Patroness

Jane Frances Fremiot, Baroness de Chantal, the foundress and first Mother Superior of the Order of the Visitation, is honored by the Church for the holiness of her youth, of her married life, of her widowhood, and of her life in religion.

Youth

Deprived in babyhood of the care of her pious mother, the little girl grew up under the wise guidance of M. Benigne Fremiot, President of the Senate of Dijon, a man worthy to be the father of a saint. Little Jane was a lively, intelligent child. Her father was pleased and proud to afford her every advantage proper to her age and social station. Her sister married early, leaving to Jane the position of mistress of the house. These responsibilities, met with grace and skill, helped to round out by domestic duties an unusually well balanced personality.

Marriage

At the age of twenty-one, Jane married the young Baron de Chantal, who immediately placed her in charge of the management of his estate at Bourbilly. With courage and competence, she undertook and carried on these onerous duties to the satisfaction of all concerned. She was a devoted wife and mother. When her husband was at home she did everything to please him, to entertain his friends, and to make his home delightful. When he was away, she ceased to entertain and gave herself entirely to the duties of her household and the training of her little ones.

In her twenty-eighth year, just after the birth of her youngest daughter, the Baron suffered one of those tragic accidents for which no one is ever prepared. Stalking a deer from an opposite direction, a good friend of the Baron, mistaking movements in the brush for the animal they were hunting, fired the fatal shot that was to end the happy career of his young host

Widowhood

Nothing could exceed the distress of his widow. Slowly and painfully she resumed the labors of directing the affairs at Bourbilly, saw to the settling of the estate, and considered what would be best for the future of her little family, a son and three daughters, all of tender age. Then, on the demand of her father-in-law, she went to live with him. For seven years she was the victim of this old man's whims and unreasonableness, bearing the arrogance of his housekeeper, and employing her days in service and charity and prayer.

Religious Life

Troubled with anxiety to know God's Will, she finally came under the direction of St. Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva. To each of these chosen souls had been vouchsafed a vision of the other, so that when they finally met it was with sudden and happy mutual recognition. Provision being made for the settlement of her worldly affairs and for the future establishment of her children, the Baroness de Chantal went to Annecy to be Mother Superior of the little group that was to become the Sisters of the Visitation.

St. Jane Francis de Chantal died at the age of sixty-nine, on December 13, 1641, after having served the most of that time as Mother Superior of the Convent of Annecy. Many miracles are attested as having been performed through her prayer during life, and many more since the time of her holy death. She was canonized by Pope Clement XIII on July 16, 1767. Pray to her whose motherly heart never has been known to refuse help to the needy, comfort to the afflicted, or advice and assistance to those in temporal or spiritual difficulty.