Patron Saint, St. Joan of Arc

Adapted from "Saint Joan of Arc Parish Diamond Anniversary 1920-1995"
Copyright (c) 1995, St. Joan of Arc Parish

Photo by MJRuiz (June 5, 2003)

In the Hamlet of Domrémy located half in France and half in the Duchy of Bar, Jacques d'Arc married Isabelle Romée. On January 6, 1412, a second daughter, born on the feast of the Epiphany was named Jeanette but the English speaking world calls her Joan.

The world has long been fascinated with the story of St. Joan of Arc, a mere 19 year old, a leader of armies, equally at home on the battlefield and at the court of kings: she became the central figure in the gorgeous ceremony of a royal coronation, burned as a heretic and later vindicated. Finally, 489 years later declared a saint of the Catholic Church in a solemn ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica on May 16, 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.

Fascinating, isn't it, that this 19 year old should be so highly exalted. For she left no scrap of spiritual doctrine after her: her life was marked by no great austerity nor any deeds of outstanding heroic charity. She did not die a martyr's death!!! Many think that she did but the decree that canonizes her makes no mention of her as a martyr. She is Saint Joan of Arc the virgin, not St. Joan of Arc the virgin and the martyr!!!

The church was right: Joan did not die for the faith - she died for her politics - for the attention which she gave to her voices - from the first moment she heard the voices giving God's orders, she never wavered. She overcame the handicaps of youth, gender, illiteracy - and she advanced without fear or hesitation toward her goal. She left home and parents, she entered the harsh world of politics, she imposed her will on a capricious King, she won hard victories on the battlefield, she suffered capture, imprisonment, trial and death in cheerful obedience to the will of God.

In a word, she was spirited with the Holy Spirit of God and her life was the fruit of perfect trust in Him. It was not her battles, her voices or even her death that earn for her so high a place; neither was it subtlety of mind or Theological learning - no it was simply her eagerness to do all things and abandon all things for the Love of God.