# Matins Nocturn 2 reading for St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Widow # (Aug 21). Sourced directly from web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/08-21.txt, # English/Sancti/08-21.txt. Lectio4-6 combined into one reading, one # continuous vita. No Lectio7-9 in her own file (her `[Rule]` is `vide # C7a`) -- defers to the Common's own Nocturn 3, not transcribed here. id: st-jane-frances-de-chantal readings: - nocturn: 2 isGospel: false text: la: >- Joanna Francisca Frémiot de Chantal, Divione in Burgundia clarissimis orta natalibus, ab ineunte ætate eximiæ sanctitatis non obscuras edidit significationes. Eam enim vix quinquennem nobilem quemdam Calvinistam solida supra ætatem argumentatione perstrinxisse ferunt, collatumque ab eo munusculum flammis illico tradidisse, in hæc verba: En quomodo hæretici apud inferos comburentur, qui loquenti Christo fidem detrectant. Matre orbata, Deiparæ Virginis tutelæ se commendavit, et famulam, quæ ad mundi amórem eam alliciebat, ab se rejecit. Nihil puerile in moribus exprimens, a sæculi deliciis abhorrens, martyriumque anhelans, religioni ac pietati impense studebat. Baroni de Chantal nuptui a patre tradita, virtutibus omnibus excolendis operam dedit, liberos famulos, aliosque sibi subjectos in fidei doctrina, bonisque moribus imbuere satagens. Profusa liberalitate pauperum inopiam sublevabat, annona divinitus non raro multiplicata: quo factum est, ut nemini se umquam Christi nomine roganti stipem abnegaturam spoponderit. Viro in venatione interempto, perfectioris vitæ consilium iniens, continentiæ voto se obstrinxit. Viri necem non solum æquo animo tulit, sed, in publicum indultæ veniæ testimonium, occisoris filium e sacro fonte suscipere sui victrix elegit. Modica familia, tenui victu atque vestitu contenta, pretiosas vestes in pios usus convertit. Quidquid a domesticis curis supererat temporis, precibus, piis lectionibus, laborique impendebat. Numquam adduci potuit ut alteras nuptias, quamvis utiles et honorificas, iniret. Ne autem a proposito castimoniæ observandæ in posterum dimoveretur, illius voto innovato, sanctissimum Jesu Christi nomen candenti ferro pectori insculpsit. Ardentius in dies caritate fervescens, pauperes, derelictos, ægros, teterrimisque morbis infectos ad se adducendos curabat; eosque non hospitio tantum excipiebat, solabatur, fovebat, verum étiam sordidas eorumdem vestes depurgabat, laceras reficiebat, et manantibus fœtido pure ulceribus labia admovere non exhorrebat. A sancto Francisco Salesio, quo spiritus moderatore usa fuit, divinam voluntatem edocta, proprium parentem, socerum, filium denique ipsum, quem étiam vocationi obsistentem, sua e domo egrediens, pedibus calcare non dubitavit, invicta constantia deseruit, et sacri instituti Visitationis sanctæ Mariæ fundamenta jecit. Ejus instituti leges integerrime custodivit, et adeo paupertatis fuit amans, ut vel necessaria sibi deesse gauderet. Christianæ vero animi demissionis et obedientiæ, virtutum denique omnium perfectissimum exemplar se præbuit. Altiores in corde suo ascensiones disponens, arduissimo efficiendi semper id quod perfectius esse intelligeret, voto se obstrinxit. Denique, sacro Visitationis instituto ejus potissimum opera longe lateque diffuso, verbo, exemplo, et scriptis étiam divina sapientia refertis, ad pietatem et caritatem sororibus excitatis, meritis referta, et sacramentis rite susceptis, Molinis, anno millesimo sexcentesimo quadragesimo primo, die decima tertia Decembris, migravit ad Dominum, ejusque animam, occurrente sancto Francisco Salesio, in cælos deferri sanctus Vincentius a Paulo procul distans aspexit. Ejus corpus postea Annecium translatum fuit: eamque miraculis ante et post obitum claram Benedictus decimus quartus beatorum, Clemens vero decimus tertius Pontifex Maximus albo sanctorum adjecit. en: >- Jeanne Frances Fremiot de Chantal was born of parents of the highest rank, at Dijon in Burgundy. From her earliest childhood she gave no dark promise of a life of eminent holiness. It is said that when she was scarcely fifteen years of age she confuted with precocious acuteness a Presbyterian nobleman, and when he gave her a little present she put it in the fire, saying: That is how heretics will burn in hell for not believing Christ when He speaketh. On the death of her mother, she placed herself under the keeping of the Virgin Mother of God, and discharged a maid who strove to beguile her into loving the world. She had nothing youthful about her ways. She shrank from the pleasures of life. She had a strong wish that she might die a martyr. She devoted herself unweariedly to religion and godliness. Her father gave her in marriage to the Baron de Chantal, and she strove to excel in all the duties and graces of a wife. She made it her work to see that her children, her servants, and all others under her authority were taught the doctrines of the faith and the practice of good living. She relieved the sufferings of the poor by plentiful almsgiving, for which purposes God not unfrequently miraculously multiplied her money. And so it came to pass that no one ever asked her for food in Christ's name and was refused it. When her husband was accidentally killed out shooting, and in her widowhood she determined to embrace the more excellent way, and took a vow not to marry again. She bore her bereavement with resignation to the Will of God, and so far overcame her horror of the gentleman who had fired the shot, that, to show she attributed no blame to him, she stood god-mother to his little boy. She was quite content with few servants and plain cookery and dress, and sold her rich wardrobe for the benefit of charities. She received offers of second marriage which would have been both politic and honourable, but never was induced to accept one of them, and to harden herself in her intention of remaining in her widowhood, she renewed her vow to that effect, and branded on her chest with a hot iron the most holy name of Jesus Christ. Her love grew tenderer every day, and she had brought to her the starving, the abandoned, the diseased, and those who were afflicted with the most sickening disorders. Them she not only sheltered, comforted, and nursed, but washed and mended their filthy and ragged garments, and shrank not from putting her mouth to their sores oozing with disgusting matter. She used the services of St. Francis de Sales as her spiritual adviser, and when she learnt from him what was the will of God, she scrupled not to disregard the wishes of her own father, brother-in- law, and even of her son, whom she left with calm determination, went forth from her home, and founded the holy Institution of the Sisters of the Visitation of St. Mary. She most rigidly kept the rules of this Institute, and loved so well to be poor, that it made her glad to lack even the necessaries of life. She showed herself a model of Christian lowliness, obedience, and all graces. Having settled in her heart still to go up higher and higher towards the Temple of the Lord, she bound herself by a most difficult vow always to do that which she should understand to be best. It was chiefly through her labour that the holy Institute of the Visitation became spread far and wide, and she stirred up the sisters to godliness and love by her words, by her example, and by writings full of Divine wisdom. She duly received the Sacraments before her death, and then, at Moulins, departed hence, to be for ever with the Lord. St. Vincent of Paul, who was far distant, in a vision beheld her soul borne to heaven, and St. Francis de Sales coming to meet it. Her body was afterwards taken to Annecy. She was famous for miracles both before and after her death, and Pope Benedict XIV. enrolled her among the Blessed, and Pope Clement XIII. among the Saints. status: { la: verified, en: verified }