Courageous yet Gentle

Today we commemorate St. Jane Frances de Chantal, founder of the Order of the Visitation of our Lady. Born to the president of parliament and future leader of the royalists, at the age of fifteen she confuted with a Presbyterian and when he gave her a gift, threw it into the fire saying, "That is how heretics will burn in hell for not believing Christ when he speaketh." When her mother died, she placed herself under the protection of Our Lady and devoted herself to religious works.

At twenty she married Baron de Chantal and took charge of his household. She restored its previous prosperity, ensured her children and servants were taught the faith, and relieved the poor and suffering. At twenty eight her husband was killed in a shooting accident and she took a vow of chastity, rejecting many influential and wealthy suitors. Resolving to remain a widow and devote herself to charitable works, she branded with a hot iron the Holy Name into her breast. To safegard her children's property she lived for a time in the home of her father-in-law, where she patiently endured the wickedness of the servant in charge, eventually triumphing over him by her virtue.

In 1604 she heard St. Francis de Sales preach a Lenten sermon and recognised him as the figure in a dream she had earlier. After providing for the welfare and education of her children, she went to Annecy to found the Order of the Visitation, for the spiritual advancement of young women and widows, adopting St. Francis' method of attaining perfection through abandoning oneself to God and seeking His holy will. For the rest of her life she was either in the cloister, praying for the conversion of her son, receiving those who came to ask her advice and founding new convents. At her death, St. Vincent de Paul had a vision of her soul ascending to heaven and being met by St. Francis. She left behind a number of works including instructions on the religious life, a deposition for the beatification of St. Francis and letters.

Dr. Pius Parsch notes that in the Common for Holy Women, the Church emphasises their courage and strength which seems odd since it is their compassion and obdeience which frequently come to mind. However these are but complementary virtues and were displayed by Our Lord Himself. One need only contrast his driving the merchants from the Temple or rebuking St. Peter as 'Satan' with his condescension towards St. Mary Magdalene or receiving the poor and sick.