Father of the Little Flower: Louis Martin (1823-1894)

Description

Louis Martin was the pattern of Fatherhood on which St. Therese built her now famous "Little Way of Spiritual Childhood". Louis was declared Venerable by the Church in 1994 and Cannonized in 2015, along with his wife, Zelie, because of his "heroic virtue." What kind of a father was he? These reminiscences byhis daugther, Celine, describe Louis Martin's marriage at age 34, his love and support for Zelie, his firm discipline yet tender affection for his children, his piety, observance of Sunday, business practices, selfless conduct, and generosity to the poor. Celine gives particular attention to the sufferings of her father's old age, foreseen in a vision by Therese, which included a period of time spent in a mental institution. She describes his beautiful death, as well as a sign received by Therese indicating that their father's soul had gone straight to Heaven. Letters written by Louis gives additional insights into his character.

ref:11.11:

Some time afterwards my father opened a watch and jewelry shop in the Monsort district, at 23 Pont-Neuf Street; his parents went to live with him. Besides, he purchased outside the town a small property called the Pavilion, with a hexagonal tower at the corner of a garden, where he used to retire to read quietly and to pray, having kept his taste for the life of the cloister. He himself had inscribed on the inside walls sentences such as: “God sees me ,” “Eternity is drawing near. ” The austerity of the place so frightened a worldly lady that she ran away in fear, as our eldest sister, Marie, used to tell us with amusement.

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