Long lives and short lives

On this day in 1959 Sister Genevieve of the Holy Face (Celine Martin) died after sixty-three years as a Discalced Carmelite.  She was two months short of her ninetieth birthday and the last of the nine children originally born to her parents.  I always find it extraordinary that her sister St Therese died so long before her, in 1897.  That in 1959 you could still have talked to one who grew up with Therese – that seems amazing.  Therese and her family seem to belong so solidly to the Victorian era.  There is evidence in the correspondence of the Saint of Lisieux that she was anxious about her sister Celine and about the vocation she thought Celine had to Carmel, but the two were very close in early days.  Celine’s long life in contrast to her sister reminds me of Sister Lucia of Fatima, whose two younger siblings and fellow visionaries died in 1918 while she lived on until 2005.  These discrepancies appear arbitrary to us but that surely is an incitement to trust in the Divine Providence.

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Theresa K, Fr Jon Bielowski (Plymouth Diocese), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Marie

Illness:  Katy Keeling

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Lucia – Overwhelmed by weariness

Mark – brain infection

Michael – youngster with occult influences

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

RIP Connor Calleja (20 yrs old, funeral 25 Feb)