f the river
Shannon, which he governed, and in which he continued to reside after he
was advanced to the episcopal dignity. The abbots, his successors for
several centuries, were all bishops, till this great diocese was divided
into three, namely, of Limerick, Killaloe, and Ardfert. St. Senan died
on the same day and year with St. David; but was honored in the Irish
church on the 8th of March. A town in Cornwall bears the name of St.
Senan. See his acts in Colgan, p. 602.

{550}

ST. PSALMOD, OR SAUMAY, ANCRORET.

HE was born in Ireland, and, retiring into France, led an eremitical
life at Limousin, where he acquired great reputation for his sanctity
and miracles. He died about 589. See the Martyrology of Evreux.

MARCH IX.

ST. FRANCES, WIDOW, FOUNDRESS OF THE COLLATINES.

Abridged from her life by her confessor Canon. Mattiotti; and that by
Magdalen Dell'A{}ara, superioress of the Oblates, or Coliatines. Helyot,
Hist. des Ordr. Mon. t. 6, p. 208.

A.D. 1440.

ST. FRANCES was born at Rome in 1384. Her parents, Paul de Buxo and
Jacobella Rofredeschi, were both of illustrious families. She imbibed
early sentiments of piety, and such was her love of purity from her
tender age, that she would not suffer her own father to touch even her
hands, unless covered. She had always an aversion to the amusements of
children, and loved solitude and prayer. At eleven years of age she
desired to enter a monastery, but, in obedience to her parents, was
married to a rich young Roman nobleman, named Laurence Ponzani, in 1396.
A grievous sickness showed how disagreeable this kind of life was to her
inclinations. She joined with it her former spirit; kept herself as
retired as she could, shunning feastings and public meetings. All her
delight was in prayer, meditation, and visiting churches. Above all, her
obedience and condescension to her husband was inimitable, which engaged
such a return of affection, that for forty years which they lived
together, there never happened the least disagreement; and their whole
life was a constant strife and emulation to prevent each other in mutual
complaisance and respect. While she was at her prayers or other
exercises, if called away by her husband, or the meanest person of her
family, she laid all aside to obey without delay, saying: "A married
woman must, when called upon, quit her devotions to God at the altar, to
find him in her household affairs." God was pleased to show her the
merit