St Joan of Arc – 30 May
By Catherine Sheehan
The remarkable life of St Joan of Arc (1412-1431) epitomises St Paul’s assertion that God chooses the weak things of this world in order to shame the strong.
Joan was born in the French village of Domremy in 1412, during the Hundred Years War between France and England which lasted from 1337 to 1453.
Joan showed a deep devotion to God from a young age. At 13 she began hearing “voices” from heaven calling her to dedicate her life entirely to God. Later in her life, Joan revealed that the voices belonged to St Michael, St Catherine and St Margaret.
The voices revealed to her that God had a special mission for her life. He wanted her to lead the French army to victory against the English, and to escort Charles VII to be crowned King of France.
Even though she was an illiterate peasant, Joan left her home in Domremy in 1429, when she was just 17, and travelled to Chinon to meet with Charles VII.
After convincing him that she had a divine mandate, she was given the men-at-arms and the horses she had requested.
Joan dressed in armour like a man and led the army into battle against the English at Orleans in May 1429. She carried a standard with an image of Jesus on it.
The French were victorious over the English and in July 1429 Joan witnessed Charles VII crowned as King of France at Rheims.
In May 1430 Joan was captured by allies of the English and taken to Rouen where she was put on trial for heresy. Her Trial of Condemnation began in February 1431 and lasted for four months during which time Joan was imprisoned and cruelly tortured by her English captors.
She was interrogated for hours on end by French clerics, theologians from the University of Paris.
The transcript of her trial records that Joan prayed aloud at one point: “Sweetest God, in honor of your holy Passion, I ask you, if you love me, to show me how I must answer these men of the Church.”
When asked her views of the Church she replied: “About Jesus and the Church, I simply know they’re just one thing, and we shouldn’t complicate the matter.”
She defended her actions, saying, “I have never acted except at God’s command”.
Joan was found guilty of heresy and was taken to the Old Market Square in Rouen where she was burnt at the stake. She requested a crucifix and so a priest held a processional cross in front of her eyes as the flames engulfed her.
Many witnesses testified that she repeatedly cried out the name of Jesus as she died and that her eyes were fixed on the Cross.
A Trial of Nullity was opened 25 years later which overturned Joan’s conviction. Testimony from 120 eye-witnesses confirmed Joan’s goodness, purity, and complete fidelity to the Church.
In 1920 Joan was canonised by Pope Benedict XV.
Joan’s extraordinary faith in God is summarised in this simple statement she made at her trial: “I entrust myself to God my Creator, I love him with my whole heart”.