St. Jane Frances de Chantal

St. Jane Frances de Chantal was born Jeanne-Françoise Frémyot on January 23, 1572, in Dijon, France, to Bénigne Frémyot, the royalist president of the Parliament of Burgundy. Her mother died when she was just 18 months old, and her father became the main influence on her upbringing. In 1592, she married the Baron de Chantal, with whom she had four children. Following her husband's accidental death in a hunting accident in 1601, she took a vow of chastity. In 1604, she heard St. Francis de Sales preach at Dijon and placed herself under his spiritual direction. In 1610, Chantal co-founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary with de Sales in Annecy, establishing a unique religious community that accepted women of poor health or advanced age. The order grew rapidly, with 86 houses by the time of her death. Chantal was known for her strong spirituality and management skills, and her reputation for sanctity attracted many. She died on December 13, 1641, at the Visitation Convent in Moulins. She was beatified in 1751 and canonized in 1767, although there is a discrepancy in the exact canonization year in some sources, which often cite 1767 rather than 1774. Her feast day is celebrated on August 21.