How often do children say that of their parents, especially in looking back at the prayers and sacrifices offered on their behalf by two people who have a special interest in every joy and sorrow of their child’s life? I suspect that most people, at one time or another in their lives, are absolutely amazed at the degree of commitment and self-sacrifice showered on them by their parents.

Take this one step further. There must be many a doting mother or father who has declared, “My daughter (son) is a saint!” Sadly, most of us would beg to differ and, whilst being grateful for such approval, are only too aware of the ‘not quite saintly’ moments of our lives.

There are, however, some families where there is literally sanctity and of such a degree that it is recognised by the Church. Think for a moment of St Monica and St Augustine, who might have occasionally driven each other to tears, but who also ensured each other’s holiness.

...and what about Lucia dos Santos and brother and sister Francisco and Jacinta Martos, cousins who encountered Our Lady several times in their village home in Fatima at the ages of 10, 8 and 7 respectively? One writer remarked:

‘Fatima should be regarded as the most important Marian apparition of the twentieth century, if not the most important event in its own right, particularly because of the tremendous "miracle of the sun" which was seen by a crowd of at least 70,000.’

All very well, but what was the effect on the children’s parents? Would we have heard anything of Fatima had there not been background love and support in a family situation that nobody could possibly have anticipated? Without their families, how would three young children have handled the appearances of a unique mother, the Mother of God?

On October 19 this year, World Mission Sunday, another family event will take place in Lisieux, when Zélie and Louis Martin will be beatified in the cathedral named after their daughter, Therese. Their beatification was approved when a miracle took place after a baby’s parents were encouraged to pray to the Martins, asking for their help. As Bishop Guy Gaucher, Auxiliary Bishop of Bayeux and Lisieux , wrote,

‘Pietro Schillero, from Monza ,in the Archdiocese of Milan, was born on the 25th May 2002, with lungs in such a terrible condition that, medically speaking, he could not possibly survive. Put under respiratory assistance, nobody thought that one day he would be able to breathe normally. Father Sangalli, a Carmelite Father, suggested to Pietro’s parents that they make a novena to the Martin parents. The parish did likewise. On the 29th June, his Feast Day, Pietro was much better and left the clinic on the 26th July in perfect health.

This cure, humanly inexplicable, was recorded by numerous witnesses, seven of whom were doctors. On the 10th June the miraculous child of thirteen months was parading around the chapel, sometimes crawling under the Cardinal’s desk who was pronouncing the decree; a fairly rare show in this kind of court!’

Zélie and Louis Martin led lives of tremendous prayer, generosity and self-sacrifice, whilst also offering a loving family life to their nine children, five of whom became Religious, one of them, Therese, not only to be canonised, but also made Patroness of the worldwide mission of the Church. It was, therefore, particularly appropriate that, on July 11 this year, the announcement of the Martins’ beatification coincided with the 150^th anniversary of their wedding on July 13, 1858.

It takes only a very little acquaintance with cloistered nuns, be they Carmelite, Poor Clare, Redemptoristine, Benedictine or whatever, to realise that, although they might be separated from the world in one sense, in another, theirs is a life of intense global involvement.  The power of prayer has no boundaries. The world at large has no idea of the wonderful things that can be achieved by missionaries across the world, precisely because they know that they are supported by the constant prayers and the occasional letters from these amazing women. In a very real way, missionaries are the hands and feet of the contemplatives, whereas the contemplatives are the power house of missionary activity.

That is why St Therese of Lisieux could become the patroness of the missions even though she never went to the missions. Instead, her special love for the missions and the prayers and letters she gave in support of missionaries, was instrumental in building and sustaining the Church in places of which Therese herself might not even have heard. 

That is why missionary organisations such as the Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF), on World Mission Sunday, celebrated on October 19 this year, has no problem in declaring Therese to be its patroness in its work of supporting the younger Church across the world.

Pope Pius XI declared on Dec. 14, 1927, ‘Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Patron of Missionaries, men and women, of all existing missions on earth, with the same merits of St. Francis Xavier, with all the rights and the liturgical privileges which this title entails.’

Parents have an uncanny knack of setting their children in the right direction for life. It is, then, entirely appropriate that, as the Church celebrates World Mission Sunday and invokes the continuing help of St Therese of Lisieux, her parents, Zélie and Louis Martin, will be beatified.

Aren’t Mums and Dads wonderful?

As published in The Catholic Times, 21.09.08