Story
Of A Life
Childhood in Alencon (1873-1877)
Of farming and army stock, the Martin family had
solid roots in Normandy and Mayenne. Brought up
in a series of military camps, Louis Martin (18231894)
thought seriously of entering a monastery. But this
was not to be, and he turned to clock- and watchmaking
instead. Zélie Guérin (1831-1877)
was also unsuccessful in her attempt to enter the
religious order of the sisters of the Hótel-Dieu.
She learned the Alencon lace-making technique and
soon mastered this painstaking craft. They married
in 1858 and had nine children. Four, including two
boys, died in infancy.
Thérèse,
the youngest, was born on 2 January 1873. She was
put out to nurse for a year and became a lively,
mischievous and self-confident child; she thrived
on the love which surrounded her in this Christian
household, where prayer, the liturgy and practical
good works formed the basis of her own ardent love
of Jesus - her desire to please him and the Virgin
Mary. But disaster struck suddenly, when her mother
died of breast cancer in the summer of 1877.
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