Who is St. Zelie?
St. Zelie is known as the mother of St. Therese of Lisieux. St. Therese was a cloistered Carmelite nun who died at the age of 24. She was canonized a saint and later became a doctor of the Church. Zelie along with her husband Louis were canonized on October 18, 2015. Her feast day is July 12.
St. Zelie gave birth to nine children and only five of the children lived past age five. She worked full time as a lacemaker. She was so successful that her husband sold his watchmaking business to help her with her business. She died of breast cancer at age forty-five.
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Who started the St. Zelie Society?
The pilot St. Zelie Society had six women who met over the summer of 2021. They discussed what they were looking for in a prayer group while contemplating how much time they could prudently devote to a prayer group as many of the women had children, jobs, and other callings. By the end of the pilot year only three women remained in the group. The three remaining women were Beth Kalina, Marie Pope, and Elizabeth Idzi. They enjoyed the group so much that they wanted to open up to new members. They approached women whom they thought may enjoy this style of prayer group and invited them to try out the prayer group during the summer of 2022. On account of their efforts, nine women joined the group in September 2022.
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What was the inspiration for the St. Zelie Society?
The inspiration of the St. Zelie Society dates back to the Franciscan University of Steubenville during the late 1990s. Both Marie and Elizabeth were members of households. These all-female households provided a community of prayer support which included a weekly prayer group and share group. Elizabeth’s household was called “The Little Flowers” which had a devotion to St. Therese of Lisieux. St. Therese’s book A Story of a Soul was written before she died at age twenty-four. However, the founding members of the St. Zelie Society felt they had far more in common with Zelie as their lives looked more like Zelie’s life than the life of St. Therese of Lisieux.
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When did the St. Zelie Society start?
The first pilot group of the St. Zelie Society met in 2021. The Alpha group completed its pilot year in June 2022. Nine new members joined in September 2022.
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Who painted the picture of St. Zelie?
Aimee Boudreaux MacIver painted the picture of Zelie. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville and was a member of The Little Flowers household. You can see her other works of art here.
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Who is Erin Breen Vukojevic?
Erin Breen Vukojevic was a member of The Little Flowers household in the 1990s at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. She was a wife and the mother of six children. She passed away at age forty-five after a three-month battle with cancer. We are grateful to have another intercessor in heaven!
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Why should we become a formal chapter?
We are planning both domestic and international pilgrimages to members as a way of growing in holiness and strengthening sisterhood. Thus, pilgrimages will only be open to the members of recognized chapters.
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Do you have a specific prayer to St. Zelie?
Yes. We say this prayer at the end of prayer group:
St. Zelie, as your lace was created by single strands of thread to make works of art, may our prayers and works like single strands of thread be intertwined to sanctify our lives.
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How can I contact the St. Zelie Society?
You can email the St. Zelie Society at stzeliesociety@gmail.com.
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How do I join the St. Zelie Society?
Attend the June Rosary and prayer time which lasts about 45 minutes. After the Rosary and quiet prayer, the members will greet you and spend time explaining the St. Zelie Society. They will answer any questions.
Attend the July and August Rosaries and quiet prayer time. After the Rosary, the members will greet you and briefly answer any questions. Then the current members will join their share groups. Prospective members will depart.
Let the coordinators know by the end of August if you wish to join the St. Zelie Society so they may plan for your initiation during the September meeting. They will also place you in a share group in September. This will be your share group for the next 12 months.
If you are interested in joining and already anticipate conflicts during the June, July and August meetings, please contact a coordinator.
The St. Zelie Society admits new members only in September. This practice enables continuity within the share groups.
Members make a one year commitment to the group. Coordinators will check in with current members toward the end of the 12 months in order to plan the new share groups.
Share groups change annually.
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