Living Without School: Leonie

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Leonie

Leonie. The sister of St Therese of the Child Jesus.

An internet friend sent me a copy of the book God Made the Violet Too, a life of Leonie. Thank you, you know who who are! Very generous!

Ever since reading The Story of a Family, when pregnant with youngest son Anthony, I have been interested in Leonie.

The Story of a Family tells of the Martin family, parents of St Therese. Zelie and Louis Martin will be canonized in October.

Leonie was a difficult child, and struggled with religious life as an adult, entering and leaving and re-entering the convent several times..

I have been called a difficult child ( even a wild child, as an adult!) so I definitely have a soft spot for my namesake.

Leonie's mother, Zelie Martin, wrote of child raising and of raising a child that seems more wayward than others. She wrote ~ Brutality never reformed anyone; it only makes slaves.

Wow. I agree. The importance of love and of free will and of guidance, not of physical punishment.

I can see I am going to enjoy this book - I've read about one quarter of it so far...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Dear Leonie,

I am so glad that you are reading another book about Leonie Martin. Please visit my Web site about St. Therese at http://thereseoflisieux.org It has films and articles about St. Therese and about her parents and their beatification, and it links to a "spiritual newsletter" about Leonie and to several sites with information about her.

I see that Rumer Godden is your favorite author; she is a top favorite of mine too!; 11:07 am
molly said...: I love reading Zelie Martins attitude about helping Leonie, as only a mother can. I need to read this book, as youknow I have a soft spot for the Marin family.

PS Rumer Godden is my all time favorite author as well.; 12:37 pm

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Prayer of Consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to thee. I, N___, a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: "She will crush your head," and, "Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world."

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed Kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise thee O Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.

Prayer of St Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.