Tuesday, 7 February 2012 0 comment(s)

 

According to tradition, Colette's parents had grown old without being able to have

children. In desperation, her mother-to-be prayed to Saint Nicholas, a patron saint

of children, to intercede for her that she might be able to bear a child. Despite her

advanced age (she was sixty, according to some accounts), she did indeed conceive,

and a daughter was born to them. The child was baptized Nicolette in honor of the

saint whom the parents credited with the miracle of her birth.

Her mother gave birth to her later in age whereas my mother gave birth to me in her late years as well!

After her parents died in 1399, she joined the Beguines but found their manner of life unchallenging. She received the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis in 1402, and became a hermit under the direction of the Abbot of Corbie, living near the abbey church. After four years of following this ascetic way of life (1402–1406), through several dreams and visions she came to believe that she was being called to reform the Franciscan Second Order, and to return it to its original Franciscan ideals of absolute poverty and austerity.

She was a member of the Franciscan orders. My family line of girls traditionally goes to school under the name, Saint Francis from kindergarten to high school.

-          St. Francis Kindergarten

-          St. Francis Convent Primary School (All girls)

-          St. Francis Convent Secondary School (All girls)

Personally, I've been fascinated by Saint Francis’ history when I was in primary school and did a small reserach on him during high school. You could say I was going nuts over Saint Francis and I’m grateful to had received education under the patron Saint’s name. Even more, my dad’s name is Francis!

St. Colette never ceased to pray for the Church, while the devils, in turn, never ceased to assault her. They swarmed round her as hideous insects, buzzing and stinging her tender skin. They brought into her cell the decaying corpses of public criminals, and assuming themselves monstrous forms struck her savage blows; or they would appear in the most seductive guise, and tempt her by many deceits to sin. St. Colette once complained to Our Lord that the demons prevented her from praying. "Cease, then," said the devil to her, "your prayers to the great Master of the Church, and we will cease to torment you; for you torment us more by your prayers than we do you." Yet the virgin of Christ triumphed alike over their threats and their allurements, and said she would count that day the unhappiest of her life in which she suffered nothing for her God. She died March 6, 1447, in a transport of intercession for sinners and the Church.

In October of 1406, Antipope Benedict XIII of Avignon transferred Saint Nicolette to the Order of Poor Clares.

I don’t know if this means anything but it sure does to me, my 40 years old sister name is Clarissa or Clare for short and she’s the most humblest, bubbliest, most generous and devoted Christian I’ve ever met. She and her family gave most of their fortunes to the needy til they themselves are sucked dry. But being the devotee she is, she continues to pray to God and goes to church and helps her family and other people, spiritually.

Coincidence?

No, it’s fate. 

I have this warm feeling in me whenever this type of things happen. It’s like God has planned this out all along. The loooong list of Saints, and me choosing particularly Saint Nicolette as my patron. It’s all surreal it makes me giggle because this type of fate doesn’t visibly occur to me often. I feel connected to Saint Nicolette somehow. It’s like I’m living through her, battling my own demons. When I read through her biography, I was dripping tears of the amount of hardships, unconditional love that she gave and went through. She was misunderstood, often tagged as a person who wants attention due to her many efforts to reform The Orders. A humble, loving leader is what she is.

Blessed Saint Colette, you are indeed wonderful.

Evelyn Serena Nicolette Totu

 

Saint Colette (13 January 1381 – 6 March 1447),

born Nicolette Boellet

Labels: Saint Colette