Saint of the Day: St. Collette, Virgin and Abbess


Born in 1380, Nicolette was named in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra. Her loving parents, who were both in their 60's when she was born, nicknamed her Colette from the time she was a baby. Colette's father was a carpenter at an abbey in Picardy. Quiet and hard-working, Colette was a pious child, who prayed frequently, eagerly assisted her mother with household chores, and demonstrated a sensitive and loving nature.

When Collette was 17, both of her parents died and was left her in the care of a Benedictine abbot. Her guardian wanted her to marry, but she was drawn to religious life. She initially tried to join the Beguine and Benedictine orders, but neither one worked out for her. Instead, she became a third order Franciscan. At age 21 she renounced the world in order to spend her life alone in penance and prayer as an anchoress - walled into a cell whose only opening was a grilled window into a church. She soon became well known for her holiness and spiritual wisdom, but left her cell in 1406 in response to a dream directing her to reform the Poor Clares.

She traveled to visit Pope Benedict XIII, who professed her as a Poor Clare. He was so impressed with her that he made her superioress-general of the whole order of St. Clare, with full power to establish whatever regulations and rules she thought were needed to reform the order. She attempted to revive the primitive rule and spirit of St. Francis, but had to deal with considerable opposition. Eventually, the opposition gave way.
She founded seventeen convents with the reformed rule and reformed several older convents. She was well-known for her wisdom, sanctity, ecstasies, and visions of the Passion.

Collette foretold her own death and passed away in one of her convents in Ghent, Flanders, on March 6, 1447. She was sixty-seven. Colette was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius VI in 1807.

Quote

"If there be a true way that leads to the Everlasting Kingdom, it is most certainly that of suffering, patiently endured."
~ St. Collette

Comments

  1. St. Collette is my mother's patron saint. They chose one another only a year ago when Mum was preparing to become Catholic :-)

    ReplyDelete

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