Jewels from Jane - November 22
NOVEMBER 22
REFLECTION ON THE FEAST OF MOTHER ST. JOHN FONTBONNE
NOVEMBER 22, 2004
Just mention the name of Mother St. John Fontbonne, and I expect into most of your minds springs somewhat the same picture. I must admit I found myself wondering whether she would have chosen that familiar pose of herself to be on display over all these years, or if asked, might she have preferred to supply us with another picture of herself more to her liking.
As I was reflecting on what I would say today about Mother St. John, I found myself somewhat in the same position as someone who uncovers the fact that a distant relative has significantly influenced the course of their life. I felt myself experiencing a certain sense of sadness at no longer having an opportunity for the two of us to meet.
It's standard fare nowadays in researching one's ancestry to do an internet and/or library search. Available literature offered me this impressive resume of Mother St. John's characteristics, qualities and virtues.
Her contemporaries found her to possess an admirable set of qualities of spirit and manner: a steadying calmness, a very persuasive manner, a generous nature, a deep faith, a joyous spirit, a strong ability to lead others, and a rare level of energy. Furthermore it was noted that she possessed a keen intellect and a refined sense of judgement.
It's quite easy to see why this woman became a strong leader in her own religious community and such an influential woman amidst the turbulent times in which she lived.
More than 200 years ago Mother St. John accepted God's call to assume what was to become a significant, historical role to gather a group of dispersed religious and to restore the Sisters of St. Joseph. Rightfully speaking, she can be named our second foundress. Mother St. John provides a human link with the beginnings of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
As restorer of the Sisters of St. Joseph she was instrumental in fanning the flame of the endangered CSJ charism amidst the terror and confusion of the French Revolution. No doubt she would humbly divert credit from herself for this achievement. She continued, in the years immediately following the French Revolution, to play a key role in encouraging the spread of the CSJ charism throughout France, into other parts of Europe, and during her time of leadership across the great expanse of the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.
Our very existence as a Community of Sisters of St. Joseph, as well as, 40+ CSJ Congregations, including growing numbers of Associate members, have been directly impacted by her life and ministry.
Though her body rests in Lyons, the essence of her spirit lives on in each of us as we share with her the CSJ charism. Throughout the course of her life she was certainly an excellent model of someone who was attuned and dedicated to the core mission of our charism. She routinely practiced with great love the spiritual and corporate works of mercy which woman is capable of and which benefitted the dear neighbor.
In many respects the events of her life resemble much of our own experience.
- She received her early education from the local Sisters of St. Joseph
- In her late teens she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph
- Our sister, Jeanne, became known by her religious name
- Mother St. John was missioned to various locations in need of her particular talents
- She endeavored to grow in greater responsiveness to the Spirit's inspiration in the particular circumstances of her times
- She even found herself involved in a controversy concerning the appropriate size of building windows
As I continued to read about her and reflected on her life, I found myself wanting to surmise how the life of this woman of the past might resonate with the movement of the Spirit in our times as described in the words of our 2003 Chapter Statement.
"Urged by God's Spirit we choose to so live our contemplative spirituality that the fire of our charism may be released in effecting systemic justice."
I am quite confident in saying that Mother St. John showed throughout her life to faithfully respond to God's appeal for justice-making as put forth in the words of the prophet Isaiah. I believe her actions attest to her efforts
- to make room for the poor one,
- to make way for the stranger,
- to clothe the naked,
- to be home for the homeless,
- hope for others,
- and to welcome the lost
She endeavored to act in fidelity in response to the circumstances of her life and times.
It is good for us to recall that the Sisters of St. Joseph had been living the charism for a century before the birth of Jeanne Fontbonne. As a young person, our sister Jeanne found herself attracted to the living fire of the CSJ charism as she experienced it in her interactions with her Aunt, Sister St. Francis, and the other Sisters of St. Joseph in her locale. She repeatedly pleaded with her mother to attend the exercise of spiritual reading with her Aunt and the other Sisters. Her own insights on these readings left a stong impression on her listeners. From an early age she displayed a deep appreciation of God and truly savored the sacred.
In examining her life we discover the courageous choices she and her family made in resisting the unjust systems of her times. Bravely she stood up to those who would rob others of their religious freedom. She held her ground in the face of intimidation and the formidable pressure tactics of the misguided civil and ecclesiastical authorities of her day. She made the difficult choice of choosing to act in civil disobedience rather than surrender to their demand to take the civil oath, in spite of being subjected to brute force.
Mother St. John, and her family also, at great risk to themselves, offered sanctuary to the many outlawed clergy by providing these priests with a safe haven in their family home.
So, I wouldn't be surprised, if Mother St. John were present among us now, to see her volunteering to be on the ecology committee. No doubt she'd take the opportunity to poke her head into the Systemic Justice Office to see what Joan and Sue were involved in. I suppose she'd be one of the first ones to sign the human rights petition posted in the mail room. She'd be a familiar sight in the community room reading the London Free Press to keep abreast of world affairs. Certainly she would be appalled to hear of the trafficking of women and children.
I feel if she were alive today, Mother St. John would take the initiatives necessary to choose to live as a contemplative in the present day world open to uncovering God's intentions and endeavoring to follow God's direction. She would easily recognize God's grace at work as Spirit urges us to increase our attentiveness to God and our mindfulness of the justice issues of our times.
Permit me now to take you on a virtual trip to Lyons. Enter with me into the preserved bedroom of Mother St. John. In this little room in an out of the way corridor, during the last years of her life, she found extended time to pursue what had been a pattern throughout her entire life, to bask in solitude and to enjoy speaking heart to heart with her God. In this faraway place, which seems so much nearer to us now with the opening of our International Centre....
Let your eyes glance up to see a framed picture on her bedroom wall. The one of Mother St. John's in her familiar pose. Now walk over closer to the wall and translate for yourself the French inscription which hangs beneath her picture - Woman of Courage, Woman of Faith, Woman of Heart. In essence this is her legacy to us.
Be assured that today, as we celebrate her Feast Day, Mother St. John wishes to intercede for us. Through her intercession may we be strengthened in our innermost being through God's Spirit, may our awareness of Christ dwelling in our hearts increase, and may we find ourselves more deeply rooted and grounded in love. As we gather at this Eucharistic feast may we thank our God for the graces we have obtained through Mother St. John, whose efforts preserved for future generations the treasure of the sacred gift of the CSJ charism. Nourished at this table by the Bread of Life may we be strengthened to fulfill our responsibility to release its fire in our times.
Woman of Courage, Woman of Faith, Woman of Heart, animate us.
Reflections given in 2004 by Sister Nancy Wales, London, Ontario, Canada.
Printed with permission.
A picture of Mother St. John Fontbonne is attached.
