Leonie Martin: A Difficult Life

By Marie Baudouin-Croix

Book Overview

A sister of Saint Th?r?se of Lisieux, L?onie Martin (1863-1941) was one of the five daughters of Z?lie and Louis Martin, who were canonized by Pope Francis. She was the least gifted of the five Martin sisters, an emotionally disturbed child who suffered much and caused much anguish in her family.

Marie Baudouin-Croix has carefully researched L?onie's life, including her mother's voluminous correspondence about her family life. In letters to her daughters, sister, brother, and sister-in-law, Z?lie confided the challenges she faced in raising L'onie. Yet L?onie was the first one in the Martin family to understand and to follow Th?r?se's Little Way.

After three valiant but unsuccessful attempts to enter consecrated religious life, L?onie was finally accepted by the Visitation Order in Caen. As a Visitation nun she succeeded in conquering a difficult temperament and other personal challenges, so that by the time of her death at seventy-eight years old she was regarded by many as a saint. Her convent at Caen has been inundated with letters testifying to her posthumous intercessory aid.

How did this troubled child turn into the nun remembered by many as so kind, serene, and happy that they could not believe she had such a difficult childhood? She discovered God within herself, in her weakness and suffering, and she became a great disciple of Th?r?se's "way of confidence and love". L?onie practiced the Little Way so deeply that in 2015 the cause for her sainthood was officially opened by the Church.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1621641708
• ISBN13: 9781621641704
• Release Date: September 2017
• Publisher: Ignatius Press
• Length: 168 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

One of my favourite books

I highly recommend this book to all Catholic mothers. We often hear that Leonie Martin was the 'difficult' child and we tend to scoff in disbelief...after all, this is an extraordinary, saintly family! But the truth is Leonie was difficult by our standards of 'difficult' today! What touches me so deeply with this book is how a mother can stop at nothing for the spiritual and emotional needs of a child she loves. She encompasses all her family members including her sister and brother in this mission of love. And love wins. Zelie Martin is an wonderful example to Catholic mothers today, it is definately a must read, five star book.

The "fifth" Martin

Leonie Martin brought much despair to her mother. Leonie was emotionally disturbed and had a "rough" temperment. She caused much anguish in the family. After being diagnosed with breast cancer Leonie's mother worried as to what would become of Leonie after her death. Leonie fought valiantly against her stubborn nature and after three tries succeeded in the Visitation convent. Perhaps in the after life we shall find she was the "greater" saint for having to struggle so hard to conquer herself.

An interesting person

Sometimes you hear of a family where all the children are loved and well cared for, and then one other is a sort of persona non grata. I don't think that was exactly the case here -- everyone seems to have loved Leonie -- but there is a definite feeling that she was considered, and must have felt, inferior to her siblings. Her four sisters all became Carmelite nuns in Lisieux, and one (Therese, of course) has been canonized and declared a doctor of the Church. Poor Leonie found her way in a different order as a nun of the Visitation after 3 tries. It appears, however, that she followed St. Therese's "Little Way" more exactly than the others, and may indeed finally be the second saint in the family (unless her parents - also being considered - are canonized first). I would like to read more about her, but perhaps there just isn't any other information. Has anyone collected her letters? It would be interesting to see how she grew spiritually by reading all of her correspondence, not just selections. At any rate, this is a nice book and I recommend it to anyone who desires to follow the little way.