SAINT FEAST DAY 6 MARCH: ST COLETTE

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH

Saints celebrated on the 6th of March

WELCOME!

SAINT COLETTE, VIRGIN

Saint Colette was born in 1381 and at the age of 17, when both her parents died, St Colette joined the Franciscan Third Order. She lived for eight years as a hermit at Corbie Abbey in Picardy, France. Towards the end of this time St Colette had a vision of St Francis who charged her to restore the Order of Poor Clares to their original austerity. When Friar Henry de Beaume came in 1406 to confirm her mission, St Colette had the door of her hut torn down, a sign that her solitude was now over and her work had begun. And then she prayed her commitment:

A MISSION

‘I dedicate myself in health, in illness, in my life, in my death, in all my duties, in all my deeds so that I may never work henceforth except for your glory, for the salvation of souls, and towards the reform for which you have chosen me. From this moment on, dearest Lord, there is nothing which I am not prepared to undertake for love of you.’

St Colette’s first efforts to reform convents met with vigorous opposition. She then sought the approval of Pope Benedict XIII, who professed her as a Poor Clare and put her in charge of all convents she would reform. Thus equipped, she launched her reform in 1410. St Colette spent every Friday meditating on the Passion of Christ and prayed daily for the conversion of sinners. She personally brought many sinners back to God and His Church.

SHE PRAYED DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS

Before St Colette’s death in 1447, the saint had founded or renewed 17 convents and several friaries throughout France, Savoy, Burgundy and Spain. St Colette died at the age of 66 at her convent in Ghent, Flanders.

One of St Colette’s prayers: ‘O good Jesus! O Jesus our redeemer, do not abandon us nor punish us as our sins deserve, but hear our humble prayer and grant what we ask, by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of your holy name. Amen.’

From: Spiritual Thought from Fr Chris

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Colette may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.