Jane de Chantal

Jane de Chantal, Carmelite Nun, (1572–1641) and Catholic saint, founded the religious Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary. Born in Dijon, France, as the daughter of the royalist president of the Parliament of Burgundy. Left a widow at 28, Chantal took a vow of chastity. In 1604, she heard the bishop of Geneva, Francis de Sales, preach the Lenten sermons at the Sainte Chapelle. They became close friends and de Sales became her spiritual director. She worked with de Sales to establish an order of religious sisters who would live and work among the people they served. More than 80 convents were established in Jane’s lifetime.