Pope canonizes 4 saints, including St. Thérèse’s parents

October 19, 2015

At an outdoor Mass in St. Peter’s Square on October 18, Pope Francis canonized St. Vincenzo Grossi (1845-1917), St. María de la Purísima Salvat Romero (1926-98), and the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Saints Louis Martin (1823-94) and Marie-Azélie Guérin Martin (1831-77).

Jesus “shows us that he enjoys dominion because he is a servant, glory because he is capable of abasement, kingship because he is fully prepared to lay down his life,” the Pope preached in his homily. “By his passion and death, he takes the lowest place, attains the heights of grandeur in service, and bestows this upon his Church.”

“There can be no compatibility between a worldly understanding of power and the humble service which must characterize authority according to Jesus’ teaching and example,” he continued. “Ambition and careerism are incompatible with Christian discipleship; honor, success, fame and worldly triumphs are incompatible with the logic of Christ crucified … The men and women canonized today unfailingly served their brothers and sisters with outstanding humility and charity, in imitation of the divine Master.”

 

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Further information:

• Holy Mass and Canonizations - 2015.10.18 (Vatican YouTube)
• Santa Messa con il Rito di Canonizzazione dei Beati: Vincenzo Grossi, Maria dell’Immacolata Concezione, Ludovico Martin e Maria Azelia Guérin (Holy See Press Office)