St. Frances De Chantal (1572-1641)

Today isn’t her feast day, but today does mark the day that St. Frances De Chantal died in 1641. Her father was president of the Parliament of Burgundy, and leader of the royalist party during the League that brought about the triumph of the cause of Henry IV. In 1592 she married Baron de Chantal. Baron de Chantal was accidentally killed in 1601. He left a widow at 28 and four children. The baroness took a vow of chastity. In all her prayers she besought God to send her a guide. During Lent, 1604, she heard St. Francis de Sales preach. She recognized in him the guide she had been looking for. Then began an admirable correspondence between the two saints.When she had assured the future security of her children, and had provided the education of her youngest son, she started for Annecy, where God was calling her to found the Congregation of the Visitation. She took her two remaining daughters with her, the elder having recently married the Baron of Thorens, a brother of St. Francis de Sales. The Congregation of the Visitation was canonically established at Annecy on Trinity Sunday, 6 June, 1610. Its aim was to receive, with a view to their spiritual advancement, young girls and even widows who had not the desire or strength to subject themselves to the austere ascetical practices in force in all the religious orders at that time. St. Francis de Sales was especially desirous of seeing the realization of his cherished method of attaining perfection, which consisted in always keeping one’s will united to the Divine will, in taking so to speak one’s soul, heart, and longings into one’s hands and giving them into God’s keeping, and in seeking always to do what is pleasing to Him. At the time of the death of St. Francis de Sales in 1622, the order already counted thirteen houses; there were eighty-six when St. Jane Frances died; and 164 when she was canonized. She was beatified in 1751, canonized in 1767, and 21 August was appointed as her feast day.
(From the 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia)