The third of five daughters of St. Louis Martin was born June 3, 1863 in Alençon. Leonie a fragile child, will disrupt the family by her fierce rebelliousness. From her youth Leonie said later: “My childhood was detestable, well calculated to disfigure our beautiful and holy family. God has been merciful to me! “Mrs. Martin confided to her religious sister at Le Mans Visitation” She has an iron will when she wants something, she triumphs over all obstacles to achieve her ends. ”
Sister Mary Dosithée, dying, will receive this commission from Leonie: “My dear Aunt, when you get to heaven, ask God, please, let him do me the favor to convert me, and also gives me the vocation to become a true religious, because I think it about every day. ” “It means that I want to be a nun quite good and finally be a saint” insisted Leonie. After three religious life tests, she will need all her tenacity to keep it with the grace of the Lord who, and the intercession of Therese.
At her Entrance to the Visitation of Caen in 1899, she received the Habit with the name of Sister Françoise-Thérèse, this name reminiscent of St. Francis de Sales and her little sister: “My spirituality is that of Terese and consequently that of our holy Founder. His doctrine and hers is a whole “. After her Profession on July 2, 1900 she could say, “My joy was pressing on my heart my profession cross, the cross which had cost me so dearly.”
The life of Sister Françoise-Thérèse, like that of her companions at the Visitation, is a prayer of renunciation and work. It is with meticulous care that she accomplishes the occupations entrusted to her. She will always be “Helper” in jobs, in the sacristy, in the infirmary, at the commissary, the refectory and wardrobe. In the community, Sister Françoise-Thérèse really was considered a useless servant and last. She entered fully into the ideal of the Visitation : gentleness, joy, humility and simplicity in fraternal relations. Full of kindness and availability to help, she was particularly attentive to the young sisters, remembering her difficulties in the beginning.
Sister Françoise-Thérèse followed the way of childhood in simplicity and the most total surrender to the Lord. All her life lies in these words she wrote: “O God, in my life where you put little of what shines, I go to authentic values, disdaining human values wanting the absolute, eternal, God’s love ”
Since her death, June 17, 1941 parents worried about their children and young people seeking their way turned to Leonie. Many letters arrive at the Visitation of Caen to seek the help of the “poor Léonie” and also to thank for the graces obtained through her intercession. Her process for beatification is underway.