Saint Léonie Françoise De Sales Aviat: God's Little Instrument


Today's saint is Saint Léonie Françoise De Sales Aviat (1844 - 1914), also known as "God's Little Instrument."

Léonie Aviat was born in Sézanne, in the region of Champagne (France) on September 16, 1844. She attended school at the Monastery of the Visitation in the city of Troyes, which prepared her for the  future mission with which she was to be entrusted: the foundation of a Congregation committed to the Salesian spirituality and to the evangelization of young workers.

Along with Father Louis Brisson and Mother Marie Therese de Sales Chappuis,  Léonie founded the Sister Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales in Troyes, dedicated to helping young women who poured into the cities during the Industrial Revolution.

On April 18, 1866, she entered religious life. Two years later, she was clothed with the religious habit and received the name of Sister Francis de Sales. On October 11, 1871, she made her final vows and the following year, was elected Superior General of the new congregation. Under her guidance, the community grew in numbers, the social apostolate unfolded and girls' schools were opened. In Paris, the first residence for young ladies was started, an establishment which Mother Aviat directed for eight years..

In 1893, she was re-elected as Superior General, a post which she held until her death. In 1903, she had to cope with the persecution directed against religious orders in France. While maintaining the houses of her Congregation that could be maintained in France, she transferred the Mother House to Perugia, Italy and the Order was approved by Pope Saint Pius X in 1911.

On January 10, 1914, she died in Perugia with serenity, totally entrusting herself to God. To the very end, she remained faithful to the resolution made at the time of her Profession: "To forget myself entirely". To her daughters in every age, she left this very Salesian precept: "Let us work for the happiness of others".

What Pope John II had to say about her:

[She] dedicated her life to educating young working women. Union with the redemptive sacrifice of Christ by the daily practice of self denial was Mother Francois’s central orientation throughout her life. Her sole desire to be, as she said, ‘God’s little instrument.’”

~ Pope John Paul II in the beatification ceremony for Saint Léonie Françoise De Sales Aviat

Saint Quotes:

"May my love unceasingly offer something to my Divine Jesus."

"Let us establish a permanent Spring season in our heart through ‘yes’ often repeated to all of God’s permissions and wills."
-

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