The Story of a Family, The Home of St. Therese of Lisieux

Meet the family where the Little Flower took root. 

In her Story of a Soul, St. Therese relates how influential her family life was in forming her spiritual life.

Now, the canonization of her parents Louis and Zelie and the cause for the beatification of her sister Léonie speak volumes for the robust sanctity of the Martin family.

The Martins took no smooth path to sanctity. They endured the loss of four children, financial troubles, and the cancer that caused Zelie’s death. The key to their success was simply this: love. With love, they endured both great sorrows and the countless little troubles of everyday life.

This is the story of a husband, wife, and five daughters who formed a close-knit, thoroughly Catholic family.  Their lives set an example for anyone who seeks to raise a family in love, and to live the Faith in daily life. 

About the author

The Rev. Father Stephane-Joseph Piat, O.F.M., was a priest and author of the twentieth century. His The Story of a Family: The Home of St. Thérèse of Lisieux details the struggles and triumphs of the Martin family, including the lives of Louis and Zelie Martin, as well as the other relatives and siblings of St. Thérèse. The work was originally published in the mid-nineteen-forties by P.J. Kennedy and Sons, New York. Father Piat's book was also printed in 1994 by TAN Books, having received the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur.