Saint Colette was a 15th-century French abbess who established a significant reform within the Order of Saint Clare. Born Nicolette Boellet in Corbie, she sought a more rigorous way of life, eventually joining the Third Order of Saint Francis as a hermit. Following spiritual visions, she sought papal authorization to restore the original Franciscan ideals of extreme poverty and austerity. This led to the creation of the Colettine Poor Clares, a branch of the order that emphasized strict asceticism and total reliance on providence.
Life and reform
After experiencing various religious stages, including time as a Beguine and a Benedictine lay sister, Colette focused on reforming the Franciscan Second Order. With support from Antipope Benedict XIII, she founded numerous monasteries across Europe, including locations in Besançon, Ghent, and Heidelberg. Her reform movement, which included eighteen foundations during her lifetime, mandated barefoot living, perpetual fasting, and absolute poverty. She died in Ghent in 1447.
Veneration and patronage
Recognized as a wonderworker, Colette was beatified in 1740 and canonized in 1807. She is traditionally invoked to assist expectant mothers, childless couples, and sick children. Her reputation for performing miracles, such as aiding difficult childbirths and reviving infants, contributed to her status as a patroness for those seeking help with fertility and the health of young children.