Jewels from Jane, Oct. 13

Mother St. John Facemaz died at seven p.m. on the thirteenth day of October, 1900 at our Mother House, Carondelet, in the seventy-fifth year of her age and the fifty-sixth of her religious life.

Born of, and brought up by pious and thoroughly Christian parents, her whole life was stamped with that strong and enlightened faith which is the heritage of the Saints. From her earliest years her aspirations were for the religious life. To the ordinary sacrifices made by a religious on quitting the world, in order to become the Spouse of Jesus Christ, Mother St. John felt called to add another, perhaps even greater - that of leaving the cradle of her religious life in France and placing the great ocean between herself and those near and dear to her, in obedience to a strong attraction she had for a missionary life.

This, she hoped might be realized, when in 1818, shortly after her profession, the first colony of Sisters of St. Joseph set out from Annecy to Visagapatan in the East Indies. Most fervent prayers were offered for the accomplishment of God's will in this respect. The realization of this her most ardent desire, seemed almost within her grasp, when in 1854, Mother St. John Croissat, then Superioress General of the Congregation of Chambery, resigned her charge to follow the urgent appeal coming from Visagapatan in India. Those sent in 1848 failed to reach there, having been prevailed upon by the French settlements in another province of that vast empire, to remain among them. The Community was looking for recruits and our dear Mother St. John had strong hopes of being one of the chosen companions of this devoted religious. The Lord, however, had other plans in her regard, for toward the end of the year 1854, she, with three other sisters was sent to the aid of the American missions which were then multiplying in all directions.

A few months after her arrival she was chosen to fill the office of Mistress of novices at the Mother house, and on the death of our dear and much-lamented Mother Celestine, Mother St. John was appointed to succeed her.

For fifteen years, during which our dear Mother guarded with zealous care the cherished interests and devotedly guided the destinies of St. Joseph's children, the Congregation of Carondelet had abundant opportunities to be edified by her many virtues, especially by her devotedness, her spirit of obedience, prayer and her zeal for religious discipline. More edifying still, was the touching example of her humility, obedience, charity, and her reverence for Superiors, after she had laid down the burden of authority and retired to the rank of a simple religious.

It pleased our Lord to employ Mother St. John as His faithful instrument to push forward and to see realized the long-formed and ardently-desired project of obtaining the approbation of St. Joseph's Institute and Constitutions from the Holy See. Three times she journeyed to Rome for this object; the last time, when she went as companion with Reverend Mother [Agatha Guthrie], she saw all past efforts crowned with final success.

God alone, the recompence of all sacrifices, and the generous rewarder of every good deed, will know how to repay her faithful labors in behalf of the Congregation, which owes her an eternal debt of gratitude.

As gold is refined in the fire so was our dear Mother tried and purified in the crucible of suffering, especially during the last five years of her life, all of which she bore with admirable patience, humility and fortitude.

Fortified by the last sacraments, and repeatedly favored with the blessings of Holy Church, she sweetly passed to her reward.

from the Necrology

Attached you will find a prayer service which may be used to celebrate Mother St. John's death anniversary. It was written by Carol Campbell, CSJA, a member of the Celebrating Our Heritage Committee.