Election of Mother Anne Françoise Chardon 1642.
Thus passed the two triennials of our very Honored Mother Jeanne Françoise de Saint-Vincent; in 1642, we elected our Very Honored Mother Anne Françoise Chardon. She had made her profession in our Monastery of Annecy for the rank of Lay Sisters, our Blessed Mother had her promoted to the rank of Associated Sisters to send her to France to help in our Monastery of Riom, from which she came with Mother Marie Catherine Chariel to establish this Monastery of Metz. When this Most Honored Mother left this foundation to return to France, this Very Honored Sister was one of those who remained in our Monastery of Pont-à-Mousson, where she was elected Superior two years later. She was in charge there for three years and was deposed when our Community called her here by her election. It is impossible to express the joy that our virtuous Depot received when she saw this new Mother arrive; she placed the house in her hands, delighted to return to the happy state of inferior, where she hoped to find the happiness of her early years and to taste in the silence of solitude the gift of God.
Sad departure of the virtuous Deposed.
But this great soul did not know at that time that this was the means by which the divine Saviour wished to communicate to her the bitterness of her Chalice, by very sensible crosses and afflictions, God having accepted the offer which she had made of all herself to his divine Majesty, to suffer whatever pleased him; she did this act out of a transport of zeal and charity, on an occasion when the safety of a person of her acquaintance was at stake. There was therefore suddenly a frightful gust of wind in a certain mind which, under some rather specious pretext, undertook to get this Most Honored Sisters out of Metz, and to make her return to Pont-à-Mousson. The thing was done so cleverly that she had no knowledge of it; she was accused by her superiors of several rather ill-founded facts, but her whole crime was that our Community retained too much tenderness and confidence for her, as if it were not a duty and a justice to have respect and gratitude for the Deposed, even since our holy rules order us to do so. How right it was to have for this dear Sister who had taken so much pains and suffered so much for this foundation, of which she had raised all the Sisters as her dear children. However, the necessary obedience and permission were obtained, and an honest clergyman, a Turn Sister, and a crew were sent without telling him.
When the evening of this sad day came, this virtuous Deposed was led to the cloister door, under the pretext of seeing a wall that was being built, and she was then told that she must return to her monastery of profession, putting in her hand the obedience of the Spiritual Father. Then this truly humble and perfect obedient woman, by a rare virtue that is firmly established, threw herself on her knees and, without asking why or for what reason, she acquiesced in the will of God which was signified to her, she only asked to go and say goodbye to her dear Sisters and beloved daughters. She was refused for fear that such a surprise would make a noise, the closing door was instantly opened, and she entered the carriage with the Turn Sister; what is admirable is that during the whole journey this dear Deposed never testified to being touched by this strange proceeding. As soon as the Community knew that she had gone out and in what way, there was a terrible consternation in our house; the tears and sighs put all the Sisters in a pitiful state; but in the end the virtue which they had learned so well from this dear Foundress, made them submit to the orders of Divine Providence on so sensitive an occasion.
Our Most Honored Mother Anne Françoise Chardon governed this Community with blessing and a very great zeal for the exact practice of our holy regulations, which she found by the grace of God very well established in our House, having only to maintain and perfect what had been so well begun. It was consumed with toil and work for the benefit of the Community; we are indebted to her for the stone pumps for the washing, and for a large cistern, which she and our Sisters dug in the cellar with inconceivable fatigue, which is very useful to us.
We send to ask for help from our monasteries.
This Most Honored Mother received some subjects; their dowries in a ruined country could only be very modest, and did little relief to the Community. So she looked for a way to relieve her daughters, and found one that the Superiors approved. It was to send our dear Turn Sister Jeanne Gabriel Gallois to make a small collection near those of our Monasteries who would be in a position to give some help. The thing succeeded, she brought in about 4000 pounds, which, with the consolation she had of visiting the tomb of our Holy Founder, greatly compensated her for her troubles. She fortunately returned to Metz, where she arrived on the eve of our great feast of the Visitation, very opportune to provide a means of removing the silverware from the sacristy which we had been obliged to pawn, so that without this trait of Providence, it would have been necessary to borrow even from the sacred vessels to perform divine service on this holy day. Heaven did not allow us to enjoy for long the happiness of the conduct of this worthy Superior; she was attacked with a cruel cancer, and died of the violence of this unfortunate malady, on June 28, 1647.