This post was originally
written for Sarah’s wonderful series – Our Friends, The Saints – but, incredible woman
that she was, Jane Frances was snapped up quickly as a favourite saint (look
out for that post this Saturday!). Keep a look out for a guest post coming there soon...
Ever since I can remember, my parents
have loved to tell me the story of how they chose my name. There wasn’t a
moment, they tell me, when they doubted the names God had given them both:
Esther Jane Frances. Esther, after the beautiful Persian queen who stepped out
in faith to defend her people. A story of bravery, strength and complete faith
in God’s deliverance. A story that so many people know and take courage from. Yet
Jane Frances has an equally inspiring story – one which fewer people know of…
My middle names were chosen to honour
my mother’s favourite childhood saint, who has since become one of my own
favourites (not just out of bias!). The daughter of a wealthy Baron, Jane
Frances was married at 20 and widowed with 4 young children by the age of 28.
At a relatively young age she had already lost her two oldest children and
several other members of her family as well. She could hardly have been blamed
had she become angry with God or even turned away from Him. But instead she did
something remarkable.
She took a vow of chastity and dedicated
her whole life to the Lord. With the help of St Francis de Sales she moved to
Annecy and founded the Congregation of the Visitation – a religious order which accepted
women whose unbridled desire to serve God had been rejected by other orders on
the basis of age or ill-health. What’s more, they were among the first female
orders to actively take the word of God out into the community in a time when
female religious were generally expected to remain cloistered. She worked
tirelessly to spread the message of the order – one of love, humility and
charity – to the extent that by the time she died in 1641 the order had 86
houses.
Jane Frances de Chantal was a woman of
courage, who judged people only on the desire of their heart. And yet she did
all of that quietly and unassumingly, with a generosity of spirit and humble
attitude. She lived each day for the glory of God, aware that her good works
were done not by her own strength alone. The enormity of her legacy
demonstrates the fact that aggression and forcefulness are not necessary to get
things done. She showed us that meekness does not equate to weakness.
"Hold your eyes on God and leave the
doing to him. That is all the doing you have to worry about."
St
Jane Frances de Chantal
When I was a child we visited Annecy on
a family holiday. We entered the Cathedral to look around and found that, out
of sheer divine providence, mass was just beginning. I was too young to
understand fully, but I can clearly remember the peace I felt there, in the place
that my namesake had walked daily – celebrating mass and receiving the
Eucharist where she, too, had done so. She had already begun to intercede for
me to my Father in Heaven, with whom she is celebrating eternal life.
Esther and Jane Frances. Two lives of
courage, selflessness and determination – 2000 years apart. I pray that I may
be able to emulate just a fraction of
their strength in my own life. May their unending intercession instil in me
– and in all of us - the confidence to hear and obey God’s call wherever it may
lead. May we challenge the fear of failure in the name of Christ Jesus our
Lord, and be an unshaken voice for the voiceless.
St Jane Frances de Chantal… Pray for us.
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