Jeanne-Marie Chavoin & Jean-Claude Colin

Meeting: February 16 2007

Topic: Jeanne-Marie Chavoin & Jean-Claude Colin

Presenter: Sr Joan McBride

To understand these two founders it is worth looking at the strong influence of the French Revolution on both Jeanne-Marie Chavoin and Jean-Claude Colin - their youthful experiences, opportunities for spiritual development quite different for each one and Jeanne-Marie's reluctance to accept various offers of religious life; the place of Lefranc, seminarian, who began The Archconfraternity of Divine Love in Coutouvre, the village where she lived. Her lifelong friendship with Marie Jotillon was also vital to her final decisions.

Colin, on the other hand, had many difficulties in his early life and lacked the support of a mature figure. His time in the Seminary led to a consolidation of his intentions when he heard about Courveille's experience at Le Puy. It happened that in the end Courveille, himself, turned out to be less committed than Colin. After ordination and the pledge at Fourvière, and his appointment to Cerdon, there was a radical change in Colin. He understood the place of Mary and the exercise of mercy and common sense in his ministry. Having experienced the death of his parents and witnessed the suffering of so many during the revolution, he understood the anger of those who still opposed the Church and wanted nothing to do with it. His ministry was strong, yet remarkable for its tenderness and understanding of those to whom he ministered.

On the other hand, Jeanne-Marie who had mature spiritual insights was able to share and support Colin in the inspiration and decision making that took place at Cerdon. She had refused many offers of joining well established religious communities, but in spite of the strong pressure exercised on her to do so, even by Cardinal Fesch, she, instead, accepted the offer to join Colin to form the women's branch of the proposed Society of Mary. She had an extraordinary level of wisdom and was a strong support in these early days of the Society.

As Colin grew in wisdom and love of the Society, not yet approved by the Church, he was appreciated by all those to whom he ministered. Some examples of this exercise of his mercy and common sense are seen in examples which may be found in Origines Maristes. Such as - the lad who hid in the cemetery while Colin was giving Catechism to the other young boys, the case of the stolen watch where he protected the name of the one who had taken it, and the delightful story of his saving a woman from drowning in the Hospital Lake. The Education policy he drew up when appointed Principal of the College in Belley is outstanding for its quality of respect for all engaged in education towards each other, principals, teachers, students, recognizing in each that they were the child of God.

This period from 1817 to 1836 is a time when Jean-Claude and Jeanne-Marie worked closely together. After 1836, when the priests' rule was approved by Rome Colin launched into numerous ministries, the most important of which was to undertake the missions of Western Oceania, when he had only 20 men. It was then that the paths of Jeanne-Marie and Jean-Claude diverged, the former to many active ministries the latter to what was so alien to her, a semi-enclosed conventual life. Such were the problems of women in the Church at the time, still awaiting permission from Rome to set up congregations with members taking simple vows and conducting ministry outside the confines of the convent.

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