This month we continue with our series about the Mystics of Visitation Monastery of Nantes, France.
Sister Angelique Claude Garnier is symbolized by the violet.
She entered the Visitation Monastery at the age of 17, in 1654. Her vocation was rooted in spiritual and physical trials. During her retreat before Profession, the Child Jesus came to her to direct her retreat. This mystical experience of His appearance to Sister continued throughout her religious life.
Sister Angelique was simple and innocent, but also had distressing doubts. One evening, after complaining to the Child Jesus, she fell asleep overwhelmed. It seemed then that a dove came to her and said, “Fear not, the way you have is very good, all that leads to death to oneself is not deception.” Then the dove brought her into a garden filled with flowers and gave her two: “Be like these little flowers in the garden of the Bridegroom.” Of the two small flowers that had been given to her, she forgot one but remembered the violet.
Her conversation with the Child Jesus was so constant and so loving that it would appear they were two friends who communicate together frequently.
For the salvation of souls, she was ready for any sacrifice; once it was a soul in Purgatory, the brother of her superior, whom the Lord entrusted to her. Another time she obtained the conversion of a sinner, and for that Sister Angelique Claude suffered for nearly a year of an unknown disease.
God was pleased to spread its light and dew on this humble flower. She loved Scripture, especially the prophets and the Song of Songs.
Close to her death, she asked to be read the New Testament and the Rule of the Visitation to be fortified. She went to God in the month of May 1667. And this humble violet went to the garden of the Bridegroom who promised his kingdom to His children.
Source:
http://visitation-nantes.fr/soeur-claude-angelique-garnier/