Marthe Robin's life A simple, broken and offered Life. Marthe was born on the 13th March 1902 at Châteauneuf de Galaure in in South Eastern France. Her parents were modest country people, believers but not practicing Christians. In 1918, Marthe was attacked by a very disparaging [withering] ailment. For a period of ten years, the disease sometimes seemed to regress but increased at other times, bringing alternately feelings of hope and despair, a situation which was quite hard to cope with. In 1927 she was completely paralyzed, without any bright future.
A Transfigured Life. In 1928 her life took on another turn. Priests on mission in the Parish Village of Châteauneuf came to visit her. She confessed and received Holy Communion. What happened on that day? Martha never narrated what she lived interiorly. However, her life knew a decisive turning point. She understood that her sufferings, lived with God and offered, could become fruitful. “After many years of anguish, after many physical and moral trials, I dared, I chose Jesus”, she said.
From then on, her disease was part of her spiritual life. Marthe drew from prayer, from the Holy Eucharist, and from an intense union with God, an inexplicable strength and radiance that attracted all those who came into contact with her. Her union with God became such that it was associated with the sufferings of Christ in his Passion and she relived this in her own flesh. Her union [life] with God did not prevent her from being deeply humane, welcoming each one. She would not let anything to be borne through by her suffering, praying and offering for the intentions that had been entrusted to her, be they known or secret, all these with a good sense of humour which surprised her visitors.
A Life in The Church Marthe Robin worked at her rightful place in her situation for the renewal of the Church. Many Priests and Consecrated persons have found a click in the discernment of their vocations and support for their commitment from her. She encouraged many founders of many new Ecclesial communities. She was a little countryside girl endowed with a lot of common sense as well as a good sense of humor and intelligence about things around her. She knew how and when to ask the right questions.
A life lived for the world. From all cultures, men and women of all walks of life, believers or atheists endeavoured to meet Marthe. There existed a remarkable contrast between her humility, her poverty and her influence. The home of Marthe continues up to this day to welcome visitors and remains a house open to all, always lively.
A Life in The Heart of The Foyers de Charité The 10th of February 1936 was a day on which a providential meeting between Marthe Robin and Fr. George Finet from the diocese of Lyon took place. It is through him that the first Foyer de Charité was to be founded of which he was to become the Father. Until her death on 6th February 1981, Marthe Robin received thousands of visitor in her small bedroom in the farm house called 'La Plaine'. She prayed for all the intentions that were given to her. Nearly 7000 people attended her funeral. This is an obvious sign of the amazing fruitfulness of her hidden and self given life. Today, the Foyers de Charité are in about 40 countries all over the world. For over 70 years now, men and women have left their jobs, their situation in life, to live in the Foyer de Charité, share in this family life and participate in this work of evangelization. At the Heart of the Foyers believers and unbelievers, people searching for God or for a sense of truth experience during the retreats an interior rebirth, in interior re-awakening. www.foyer-de-charite.com/en/marthe-robin.html
