My daughter Jocelyn’s wonderful and humbling post (reprinted in full with permission of the author below) reminded me of the true motiving spirit behind our IndexCardCure™. The call to all to dwell for a moment in contemplation and togetherness came mostly from the vision of my co-blogger Joan Smith Gray. I was just a foot soldier!

Jocelyn photographed the amazing bench, complete with Joan’s butterflies, in Ireland. Its beauty prompted me to picture the bench dedicated to Joan Smith Gray’s memory this past June. I am sharing the credit given to me below with the spirit of my remarkable friend. I’ll have more about this fitting tribute to Joan, and her continued invitation to walk mindfully in love, next week.

In the meantime, enjoy Jocelyn’s meditation:

Photo by Jocelyn Collen 2024 bench in Grange Stone Circle, Ireland

Jane Frances de Chantel (1572-1641) – Feast Day August 12 

“Throw ourselves into God as a little drop of water into the sea, and lose ourselves indeed in the Ocean of the divine goodness.” – Saint Jane Frances de Chantel

When I became a Spiritual Director, one of the units in my formation was entitled “Ways of Prayer and Discernment.” We focused our mornings learning about the great spiritual teachers such as: St. Clare of Assisi, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Francis, and St. Jane Frances de Chantel, to name a few. My mother’s name is Jane Frances, so I have always felt connected to Saint Jane Frances, and I was delighted to learn more about her. Saint Jane had four children and her father was a lawyer. Just like my mother. She was also a spiritual leader ahead of her time. She brought people together in a holy way, and allowed herself the space to care for her children, just like my mother. 

Saint Jane was a spiritual director for people in her community. She would provide sacred ground to listen to the stirrings of God in the lives of her neighbors. As a Spiritual Director myself, I am always humbled to hear of the ways that God is alive in my directees, and to notice the way each person responds to invitations from God. Saint Jane Frances had a powerful vision and needed the help of her friend, Bishop Saint Francis de Sales, to make that vision into a reality. After Saint Jane’s husband died in a hunting accident, leaving her with four young children, she felt called to create a community for women. She envisioned a religious community for women who were not welcomed in traditional religious orders because of their ages and/or abilities. The Bishop Saint Francis de Sales gave Saint Jane permission to open a community called The Congregation of the Visitation. This was a community specifically for those the mainstream orders typically rejected such as elderly women, people with different abilities, or people who might not have been able to live in seclusion from the world. Saint Jane heard the call of these women, and nurtured a space for them to gather together and praise God. Further, the Congregation of the Visitation did not cloister women. So just as Saint Jane needed to tend to her children outside of the community, other women had family responsibilities outside of their congregation. By the end of her life, over 80 communities were established by Saint Jane and her Congregation. 

I wonder if we have encountered people in our lives who have been excluded from a community with which they would love to belong? I wonder if you yourself might be feeling excluded in some way? In our world today, we need to be cultivators of spaces that are inclusive and welcoming. God calls each of us to use our gifts in a unique way. If we are feeling excluded from some place where we feel we could live out our vocation fully, may we have the courage to create and/or find somewhere that will welcome us with open arms. My own mother, Jane, did so. She created a virtual space, called The Index Card Cure, with her best friend and soul sister, Joan. Together they have provided a platform for women to pray, wonder, celebrate, grieve, and create. 

May the leadership of inclusivity, welcoming hospitality, and gentle listening of Saint Jane inspire us all to listen to God with our hearts and lives, to listen to those around us, and to work tirelessly to create inclusive communities that welcome everyone to shine their light, especially those who might have been unjustly cast aside. May the God of infinite love guide us to the infinitely large tent that has room for us all! Amen. — Jocelyn Collen, MDiv. August 2024

This piece brought tears to my eyes, and a vow to my lips: to live up to the tribute contained in it, and not let anything prevent me from living and acting only in love.

© Jane F. Collen  August 6, 2024 IndexCardCure.com™ cultivating welcoming spaces