“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Leviticus 19:18

I held my 6th Little Flowers meeting on the First Saturday of February.   My group was invited to a Tea Party with the older girls’ group, RMGS – Rosa Mystica Girls Society. The girls eagerly arrived with their tea cups in hand. About 15 Little Flowers attended Mass as group. The remaining girls attended with their families.

We were scheduled to study St. Francis Xavier Cabrini and the virtue of industry but I decided to go with St. Jane Frances de Chantal and Love of Our Neighbor.  I thought it was most fitting since we would be sharing fellowship with other young ladies “neighbors” and St. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.

The children didn’t mind but I did cause a thorn for the mom who signed up for snacks. She lovingly planned a special treat that was to coordinate with industry and the daffodil. She graciously accepted the news that the saint had been moved to another month.

There were 28 girls in attendance. Five of which joined us after their Communion lessons. The parish gym was transformed into a lovely tea room.

Father L also made an appearance. I, however, failed to have the girls stop their activities to greet Father. It was hectic and I didn’t think I could pull it off and by the time I made the resolution to have the girls properly greet father, he was gone. I regret not making an effort immediately when he entered the tea room.

The girls were served tea and invited to be first to the treat table.

My mom-team and I were diligently working with girls on using manners and proper etiquette.

As expected, the girls got wrapped up in the novelty of tea. They enjoyed pouring the milk and plunking their sugar cubes into their tea. They even took delight in smelling their tea and touching their cups for the warmth. They did not, however, care for the tea itself. Thank goodness my snack mom had the forethought to bring juice boxes.

The girls washed their tea cups and the mom-team labeled the cups with their names so they would be certain to make it home.

Then the girls were briefly excused from their tables for some wiggle time. They met in the corner of the tea room. This gave us a chance to clear the tables and prep them for our craft.

Each table received a pack of gold heart frames, a selection of (unused) cards to repurpose, red craft papers, an assortment of heart foam stickers and art supplies. The girls were given little instruction. They were encouraged to create wonderful masterpieces of love. I visited each table while the girls were crafting. I shared the story of St. Jane Frances de Chantal.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal grew up in a devout home and married a man whom she loved. Together, they had 6 children, 2 of which died. Her husband was killed by his friend in a tragic hunting accident. Before his death he offered his friend forgiveness. St. Frances de Chantal could not bring herself to forgive the man that killed her husband. It took her many years to open herself up to God’s grace and be able to forgive. She eventually forgave the man and became close friends with his family. She even became his son’s Godmother. St. Jane Frances de Chantal lived a holy life and sought direction from St. Francis de Sales. She was eventually directed (by St. Francis de Sales) to start her own order. She served her destitute neighbors with great love.

The children were asked to brainstorm who their neighbors were. They were able to list five different examples before coming to the realization that we are all neighbors, including their family members. The girls shared ideas how they could show their love for their neighbors, each other.

It was lovely to see and hear their excitement of sharing their created cards with their neighbors. Some of the girls even shared their cards with friends at the tea party.The girls were encouraged to find ways to love their neighbors. I think that I may coordinate a parish project for the girls. It would be a great way to show their love of neighbor, their parish community.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Ora Pro Nobis

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“My dear daughters, let us not have illusions; it is necessary that for our affection, to be blessed by God, it has to be equal and uniform for all, for our Savior has not ordered us to love some more than others, but He has said: Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~ St. Jane Frances de Chantal

HANDOUTS:

• Divider Page
• Activity Sheet
• St. Jane Frances de Chantal Bio for Kids – Holy Spirit Interactive
• Love of Our Neighbor Memory Verse
• Coloring Page – St. Frances de Chantal from Waltzing Matilda
• Love of Our Neighbor Info Page – Inspired by Jessica at Shower of Roses

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“The motive behind the love you profess for your sisters should only come from the womb of God; if it is outside of it, then it is worth nothing . . . . When this union with our sisters is more pure, more general and more complete, only then will our union with God be greater.” ~ St. Jane Frances de Chantal

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Me with an exhausted Dragonfly.

Thank you to my mom-team who lent a helping hand.  I couldn’t do it without you!

Jane Frances Fremiot, Baroness de Chantal, the foundress and first Mother Superior of the Order of the Visitation, is honored by the Church for the holiness of her youth, of her married life, of her widowhood, and of her life in religion.

"One thing alone is necessary: it is to have God. In short, then, no matter what is going on, we must hold both our attention and our love on God, not wasting our time in studying what is happening to ourselves or what its cause is. Our Lord asks this of us." ~ St. Jane Frances de Chantal, (56) Wings to the Lord: Thoughts on Prayer by St. Jane Frances de Chantal

SAINT JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL
Widow

1572 – 1641

August 21st in the Traditional Calendar ~ August 18 New Calendar (USA)

Born of noble parents at Dijon in Burgundy, Jane Frances Frémiot de Chantal lost her mother while she was still a girl, and commended herself to the care of the Virgin Mother of God.  Her father gave her in marriage to the Baron de Chantal, and she showed herself to be a valiant woman above all others, making herself all things to all persons.  When her husband was killed while hunting, she made a vow of continence, and she so mastered herself that she did not hesitate to act as godmother to the son of the man who killed her husband.  Lest later on she should be moved from her determination to observe chastity, she renewed her vow and inscribed the most holy Name of Jesus on her breast with a hot iron.  With St. Francis de Sales as her spiritual director, who taught her the divine will, she laid the foundations of the religious Institute of the Visitation of Holy Mary, which she spread fare and wide.  Finally she bound herself by a vow always to do what she understood to be most perfect.  Full of merits, she went to the Lord on the 13th day of December, 1641, at Moulins, and was enrolled among the Saints by Clement XIII.

"Often pray spontaneously to God, whenever you can, and in whatever setting, always seeing God in your heart and your heart in God." ~ St. Francis de Chantal

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At the age of twenty-one Jane married the young Baron de Chantal,

Jane in her widow’s veil.

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"Love! love! love! my daughters; I know nothing else." ~ St. Jane Frances de Chantal

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Jane receiving the Constitutions for her community from Francis.

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”You have sent me the leaves of the tree: send me some of its fruits, in order that I may judge of them; I set little value on simple leaves. All I can say at present is that the fruits of a good heart that God nourishes are total oblivion of self, an unbounded love of humiliations, and a limitless joy for all that is done to advance God’s glory."  ~  Saint Frances de Chantal

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RESOURCES:

• St. Agnes Love of God Info Page – inspiration found here by Jessica
• St. Frances de Chantal Bio – EWTN
• St. Frances de Chantal Bio – Catholic
• St. Jane Frances de Chantal – Catholic Culture
• Patron Saint of Girls – The Life of St. Frances de Chantal
• St. Jane Frances de Chantal – A Biographical Sketch
• St. Frances de Chantal Thoughts on Prayer
• Novena to St. Jane Frances de Chantal
• Video on the Visitation Order – Founded by St. Francis de Sales & St. Jane Frances de Chantal

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 "If we patiently accept through love all that God allows to happen, then we will begin to taste even here on earth something of the delights the saints experience in heaven. But for this we must serve God willingly and lovingly, seeking to obey the Divine Will rather than to follow our own inclinations and desires. For the perfection of love demands that we desire for ourselves only whatever God wills. Let us implore the good God unceasingly to grant us this grace!"

~St. Jane Frances de Chantal