Tuesday, August 18, 1998
Tuesday August 18: Twentieth Tuesday in Ordinary Time and
Feast of Saint Jane Francis de Chantal, Wife, Mother and Religious Founder Green or White vestments
First Reading: Ezekiel 28: 1-10
Psalms: Deuteronomy 32: 26-28, 30, 35-36, 39
Gospel Reading: Matthew 19: 23-30
SAINT JANE FRANCIS DE CHANTAL, WIFE, MOTHER AND RELIGIOUS FOUNDER
She was born in Dijon, France in 1572, the daughter of Benigne Fremyot, president of the parliament in
Burgundy, and married at twenty to Baron Christopher de Chantal who died in 1601. Nobility and riches were there for the asking for Saint Jane Francis de Chantal, but she used them wisely for the honor and glory of God. After nine years of marriage and seven children, Jane became a widow when her husband was killed in a hunting accident. Three years later she was touched in the deepest way by a sermon of Saint Francis de Sales for it was he who she had seen in a previous vision and because of this spiritual experience, persuaded him to be her spiritual director. After securing stability for her children, she turned to religious life. Though she had a
strong desire to become a Carmelite nun, Francis realized her mission lay elsewhere and through his wise
counsel she, along with three other women Charlotte de Brechard, Anne Coste, and Mary Favre began the Congregation of the Visitation, dedicated to helping young girls and widows consider a traditional,
contemplative religious life. Satan did all in his power to discredit this fledgling order and dissuade Jane from
her appointed mission by tormenting her soul greatly but God's Will won out and the Order spread throughout
France and beyond over the next three decades. Jane died on December 13 at Moulins shortly after a meeting
with Queen Anne in Paris. She was buried by Lake Annecy near her dear spiritual director Francis, who had passed away nineteen years earlier. Jane was canonized by Pope Clement XIII in 1767.
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