Saint of the day, March 6 – Zeale
Born to a poor, aging carpenter and his wife in Picardy, France, Colette was named Nicolette after her parents had invoked St. Nicholas’ intercession in their prior struggle with infertility. Colette, as she was called, was later orphaned at the age of 17.
March 6 – St. Colette
Born: 1381
Died: 1477
Nationality: French
Attributes: Poor Clare Abbess, crosier, lamb
Vocation: religious
Patronage: expectant mothers, women seeking to conceive
Canonization: 1807 by Pope Pius VII
“I dedicate myself in health, in illness, in my life, in my death, in all my desires, 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.”
Born to a poor, aging carpenter and his wife in Picardy, France, Colette was named Nicolette after her parents had invoked St. Nicholas’ intercession in their prior struggle with infertility. Colette, as she was called, was later orphaned at the age of 17.
Colette gave away her inheritance to the poor and became a Third-Order Franciscan. She lived at the Benedictine Abbey of Corby as a hermitess. Her holiness became known, and she was sought out for her spiritual counsel.
In 1406, she had a dream that she was to reform the Poor Clares. She received the Poor Clare habit from the man recognized as pope by the French named Peter de Luna. He commissioned her to reform the Poor Clares and appointed her Superior of all reformed convents.
Though she faced significant hardships and opposition, Colette founded seventeen convents and reformed several existing convents. A branch of the Poor Clares is known as the Colettine Poor Clares.
She is known for miracles relating to childbirth.
St. Colette, pray for us.
