Rooted In Love Louis And Zelie Martin

When Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin were canonized in 2015, they were the first spouses to be declared saints as a couple. Their lives are proof that God works through ordinary families to draw his future saints—like St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Louis and Zélie’s youngest daughter—toward holiness. Even before their first encounter in the small town of Alençon, France, God was preparing Louis and Zélie for marriage. Later, he continued to sustain them powerfully in their married love and family life. Rooted in Love: Louis and Zélie Martin: Models of Married Love, Family Life, and Everyday Holiness explores the stages of Louis and Zélie’s marriage, from the joys of parenthood, through the sorrows of bereavement, and ultimately to the challenges of single parenthood—experiences which many families face today. Author Annette Goulden demonstrates how, amid both the joys and the sorrows of family life, these saints grew in their understanding of God’s love for them. From the initial urge to earn God’s favor with sacrifices and sufferings to a deeper understanding of God’s unconditional love even in the minutiae of daily life, God was their guide on the path to holiness, a path that is open to all married couples. This book is for both families and individuals—to offer them light and guidance to live their ordinary everyday life in closeness with God. No matter one’s vocation in life, Louis and Zélie exemplify how everyday experiences, such as being a working parent, running a business, or raising a difficult child, can be sacramental if one is open to a trusting relationship with God, even when he seems to be absent. Whatever the situation a married couple find themselves in, this saintly couple shows how daily actions and choices—however small and ordinary—are highly valued by God and can lead to holiness, to a close relationship with him, and to forming children who are strong in faith, maturity, and joy.

Saint Therese was a Carmelite nun who died in 1897, aged 24. She was beatified, and her writings and thoughts are known to all Catholics throughout the world; she is the patron saint of missions. This is the story of her parents, Louis and Zelie Martin, told in a series of letters.

Dorothy Day’s unpretentious account of the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux sheds light on the depth of Day’s Catholic spirituality and illustrates why Thérèse’s simplicity and humility are so vital for today. Whether you are called to the active life like Day or a more hidden existence like Thérèse, you will discover that these paths have much in common and can lead you to a love that has the power to transform you in ways that are unexpected and consequential. Now back in print, this short biography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux by Dorothy Day expresses the surprising yet profound connection between Day—the founder of the Catholic Worker movement who was praised by Pope Francis for her passion for justice and dedication to her faith—and the beloved saint best known for her Little Way. When Day first read St. Thérèse’s autobiography, The Story of a Soul in 1928, she called it “pious pap.” At the time, Day—a social activist who had been living a bohemian lifestyle—had only recently been baptized a Catholic. Some twenty-five years later, Day’s perspective on Thérèse had so completely changed that she was inspired to write this biography. She did not find it an easy task: “Every time I sit down to write that book on the Little Flower I am blocked. . . . I am faced with the humiliating fact that I can write only about myself, a damning fact.” But she persisted, and despite numerous rejections eventually found a publisher for it in 1960. She wrote in the Preface: “In these days of fear and trembling of what man has wrought on earth in destructiveness and hate, Thérèse is the saint we need.” Written originally for nonbelievers or those unaware of Thérèse, the book reflects how Day came to appreciate Thérèse’s Little Way, not as an abstract concept, but as a spirituality that she had already been living. The Catholic Worker, which she cofounded with Peter Maurin, was dedicated to feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless. Day’s life, like Thérèse’s, was filled with all the humble, self-effacing jobs that were a part of this work. She found in Thérèse a kindred spirit, one who saw these simple hidden tasks as the way to heaven. “We want to grow in love but do not know how. Love is a science, a knowledge, and we lack it,” Day wrote. Just as Day had a conversion of heart about the Little Way, you, too, can be changed by Thérèse’s simple, yet profound spirituality.

The father and mother of a great saint.

Thérèse of Lisieux has been called the greatest saint of modern times, but some view her spirituality as sentimental and syrupy. Joseph F. Schmidt, FSC, dispels that notion by contending that Thérèse’s “little way” is really the gospel message—a message that can best be understood in the context of her life. Schmidt does a masterful job of weaving together biographical details with Thérèse’s profound insights on God’s love and mercy. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants an introduction to Thérèse’s spirituality as well as for those who desire a deeper appreciation of her “little way”—a way that continues to speak to Catholics today. Includes photographs of Thérèse as a young girl and throughout her life.

Enough! For far too long, Lancashire has languished under the grimy pall of smoke and muck and mills and mines, enveloped in outdated condescensions, smothered by the easy dismissals that put down the north of England as just 'up there' and 'grim'. Thank you very much George Orwell, Monty Python and every London cabbie. But Lancashire is not up there. Lancs is actually situated in the centre of the British Isles. And far from being grim, it is a place of wit and wonder, romance and surprise, a land of exotic influence whose people have always looked outward to sophistications and influences beyond frontiers and seas. Indeed, French writer Honoré de Balzac recognised these affinities and yearnings in the Lancashire people when he had one of his characters declare that 'Lancashire is the county where women die of love.' Mock if you like, but then think about it: where is the magnificent thoroughfare that inspired the boulevards of Paris? Where did they go to film Brief Encounter, the most romantic British film ever made? Where did the young Shakespeare dream of and draw on for his inspired imaginings? Join Charles Nevin, Fleet Street journalist and humorist, as he returns to his roots and reveals all this and more. Discover the true Camelot and the beauty that is rugby league. See where Lancastrians go to die, but first visit Lost Lancashire and its great twin cities, Manchester and Liverpool. Mull over why Britain's greatest comics, from Laurel to Coogan, Formby to Vegas, Dodd to Kay, Fields to Wood, Morecambe and Dawson, have all come from Lancs. Mere coincidence? Give over, and read on . . .

An inspirational little book that is a collection of homilies, addresses, and audiences given by Pope Francis in the days following his election on March 13 up until Easter Monday, April 1, 2013.

St. Therese famously said, "God gave me a Father and Mother more worthy of Heaven than of Earth." In October, 2015, Louis and Zelie Martin will be the first married couple to be canonized together. When they met, fell in love, and married in 1858, their lives seemed pretty ordinary. They worked hard-Louis was a watchmaker, Zelie established her own business making Pont d'Alencon lace-and went on to have nine children. Five survived, all of whom became nuns and one of whom is now known as St. Therese of Lisieux, perhaps the most popular saint in recent history. Through stories, chatty domestic insights from Zelie's correspondence, and running commentary on their faith and family, The Extraordinary Parents of St. Therese of Lisieux shows in vivid detail how Louis and Zelie created a joyful Catholic home for their family while coping with the demands of business and the daily stresses of ordinary life with their lively children.

A biography of the Jewish philosopher and convert to Catholicism who was put to death at Auschwitz during World War II and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1998.