I was just reading about the parents of St. Terese of Lisieux, since today October 1, is her feast day. They were extraordinary people. First her father, Louis Martin, wanted to become a priest, but was refused since he didn't know Latin. Her future mother wanted to join a convent but was likewise rejected. This was back in a time when people could be rejected because there were tons of vocations to the religious life.
So her mother, Marie-Azélie Guérin, known as Zélie, became a lace-maker, something she excelled at and opened her own business at the age of 22.
Louis and Zélie met in 1858 and married in July of that same year. At this is the amazing thing. At first, they decided to live celibately in order to devote themselves to God. However, after speaking with a priest, he discouraged them from doing this. Did they at this point end up having one or two children. Nope! They had 8. Unfortunately 3 of the children died early, but 5 daughters survived.
Here's the next amazing part: All 5 daughters became nuns! You can just imagine the level of piety and holiness in that family.
Sadly, Terese, the youngest, died at the age of just 24 years old of tuberculosis on September 30, 1897. She was canonized just 27 years later on May 17, 1925 by Pope Pius XI. Her parents were canonized as well, an extremely rare occurrence, some 90 years later, on October 18, 2015.
Clearly this family wanted to do everything possible to glorify God. What an amazing story.
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