Martin Sisters - St. Therese of the Child Jesus

"I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven,
doing good on earth." --Saint Therese of the Child Jesus

Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin was born in Alençon, France at Rue du Pont-Neuf on
January 2, 1873. Françoise-Thérèse was the nineth-born child of nine children of Louis
and Azelie Martin. Her parents named their children Marie in honor of Our Lady.
Sadly, four of the Martin children died at infancy. Françoise-Thérèse was baptized at
the Church of Notre-Dameon January 4, 1873. Her father nicknamed her his beloved “Queen”.

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 past 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.

***Complete Biography in December 2010***