St. Colette

St. Colette was born on January 13, 1381, in Corbie, France, to a carpenter father and his wife. Her birth was seen as a miracle by her parents, who had prayed to Saint Nicholas after years of infertility. At 17, Colette was orphaned and began exploring religious life, joining the Beguines and later becoming a lay sister in a Benedictine order. In 1402, she adopted the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis and lived as a hermit near the Corbie Abbey. Inspired by visions, she sought to reform the Poor Clares, returning them to their original austere lifestyle. In 1406, with support from Antipope Benedict XIII, Colette began her reform efforts, founding her first monastery in Besançon in 1410. Her reform spread across France, Savoy, and other regions, establishing 17 monasteries during her lifetime. Colette died on March 6, 1447, in Ghent. She was canonized in 1807, recognized for her dedication to the Franciscan ideals of poverty and austerity. Her legacy continues through the Colettine Poor Clares, a testament to her enduring influence on Catholic religious life. St. Colette is also venerated as a patron saint of women seeking to conceive and expectant mothers.