Francis & Me: St. Vincent de Paul on St. Jane
While on his last trip to Paris in 1621, Francis de Sales (1567-1622) committed the care of the first Visitation monastery in that city to his friend and fellow priest, Vincent de Paul. After St. Francis died the following year, Vincent de Paul became the spiritual director of Jane de Chantal, the co-founder (with de Sales) of the Order of the Visitation. They remained spiritual friends for twenty years, until her death in 1641.
After her death, the future saint recalled the life of Mother de Chantal:
“It seemed to me that she was full of every sort of virtue, and particularly of faith. Because of her strong faith, throughout her life, she was beset by strong temptations of doubt. Yet she always had supreme confidence in God. Mother de Chantal was wise, moderate, tolerant, and firm to a most unusual degree. The spirit of humility, austerity, obedience, and zeal for the perfecting of her Order and the salvation of souls absorbed most of her time. I have never observed any faults in her but always saw her put into practice her virtues and the rule of her community.
Although she seemed to possess the peace and quietness of spirit that is natural to souls that have advanced far in the devout life, she underwent intense inward suffering. She told me many times in speech and writing that it was a continual effort for her to withhold the thought that she did not deserve to go to heaven. In spite of this anguish, she never lost her outward calm nor slackened in the practices of a Christian and a nun. I believe her to have been one of the holiest souls that I have met on this earth.”
