The new Web site "Leonie Martin, Soeur Francoise-Therese" sponsored by the Monastery of the Visitation at Caen. June 17, 2016
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the servant of god, leonie martin
The Web site "Leonie Martin, Soeur Francoise-Therese," sponsored by the Monastery of the Visitation at Caen, has been opened just in time for the 75th anniversary (June 17, 2016) of Leonie's death. Visit it at http://www.leonie-martin.fr/
For the moment, the site is only in French, but I hope it will appear in English soon. Even if you do not read French, you can enjoy much of the site, which contains previously unpublished photos. The site is simple and short, so you can view it all quickly.
Please visit:
- a welcome page,
- Leonie's life as a child and laywoman, with a previously unpublished photo of the chapel of the Visitation at Caen in Leonie's time;
- Leonie's religious life, with three beautiful color photos of her cell. I believe these are the first photos of Leonie's cell ever published.
- a timeline;
- the story of the process for Leonie's beatification;
- a short history of the Monastery of the Visitation at Caen
- a short story about the monastery today;
- a few paragraphs about the Visitation Order;
- An appeal for help in restoring the chapel (and you can read the appeal in English and donate in English here)
- news stories (for example, about the restoration and cleaning of the chapel and of some new publications in French about Leonie)
- Directions to the monastery (but note that, while the chapel is being restored, both the chapel and the crypt are closed to the public)
Since July 16, 2013, when "Leonie Martin: Disciple and Sister of St. Therese of Lisieux" opened, until now, I believe it was the only Web site in the world dedicated exclusively to the life and spirituality of Leonie Martin. I am delighted that the Visitation nuns, who have supported this site so generously, now have been able to open their own site, which will be a beacon for the lovers of Leonie everywhere. I congratulate and thank the Visitation nuns of Caen for giving us this beautiful gift for the 75th anniversary of the death of their sister's entering into life. May she bless them.
The Monastery of the Visitation is not a shrine or a pilgrimage office; it's simply a small group of nuns responsible for the old building in which Leonie lived and where people come to visit her tomb. The nuns have no staff and no funding for the work Leonie's cause makes necessary. If the Holy Spirit moves you to do so, please make a gift to the restoration fund in honor of the anniversary. Thank you.