Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway

 A Litany of Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin

 Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus Christ, hear us.

Jesus Christ, graciously hear us.

God, our Heavenly Father, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

 
Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, parents of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who placed your faith and your hope in the Lord, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who lived your marriage in faithfulness, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who bore many children, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who taught all your children the Christian faith, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who desired sanctity for yourselves and your children, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who offered your children to the Lord, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who lost four children at a young age, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who worked with your hands, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who practiced an ardent charity, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who received your strength from the daily Eucharist, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who prayed faithfully each day, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who shared the concerns of the missions of the Church, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who always placed your confidence in the Virgin Mary, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who have known suffering and illness, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, who now contemplate in Heaven the Adorable Face of God, pray for us.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, watch over our families.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, protect our families.

Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, intercede for our families.


Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
 
Pray for us, Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin,

That we may be made worthy of the promises of our Lord Jesus Christ.'

Prayer for the Canonization of Louis and Zélie Martin

God of eternal love, you give us Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St. Therese, as an example of holiness in marriage.  They remained faithful to you and your commandments in all the duties and trials of life. They desired to raise their children to become saints.  May their prayers and example help Christian family life to blossom in our world today.  If it be your will, grant us the graces we ask you now through the intercession of Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, and let them be counted among the saints of your Church.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

[This litany to Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin appeared on the Web site of Sainte-Therese parish in Metz, France, where Louis and Zélie have been the instruments of a profound spiritual renewal.  My thanks to Father Jean-Claude Lange, the pastor of this parish, for permission to translate the litany into English and to post it at "Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway" in honor of the fifth feast of Louis and Zélie. I thank my co-worker, Mary Davidson, OCDS, for the translation].