At the request of the Carmelite nuns of New Caney, Texas, an astronaut carried the relic of St. Therese into outer space this year, where it orbited the earth for 14 days.

Here is a three-minute film by Hubert Moritz of the opening celebrations of the beatification of Louis and Zelie Martin at Alencon on October 18, 2008.  Click on the third link.  The fim shows the new statue of Louis and Zelie and an interview in French with sculptor Fabienne Bayi; the rarely-seen interior of the church of St. Pierre de Montsort, where the family worshipped from 1858 to 1871 and where all the children except Therese were baptized; photos of the Pontifical Mass at Notre-Dame Church, where Louis and Zelie married and Therese was baptized; and highlights of the "spectacle" (scenes from the life of the Martin family based on Zelie's letters) produced by the young people of the diocese of Seez.

"Louis and Zelie Martin: Parents for the Modern World" is a series of three lectures in November 2008 sponsored by the student friars of St. John of the Cross Monastery (the Discalced Carmelites) and the OCDS (secular Carmelites) of Manila.  To see the details in their beautiful souvenir program, which reproduces several articles from thereseoflisieux.org, please scroll to the bottom of the page.