told us: "Ah! My poor children, I cannot go for a walk, I who wanted to make you so
happy! My Pauline, I, who wanted to give so much pleasure to you during the holidays. So I
must leave it there, or so it without me! My girls if I could go with you, say, that we would be
happy! (LOM18) Marie’s father took them all out for a walk, regrettably Marie and Pauline had
the worst time of it knowing that their mother was at home suffering especially with the thoughts
that their mother might die before they came back home. Marie wrestled with the impending
death of her mother and the difficulties of dealing with her sister Léonie, nothing was working in
her favor.   Marie describes to her aunt: “You told me, my dear aunt, to give you news about
Léonie when I write to you. I assure you it is very embarrassing for me. I would not always give
you the wrong and only give you the good? ... I do not know how to go about it with this poor
child. I kiss her, I told her I love her to win her heart, I promise her rewards if she wants to
correct her behavior, especially now that mom can no longer care for her, I would like so that
she listens to me! But no, she wants nothing to do with what I said. Often I remember crying
because I have two such big sorrows: Mom's illness and Léonie, my courage that escapes me
sometimes. . .Mom is sorry as I never saw so much that she cried all day Saturday due to
Léonie. She wondered anxiously what she believes will become of her …She said in a tone so
anxious that I will never forget: "Who will care for the poor child (Léonie) when I am gone, who
will provide her the devotion of a mother?. . . ‘I said: ‘O mother, what will I promise you!’But I
hope more for the protection of my sainted mother in my feeble efforts to complete from
heaven, to turn my poor little sister . . .” (LOM18)

Knowing well enough that her mother wasn’t going to live to see her two youngest daughters
Céline and Thérèse graduate from school, Marie and Pauline decided to put on a ‘mock
graduation ceremony’ for their mother’s benefit. A couple weeks prior to her death, a ceremony
was held where Céline and Thérèse received their rewards for their merits in their education.
Marie and Pauline were the teachers and Louis and Azélie were the presidents of the ‘boarding
school.’ Louis and Azélie distributed the awards to both of their daughters. The ceremony made
everyone forget for a short time the crosses each one of them was bearing. “Yes, the holidays
have begun, alas! Yet sad holidays because of our dear mother who is so sick.” (LOM18)

Marie updates her aunt Céline on the condition of her mother. On the 25th of August 1877, she
tells her aunt that her mom’s condition is much worse. Azélie is no longer able to sleep
comfortably and she is in so much pain that not even the medication she is given is relieving her
symptoms anymore. Marie describes what she witnessed: “For two days she is less excited, her
sufferings are less vivid, less acute than at the beginning of the week, Monday and Tuesday
because no one knew what was going to happen. Her sufferings were terrible, we could not
relieve her pain and no remedy has been able to calm her. Suffering from the sharp pain has
made her extremely weak. We do not hear her moaning anymore, she does not have the
strength, and she barely can be heard talking. It is only movement of her lips that we can
understand what she says. She was weak yesterday, but today is even worse. That night, she
had a hemorrhage, which further increased her weakness. Dad was up all night and was well-
tormented. Fortunately the bleeding did not last long; it seems it's so dangerous! She suffers
much less, it's true, but her weakness , It scares me, when she sleeps, she looks like she is no
longer alive, it made an extreme impression upon me.” (LOM19)

Marie’s father Louis told Marie on the 26th of August to send a message to her aunt and uncle
and have them come as soon as possible before she died. Azélie’s legs have swollen as well as
her arms.

Marie was seventeen when her mother Azélie died on August 28, 1877. As Azélie’s body was
viewed by family and friends, Marie felt drawn to be near her mother several times and said: “I
never got tired of looking at her, she seemed to be but twenty years old. I thought that she was
beautiful. I felt a supernatural impression as I stood beside her. It struck me, which was quite
true, that she was not dead, but more alive than ever.” (SR) Marie's mother burial was on
August 29, 1877.

Marie was excited about her father making the final decision about moving to Lisieux, honoring
a plea from his wife, to live closer to her relatives Isidore and Céline Guérin. Marie felt that it
wasn’t without God’s intervention that Louis decided to make the move. Marie describes her
father’s demeanor: “Dad is completely resolved; it is of course the good God who has inspired,
because nothing can shake his resolution. For us, especially to me, he said he would make every
possible sacrifice, he would sacrifice his own happiness, his life if necessary to make us happy,
he will stop at nothing, and he does not hesitate in a moment. He believes it is his duty to all and
well and that sufficed. I am really touched by such devotion. (LOM21)

The family moved from Alençon to Lisieux in November 1877 to be closer to their mother’s
relatives. The family named the new house “Les Buissonnets” meaning “The Woods”. As Marie
was making the transition from Alençon to Lisieux she described her new situation thus: “We are
finally settled in Lisieux in a home charmingly situated with a large garden wherein her younger
sisters can play their games” (CW) The whole family continued to participate in acts of charity
to the needy when they moved to Lisieux. Beggars would come to their house and ask for food,
clothing and money and the family continually offered their services to the poor. Not only did
people come to their house but the family also to those who were unable to leave their houses.
Marie reflected on these acts of charity: “How I desire to save souls! But for this, one must be
holy, for only the saints have power over His Heart.”

As Marie promised her mother, she took over the duties as mistress of the household and helped
her aunt with their store’s accounts while the younger sisters were attending school. While Louis
was wrapping up the lace-making business, Marie would accompany her father on many trips to
Paris. Outside of visiting shrines like the Cathedral of Notre Dame, they would find time to visit
other tourist monuments as well. In a letter to her aunt Céline in the summer of 1878, she states:
“Must tell you my impressions of Paris? You know them already. In the presence of so many
wonders, I remain dazed, dazzled, amazed, it feels like the time to be happy if there were fairies
yet. . . But also what noise, what whirlwind, what a chaos that this great Paris has, it's good to
spend some time there but I always seem to remain tired.” (LOM22) Marie and her family would
make several pilgrimages to holy sites in France throughout their childhood.

Marie supervised her sisters’ upbringing and set a good example for her sisters to follow, “she
took constant and tender care of her youngest sister.” (LM)   Marie made an offering to God that
her younger sisters would serve only Him. She taught them how to listen to his teachings, and
how to allow oneself to be spiritually open to His will which he has placed before his children.
(SS) Her youngest sister remarked: “Marie was so eloquent that her noble and generous spirit
seemed to pass into mine…. I loved her so deeply that I could not bear to be deprived of her
gentle companionship.” (M) Marie’s youngest sister looking back in retrospect said: “I felt that
both you (Pauline) and Marie were the most tender and self-sacrificing of mothers.” (SS)   Marie
would rely constantly on her holy mother’s intercession from heaven in helping her rear her
sisters as she wrote to her father: “I am hoping more from the protection of my holy mother than
from my own poor efforts, to complete from on high the transformation of my poor sisters.”
(GV) She would use examples of everyday life to illustrate to her younger sisters the virtues of
living a Christ-like life. For example, Marie would say: “Look at the shopkeepers, how much
trouble they give themselves to make money, whereas we can amass treasures for Heaven at
every instant without giving ourselves so much trouble; all we have to do is gather diamonds with
a RAKE.” (CL) Marie would also sit her younger sisters Céline and Thérèse on her knee and
read to them spiritual books and instructions, making an effort to embed in their souls the
comfort of living in God’s love. (CW) Marie continued to show her younger sisters how one
could achieve sanctity by being faithful in the smallest matters. Marie’s youngest sister described
Marie and her teachings: “It seems to me all her great and generous spirit…passed into mine. As
the warriors of old taught their children the art of fighting, so she taught me about the combats
of life, rousing my enthusiasm and pointing out to me the glorious palm. Marie also spoke of the
immortal riches that we could so easily amass each day, about the misfortune of trampling them
beneath our feet when we have only, as it were, to stoop to gather them. I regretted being the
only one to hear her profound teachings; I was convinced even the greatest sinners would have
been converted by listening to her, and that leaving their perishable riches, they would have
sought only those of heaven.” (M) She taught her younger sisters the “self-mastery and the
supernatural spirit of sacrifice. Attractive comparisons clothed the austerity of the divine
requirements and led to these being welcomed without causing fright.” (MF) Marie also
used stories to interest her younger sisters in saving souls. (SF) Marie had a “mother’s heart”
and it was felt by all of her younger sisters. (SR) She would explain to them that the way of
becoming holy is by fidelity in little things. (SR) Marie received a premonition that God would
always carry her youngest sister like a baby rather than make her tread the path of suffering.
(SS)

Marie’s sister Pauline frequently took trips to Le Mans to the Visitation monastery where she
once attended school there. She spoke to the Superior about entering the convent while she was
there. In a letter Marie wrote dated on the 1st of December 1880, Marie was expecting Pauline
to tell her how it went with the Superior. But she had to wait until Pauline came back home to
Lisieux. It was somewhat of a secret between Marie and Pauline as they did not want to alarm
any of the family members of her impending desires to enter the Visitation monastery. As Marie
describes: “On seeing your letter this morning I figured that you would have written me when
you got back from Le Mans so I expected also to find news about this trip that you desired
(entering the monastery), but that's for later, you can tell me all about this when you come back.
I look forward ... How many things you have to say: We will still have time in the evening to talk
and that's what upsets me because it gives you a headache. (LOM23)

In July 1881, Marie’s father returns home with a little present for Thérèse. Marie writes to her
sister Pauline and tells her what he got her. A magpie! Louis got the bird from Eugène Taillé and
bought a squirrel cage for it which resembled more like a doll house. She told Pauline that
Thérèse watches over it like a mother watches over a child in the cradle. She gazes at the bird
for hours.

After Pauline, the second oldest of the Martin children, entered the Carmelite Monastery in
Lisieux on October of 1882, Marie took full control of her younger sisters education, not only
on spiritual matters but on basic school education as well. She would unite herself with her
younger sisters and pray with them before they went to bed. She had a generous and loving heart
towards them.

Written by: R. Hann
Revised by: Sr. Michael Marie, O.C.D.
Revised by: Sr. Mary Jeanne, O.C.D.

Bibliography

Abbé Combes, ed. Collected Letters Of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux . (CL)
New York: Sheed & Ward, 1949.
Baudouin-Croix, Marie. Léonie Martin : A Difficult Life. (LM)
Dublin : Veritas Publications, 1993.
Beevers, John, trans. The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Story of a Soul. (SS)
New York: Doubleday, 1957.
Clarke, John, trans. St.Thérèse of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations. (LC)
Washington, D.C.: ICS Publications, 1977.
Dolan, Albert H. Rev.. Collected Little Flower Works. Chicago: Carmelite Press, 1929.
---. The Little Flower’s Mother. Chicago: Carmelite Press, 1929. (CW)
---. God Made The Violet Too: Life of Léonie, Sister of St. Thérèse. (GV)
Chicago: Carmelite Press, 1948.
Martin, Celine. My Sister St.Thérèse Trans: The Carmelite Sisters of New York. (MST)
Rockford, Ill.: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc., 1959.
Mother Agnes of Jesus. Marie, Sister of St. Thérèse. Ed. Rev. Albert H. Dolan, O.Carm.
Chicago: Carmelite Press, 1943. (M)
Piat, Stéphanie Fr. The Story Of A Family: The Home of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. (SF)
Trans: Benedictine of Stanbrook Abbey. Rockford, Ill.: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc., 1948.
---. CÉLINE: Sister Geneviève of the Holy Face. Trans: The Carmelite Sisters of the Eucharist of Colchester, Conn. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1997. (C)
Redmond, Paulinus Rev. Louis and Zélie Martin: The Seed and the Root of the Little Flower   London: Quiller Press Limited, 1995. (SR)
Sr Marie of the Sacred Heart correspondence, www.archives-carmel-lisieux.fr (LOM)

February 22, 1860-January 19, 1940