Jane Frances de Chantal

Life events

1. Born — 1572

   Jeanne-Françoise Frémyot was born on 28 January 1572 in Dijon, France, daughter of Bénigne Frémyot, royalist president of the Parliament of Burgundy, and his wife Margaret de Berbisey. Her mother died when she was 18 months old; her father became the primary influence on her education.

2. Other — 1592

   At age 20 she married the Baron de Chantal; the couple lived at the feudal Castle of Bourbilly, where she managed the estates and provided alms and nursing care to needy neighbors while hosting the neighboring nobility.

3. Other — 1601

   Baron de Chantal was accidentally killed in a hunting accident in 1601, leaving her a widow at 28 with four children; she took a vow of chastity and, after settling family obligations, moved at her father-in-law's demand to his castle at Monthelon, Saône-et-Loire.

4. Other — 1604

   In 1604 her father brought her to Dijon to hear Francis de Sales, bishop of Geneva, preach the Lenten sermons at the Sainte Chapelle; de Sales became her spiritual director, counseling her against scruples and anxiety of mind.

5. Other — 1610

   The Congregation of the Visitation of Holy Mary was canonically established at Annecy on Trinity Sunday, 6 June 1610; de Sales had purchased a small house on Lake Annecy and the founding community included Marie Favre and Charlotte de Bréchard.

6. Tonsured — 1610

   Jane entered the new Congregation of the Visitation, having already made over her wealth to her children; she devoted the remaining three decades of her life to governing and expanding the order from its Annecy mother house.

7. Died — 1641

   She died on 13 December 1641 at the Visitation Convent in Moulins, aged 69; the order had grown to 86 houses by her death and she was buried at the Annecy convent next to Francis de Sales.

8. Other — 1767

   Pope Clement XIII canonized her on 16 July 1767; her feast entered the General Roman Calendar in 1769 on 21 August, was moved to 12 December in 1969, then shifted to 12 August in 2001 when Pope John Paul II added Our Lady of Guadalupe to 12 December.

Relationships

Documented claims

• The Visitation Order deliberately accepted women rejected by other orders because of poor health or age. When criticized, Jane replied: 'What do you want me to do? I like sick people myself; I'm on their side.' (certain)
• During its first eight years the Visitation practiced public outreach unusual for female religious of the era; ecclesiastical opposition to women in active ministry eventually obliged Francis de Sales to recast it as a cloistered community under the Rule of St. Augustine. (likely)
• After Francis de Sales died, Vincent de Paul served as Jane's spiritual director for the remaining years of her life. (likely)
• Her granddaughter Marie de Rabutin-Chantal became the celebrated French writer known as the marquise de Sévigné, famed for her letters. (certain)
• In 2022 the Episcopal Church officially added Jane Frances de Chantal to its liturgical calendar, assigning her a feast shared with Francis de Sales on 12 December. (certain)