Icon by Paul Orlando for the Parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel in Trieste, Italy. Displayed on "Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway" with permission of Fr. Antonio Sangalli, O.C.D.

On Saturday, October 18, at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (8:30 p.m. in France), the diocese of Sees will broadcast live online the program "Toward Canonization," which is being held in the Basilica of Notre-Dame at Alencon, where Louis and Zelie were married and Therese was baptized. Watch it on the WebTV channel of the diocese of Sees..

The program is to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the beatification of Louis and Zelie Martin.

• Bishop Hacques Habert, bishop of Seez, will introduce it.
  
• Mgr Bernard Lagoutte, former rector of the basilica of St. Therese at Lisieux, will review the progress of the cause of the canonization of Zelie and Louis.
  
•  Walter and Adele Schiliro, the parents of the child Pietro whose healing at the intercession of Louis and Zelie Martin was accepted as the miracle for their beatification, and Dr. Paterlini, a medical expert on Pietro's case, give their testimony. Find out all that you've always wanted to know about what a canonization is, what a miracle is, but have never had the occasion to ask.
  

The program is in French, but I believe it will excite persons of all languages. Please watch it at http://www.orne.catholique.fr/En-DIRECT-VIDEO-du-diocese.html 

I remember so vividly, five years ago this evening, being present at that very basilica in Alencon at the Pontifical Mass on the vigil of the Mass for the beatification of Louis and Zelie Martin at Lisieux. 

If you missed the live broadcast, please watch the video:

• See stories in English about the healing of Pietro

• Revisit the beatification of Louis and Zelie Martin


• Read about the miracle which is being examined by the Vatican for the canonizaton of Zelie and Louis Martin
  

Please read this story of a healing in Kansas City after prayers before the writing-desk of St. Therese of Lisieux, written by Leslie Knop, Executive Director for the Office of Stewardship and Development of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, as a guest post for EVANGELIZED KANSAS..  Leslie--well, I won't spoil her story.

St. Teresa of Avila

Since St. Therese was named for St. Teresa of Avila (Therese being merely the French form of the name "Teresa"), during her lifetime Therese celebrated her feast on October 15, the feast of St. Teresa.  In honor of the feast I recommend the article "Therese of Lisieux and the Discalced Carmelite Tradition," by Sister Margaret Dorgan, D.C.M., in which Therese's relationship with Teresa of Avila and with John of the Cross is explored.  This article appeared in the Summer 1997 issue of The Way Supplement , (pp 28-37). Copyright The Way, Heythrop College, Kensington Square, London, W8 5HQ, England.  I thank the editors of The Way, a British journal of contemporary spirituality, for granting me permission to allow you to read it.

Please read Michael Pettinger's thoughts about St. Therese of Lisieux and the shutdown of the U.S. government.  Huffington Post, October 9, 2013.  He muses that the government shut down on the feast of St. Therese and considers the shutdown in the light of her prayers for the assassin Henri Pranzini.  What do you think?

The Carmelite nuns of Valencia, who suggested that Carmen's parents, family and friends join them in praying a novena to Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin for the child's cure, greet Mgr Carlos Osoro Serra, Archbishop of Valencia, at the closing of the diocesan inquiry into the "presumed miracle" on May 21, 2013. Photo credit: elperiodic.com

 I am happy to announce that Carmelite Review has published my short article about the closing of the diocesan process in Valencia, Spain in May 2013 that examined the healing of the little Carmen, a "presumed miracle" attributed to the intercession of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin.  Carmen was born on October 15, 2008, so she will celebrate her fifth birthday next Tuesday.  To my knowledge, Carmelite Review is the first print publication to feature a story in English about Carmen's cure.  Please read
"Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin: The Parents of St. Therese of Lisieux A Step Closer to Sainthood."