BLESSED FRANCES D'AMBOISE
FOUNDER OF WOMEN'S MONASTERIES IN FRANCE
"In everything, do whatever will make God most loved."
Born on May 29th, 1497, to Louis d'Amboise, Prince of Talmont and Viscount of Thouars, and Louise-Marie de Rieux, with whom she lived in the court of Brittany with her pious nurse Jeanne of France, credited with having preserved the relic of Saint Vincent Ferrer, the Dominican penitent who rode through the region on a mule during those years. At the age of four Frances was engaged to Peter, the future Duke of Brittany, who was only ten years old at the time, in a political arrangement calculated to end the violence that plagued the region. At that time Brittany in northern France was of mixed French and Celtic population. At the age of fifteen, Frances and Peter were married. At the death of Peter's older brother in 1450, Frances became the Duchess of Brittany with her husband ruling as Duke Peter II. They maintained a chaste marriage at Frances' request, although Peter's jealous nature caused her much suffering. Frances became known as "the blessed Duchess of Brittany," whom Peter himself acknowledged as the gentle ruler whose counsel he sought. After the death of her husband of smallpox in 1457, Frances, still young and beautiful, resisted the attempt of King Louis XI of France to force her to marry him. Frances had wanted to enter religious life from her childhood and had founded a monastery of Poor Clares during Peter's lifetime. Finally, with the help of Blessed John Soreth, Prior General of the Carmelite Order who had established some monasteries for women in the Netherlands, in 1468 she entered a Carmelite monastery known as The Three Maries which they had founded in Bondon, near Vannes, the first Carmelite monastery for women in France, situated near a monastery of friars. Blessed John continued to work with Frances, who reluctantly served as prioress of the new monastery for women. Some of their legislation differed from that of the friars. Frances' rule was unusual in that she encouraged daily Communion, a vow of strict enclosure, and fidelity to regular prayer. She died in 1485, in Nantes, where she had transferred the monastery from Bondon. She was beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1863 on July 16, Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
FOUNDER OF WOMEN'S MONASTERIES IN FRANCE
"In everything, do whatever will make God most loved."
Born on May 29th, 1497, to Louis d'Amboise, Prince of Talmont and Viscount of Thouars, and Louise-Marie de Rieux, with whom she lived in the court of Brittany with her pious nurse Jeanne of France, credited with having preserved the relic of Saint Vincent Ferrer, the Dominican penitent who rode through the region on a mule during those years. At the age of four Frances was engaged to Peter, the future Duke of Brittany, who was only ten years old at the time, in a political arrangement calculated to end the violence that plagued the region. At that time Brittany in northern France was of mixed French and Celtic population. At the age of fifteen, Frances and Peter were married. At the death of Peter's older brother in 1450, Frances became the Duchess of Brittany with her husband ruling as Duke Peter II. They maintained a chaste marriage at Frances' request, although Peter's jealous nature caused her much suffering. Frances became known as "the blessed Duchess of Brittany," whom Peter himself acknowledged as the gentle ruler whose counsel he sought. After the death of her husband of smallpox in 1457, Frances, still young and beautiful, resisted the attempt of King Louis XI of France to force her to marry him. Frances had wanted to enter religious life from her childhood and had founded a monastery of Poor Clares during Peter's lifetime. Finally, with the help of Blessed John Soreth, Prior General of the Carmelite Order who had established some monasteries for women in the Netherlands, in 1468 she entered a Carmelite monastery known as The Three Maries which they had founded in Bondon, near Vannes, the first Carmelite monastery for women in France, situated near a monastery of friars. Blessed John continued to work with Frances, who reluctantly served as prioress of the new monastery for women. Some of their legislation differed from that of the friars. Frances' rule was unusual in that she encouraged daily Communion, a vow of strict enclosure, and fidelity to regular prayer. She died in 1485, in Nantes, where she had transferred the monastery from Bondon. She was beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1863 on July 16, Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.