Sister Leonie's story has inspired my hopes, hope I really needed...I am going to pray a novena for her sainthood to come soon. Servant of God Leonie Martin pray for us to not give up on our desires to serve our Lord Jesus Christ
When I was reading the “Story of a Soul’ ten years ago, I was thinking Léonie was always the unfortunate one, but reading through the book, I realized that it’s the cross that we have to carry and that cross our triumph, which in this case, Léonie is blessed after all because she was able to enter the religious life she always wanted. I have also asked Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, Mother Agnes of Jesus, Sisters Francoise Therese and Genevieve of the Holy Face back in 2012 for their intercession for my hypertension and I was healed after a surgery. I always admire their whole family. God is really wonderful to have given us this family for an inspiration. Servant of God Léonie, pray for us.
Léonie is such a fascinating figure! I sincerely hope that now, with her bearification cause having entered the Roman phase, she will not remain 'forgotten' for long!
This is so beautiful. My guess is not autism, but developmental delay and possibly ADD or ADHD. We are currently discerning a confirmation name for my daughter with developmental delay and Leonie seems made for her. I cannot wait to learn more.
She was really physically and mentally abused by one of the servants. The servant would beat her if she didn't act out in tantrums or oppositional to her parents. It was as Zelie was very sick she found out why Leonie was acting out. They were going to fire her but she begged to take care of Zelie until she died. They allowed it but she was forbidden to interact in any way with Leonie.
The version of Story of a Soul as edited by Pauline does not mention Leonie much, unlike the other Martin sisters. The book leaves us guessing whatever happened to Leonie, again unlike the other sisters, whom we all know, lived with at the Carmelite convent. Therese mentions Leonie somewhat a bit more though not always favorably. I sensed a kind of discomfort with Leonie. It makes her figure very intriguing.