The Feast of St. Frances of Rome is celebrated on March 9th and is significant to Visitandines in light of St. Francis de Sales’ admiration for the Saint.
He used her life and experiences as examples in both his major works, Introduction to the Devout Life, and Treatise on the Love of God.
As Founder of the Visitation Order with St. Jane de Chantal, St. Francis de Sales’ unique expression of this monastic community also somewhat resembled the institute of which St. Frances of Rome was the Superior.
Author Elizabeth Stopp, in her book, Madame de Chantal, Portrait of a Saint, p. 122-123, says, “The only institute St Francis had ever known which even remotely resembled his own project was that at Torre di Specchi in Rome, where an informal congregation of Benedictine Oblates, mostly widows, lived together in community. They devoted themselves to prayer in the first instance, but also did good works, living without a formal religious rule and without enclosure. St Frances of Rome, their superior, was canonized in 1608; Francis de Sales took great interest in her cause and spoke of her work to Madame de Chantal. He did not model his own institute on this; the parallels were incidental and based on similarity of circumstance. These Italian Oblates were drawn from among the same classes as those whom St Francis himself directed in Savoy and in France: that is, women of the upper and professional classes, who were literate, and like Madame de Chantal, had a sense of social responsibility quite apart from their spiritual qualities. But there were differences.”
In referring to St. Frances of Rome in his Introduction, he writes this singular passage, which gives a hint of his own spirituality:
“Saint Frances, as she knelt to pray beside the banks of a pleasant streamlet, cried out in ecstasy, “The Grace of my Dear Lord flows softly and sweetly even as these refreshing waters”.
May grace abound within you this Monday on St Frances of Rome’s Feast Day!