Feast Day: August 12
Jeanne-Francoise Fremyot was born in 1572 and raised in a Catholic family during the time of the Protestant reformation. Her mother died before she turned 2.
At age 20, she got married to Baron Christopher de Chantal. They shared many common interests, loved each other very much and were blessed with 4 children. After 9 years of marriage, Christopher was mortally wounded in a hunting accident. For 9 days, Jane Frances de Chantal suffered intense agony. She beseeched God to take everything she has in this world save for her husband. Nevertheless, Christopher died. (Over the course of her life, she experienced the death of her stepmother, her sister and her first 2 children).
However friends and family tried to distract her, Jane was inconsolable. After months of mourning, her father-in-law invited her to stay with them at Monthelon. She busied herself with the family estate and continued to carry out her charitable works. During this time, she had been feeling a strong attraction to religious life.
In the lent of 1604, she received an invitation from her brother to meet the Bishop of Geneva who was coming over to their hometown, Dijon, France to preach. Jane was deeply touched by Bishop Francis de Sales’ sermon. Five months later, the bishop became her spiritual director.
Jane Frances de Chantal had everything to live for and yet she chose to be a nun.
Under the direction of Francis de Sales, the Visitation Sisters, a religious order was formed. The name of the congregation was after the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. A combination of contemplation depicted by the Blessed Virgin’s prayer –The Magnificat (considered as the most spiritual and contemplative canticle ever written) and the charity toward neighbor that Mary showed by serving Elizabeth. A contemplative in action - the Visitation Sisters share a common life centered on prayer and balanced with action as they go out to care for the poor and the sick.
These years of productivity and accomplishments were also years of spiritual darkness for Jane de Chantal. She was plague with temptation and for 41 years Jane struggled to fight it.
One of St. Francis de Sales’ advice to Jane was to seek God’s will in her everyday life and to love God’s will.
Jane Frances de Chantal was a beacon to many. And to St. Vincent de Paul, who began the Sisters of Charity to serve the poor, Jane Frances de Chantal (Jeanne-Francoise de Chantal) was an inspiration.
Patronage:
Saint Jane Frances de Chantal is the patron saint of widows, parents separated from their children, and the Visitation Sisters. Her dedication to family life and her ability to overcome personal hardships make her a source of inspiration for many.
Prayer:
Dear Saint Jane Frances de Chantal,
You who experienced the joys and sorrows of marriage, widowhood, and motherhood,
Help us to find strength in times of trial and to trust in God's providence.
Guide us in our daily lives, that we may show kindness, gentleness, and humility to all we encounter.
Intercede for us, dear Saint Jane Chantal, and grant us the grace to live a life of devotion and service to others, just as you did.
Amen.
Reflection:
* God's love is ineffable. No one on earth, not even the ones who loved you that most can even come close to God's love for us. God wants us to experience this deep, everlasting love. And once we are captivated by His love, we can't help but love Him back. This love of Christ leads to imitation of Christ. And serving and loving others is the result of knowing and loving God.
God removed all the things that hinders Jane from experiencing God's indescribable love. In due course, Jane de Chantal lived this love and became a true disciple of God.
* St. Jane Chantal's life teaches us the importance of faith, resilience, and compassion. She faced personal tragedies and challenges but remained devoted to God and her calling. Her dedication to helping those in need, regardless of their circumstances, reminds us of the profound impact one person can have on the world through acts of love and kindness. As we reflect on her life, let us strive to emulate her virtues of gentleness, humility, and unwavering faith in God's plan for us.
