The Canonization of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin: A happy end for the family

The Canonization of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin by Pope Francis has now send the right message to pro Cardinal Kasper comedians who wanted to destroy the family and the teachings of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and we hope the this current synod will put this issue to rest. It is common knowledge that the Holy Roman Catholic Church did not create marriage.

Marriage existed before Christ!! Correspondingly, protecting marriage as an important institution is not the job of Roman Catholics alone. It is the responsibility of every religious community all over the world. Jesus Christ demonstrated the vitality of marriage in a very symbolic way. Of the 33 years that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords spent on planet earth, 30 of those years were in a family unit of a foster father and mother-Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Immediately after the Canonization of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the Holy Father Pope Francis gave the world this prayer: 

"God of eternal love, You give us Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese, as an example of holiness in marriage. They remained faithful to You and Your commandments in all the duties and trials of life. They desired to raise their children to become saints. May their prayers and example help Christian family life to blossom in our world today. If it be your will, grant us the grace we now ask of You, through the intercession of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin and let them be counted among the Saints in your Church. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Principal Events in the
Lives of Blessed Zelie and Louis Martin

1823 August 22: Louis born in Bordeaux France.
1831 December 23: Marie Azelia Guerin born near Alencon France.
1850 November: Louis set up his watchmaker/jeweller shop in Alencon.
1853 Zelie set up as maker of Point d’Alencon lace in that town.
1858 July 13: Louis and Zelie married.
1859 September 9: Death of Zelie’s mother.
1860 February 22: Birth of Marie: first child of Louis and Zelie.
1861 September7: Birth of Pauline: second child.
1863 June 3: Birth of Leonie: third child.
1864 October 13: Birth of Helene: fourth child. Signs of Zelie’s future illness appear.
1865 Death of father of Louis.
1866 September 20: Birth of Joseph Louis: fifth child and first son.
1866 December Zelie’s ageing father came to live in the Martin household.
1867 February 14: Death of baby Joseph Louis.
1867 December 19: Birth of Jean Baptiste: sixth child.
1868 August 24: Death of baby Jean Baptiste.
1868 September 3: Death of Zelie’s father.
1869 April 28: Birth of Celine: seventh child.
1870 February 22: Death of Helene at five and a half years of age.
1870 August 18: Birth of Marie Melanie Therese: eighth child.
1870 October 10: Death of baby Marie Melanie Therese.
1871 Death of Zelie’s nephew Paul Guerin. Louis and Zelie billet nine German soldiers.
1873 January 2: Birth of Marie Francoise Therese: ninth child - future Saint Therese.
1877 February 24: Death of Sr Marie Dosithee sister and confidante of Zelie.
1877 August 28: Death of Zelie Martin from breast cancer.
1894 July 29: Death of Louis Martin after several years of suffering from an illness in the Bon Saveur psychiatric hospital in Caen. He returned home to die.

2008 October 19: Beatification of Louis and Zelie Martin.