Most of what follows comes from this weeks bulletin from my home parish of St. Jane de Chantal in Abita Springs, LA:
400 years ago on this date, after considerable prayer, discernment, spiritual direction from and planning with her special friend and co-founder, St. Francis de Sales, St. Jane de Chantal started the religious order of the Visitation of Holy Mary. On this day 400 years ago it happened to be Sunday and it was the feast day of the Most Holy Trinity. It was St. Francis de Sales that picked the name Visitation because he found in that name a "thousand spiritual insights" which also summarized the spirit of the new group. He wanted it to include worship, adoration, thanksgiving, prayer, relationship and the hidden mutual service of women.
The new religious community was welcomed in the town of Annecy, France. The founders were St. Jane, Jeanne-Charlotte de Brechard and Anne-Jacqueline Coste. They were joined in their new home by two of St. Jane's daughters; Marie-Aime and Francoise. St. Jane declared "this is the place of our delight and rest."
The growth and development of the Order was incredibly fast during St. Jane's lifetime. Currently there are twelve communities of the Visitation in the United States including the closest in Mobile, Alabama and the Georgetown Monastery that is on the front page of this very website. Their blog is livejesus.blogspot.com.
Live + Jesus is the motto of St. Jane de Chantal.
So we congratulate and give thanks to God for the 400th anniversary of the Visitation Order and for the life of St. Jane de Chantal; patron saint of my home parish!
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