CAMBRY, JEANNE DE

CAMBRY, JEANNE de. - Augustinian mystic, b. at Douai on 15 Nov. 1583, d. at Lille on 19 July 1639. In 1604 she entered the monastery of the Augustinian nuns “Des Prés-Porchins” at Tournai. From 1621 she was superior at the hospital of Menin. At Lille she founded a new Congregation, “Les Filles de la Présentation.” In 1625 she withdrew to a récluzor near the church of St. Andrew at Lille, where she died with a reputation for sanctity.

A mystical soul of profound spirituality, she left various writings in which the influence especially of St. Augustine, St. Bernard, and Ruysbroeck may be found. Her works were printed at Tournai: Petit Exercice pour pouvoir acquérir l'amour de Dieu (1620); Traité de la ruine de l'amour-propre et bâtiment de l'amour divin (1623); Le Flambeau mystique (1631); Traité de la réforme des abus du mariage (1655); Traité de l'excellence de la solitude (1656); Lamentation funèbre de l'âme captive dans un corps mortel (1656).

BIBL.: P. de Cambry, Abrégé de la vie de Dame J. de C... Antwerp 1659, Tournai 1663 and 1785 (this last edition also provides an analysis of the works); H. Saintrain, Vie admirable de J. de C... Tournai 1899; H. de Boissieu, Une recluse au dix-septième siècle, Paris and Gembloux 1934; P. Droulers, s. V. in DSP, II (1937), col. 61 ff. Anselmo Musters
Cite this article

“CAMBRY, JEANNE DE.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. III (1949), p. 269. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/cambry-jeanne-de.