Biography of Saint Francis de Sales
Francis was born on August 21, 1567 at the Château de Sales, near Annecy, in Haute-Savoie (France), a territory that was then independent. He was baptized a week later in the Thorens parish church.
Between 1578 and 1591, Francis studied civil and canon law in Paris, and later in Padua, Italy. During this time, Francis went through a spiritual crisis due to Calvinistic influence and the idea of predestination. In fact, he thought that he was doomed and experienced great anguish, but he managed to free himself from it thanks to prayer “remember” of Saint Bernard of Clairvauxwhich allowed him to pronounce this beautiful act of abandonment or trust: “I will love you as you grant it to me and I can, much less than I should, but not less than I can. I cannot love as I should nor does it force me to more than I can. I will be able to do more if you increase my capacity, but never I will get what you deserve.” In fact, this test left its mark on Francisco, who had a spirituality full of mercy, kindness and benevolence.
Francisco wanted to give his life to God, despite the reluctance of his father, who had great professional and matrimonial ambitions for him. For which he was ordained a priest in 1593 and set to work with great courage, carrying out an apostolic ministry. He led a simple life of prayer and penance, carefully fulfilling his duties as a priest: he preached, confessed, reconciled and catechized, while showing his preference for the poor, prisoners and children. In 1602 he was appointed bishop of the diocese of Geneva.At the time, the city was a Calvinist stronghold, so Francis had the difficult mission of bringing the Catholic faith to his diocese. Francis sought to return Protestants to the true faith through charity, placing preaching at the center of his mission. In fact, he trained the priests of his diocese to be truly “devout”, that is, cultured and competent. In addition to all this, Francis wrote cards personal, put their texts in public places or passed them under doors to reach those whom he could not meet in person. To achieve this goal, he also published small “newsletters”, thus unknowingly creating the first catholic “newspaper”. Subsequently, Francis met Saint Vincent de Pauhe in Paris and became great friends: “I tended to see in him the man who best reflected the Son of God on earth.”
In 1610 he founded the Order of the Visitation of Saint Mary together with Saint Joan of Chantal, in Annecy (France). In fact, it was in this order that Saint Margaret Mary of Alacoque received the revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, some sixty years later. Finally, she died on December 28, 1622 in Lyons, quite exhausted by the apostolic task.
Francis de Sales was canonized in 1665. In 1877, Pius IX proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church. This wonderful saint is the patron saint of catholic writers and journalists. It’s also the patron saint of the deaf for having cared for a man with this disability for 17 years. The feast of Saint Francis de Sales is celebrated on January 24 every year.
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Works of Saint Francis de Sales
The writings of Saint Francis de Sales
The writings of Saint Francis de Sales are made up of many of his sermons and interviews and of his correspondence. Their cards (more than 2000) bear witness to his charism as a spiritual director and his tireless apostolic activity. His work the Introduction to the Devout Life it was written in 1608, and contains a collection of letters addressed to a Philotea (friend of God). In fact, this book it was a perfect response to the spiritual expectations of the time and had an imminent success, for which it was published several times, being one of the best-selling books in the 17th century. In 1616 Francis de Sales also wrote The Treaty of God’s Love, that is addressed to each soul “in love” with God to help her progress on the path of ever deeper union with Him, no matter what her own vocation may be.
The spiritual posterity of Saint Francis de Sales
If Francisco de Sales is, together with Mother Juana de Chantal, the direct founder of the Visitation Order (The visiting Andean contemplative sisters live in cloisters and follow the rule of Saint Augustine). In fact, the salesian family is quite large. Francis de Sales brought with him a great spiritual posterity, especially through the French School. In the 19th century, many congregations and spiritual societies were inspired by his work, one of the most widespread being: the missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales, the Oblates of Saint Francis de Salesthe Salesians of Don Bosco, the societies of Saint Francis de Sales.
Spirituality and quotes from Saint Francis de Sales
Francis de Sales had an obvious charism for the direction of souls and for preaching; that man who was called “the Doctor of Divine Love and evangelical kindness” He developed a spirituality marked by gentleness: far from burdening souls with heavy burdens, he insisted on the simplicity of holiness that is within the reach of everyone, regardless of their life, and that is characterized above all by love for God and the neighbor. Here are some beautiful words of Saint Francis de Sales that illustrate their spirituality, which, surprisingly, is current.
Refering to preaching: “Our words must be inflamed, not with shouts or excessive actions, but by inner affection; they have to come from the heart more than from the mouth. No matter how much is said, the heart speaks to the heart, while the tongue does not speak more than to the ears”.
Act with love: “It is love that gives price to all our works; it is not because of the greatness and multiplicity of our works that we please God, but because of the love with which we do them.”
Holiness for all: “It is an error, and even a heresy, to want to banish the devout life from the companies of the soldiers, from the workshop of the workers, from the court of the princes and from the home of the married. Wherever we are, we can and must aspire to perfection”. Furthermore, he also said: “We are all called to holiness, without exception.”
We must love our vocation and live fully “where the Lord has planted us.”
Fulfill our duty full of love: “We do not always find great actions on our way, but we can always do the small ones excellently, that is, with a lot of love.
Prayers of Saint Francis de Sales
The prayer “To you I cry, O my God”
“I cry out to you, oh my God, I pronounce your most holy name, but without being able to reach you! Lord my God, you are greater than our words, quieter than our silence, deeper than our thoughts, higher than our desires. Give us, oh sovereign God, so great and so close, a living heart, new eyes, to discover you and welcome you when you come to us.
So be it.”
-Prayer translated from French by
Prayers to the Virgin Mary by Saint Francis de Sales
Prayer I
“Remember Oh pious Virgin Mary, who never heard that you have abandoned any of those who have come to your protection, imploring your protection and claiming your help. Encouraged with this confidence, I also come to you, Virgin of virgins, and groaning under the weight of my sins, I dare to appear before your sovereign presence. Do not despise my pleas, Mother of the Divine Word, rather, hear them and accept them benignly.
Amen”
Prayer II
“Remember, oh most pious Virgin!, that none of those who came to take refuge in You was ever heard of being abandoned.
My Queen and Lady, use me as a lawyer with your Most Holy Son, to whom I do not dare to resort. My goodness, if in the other world I have to have the great misfortune of not loving a Lord so worthy of being loved, reach me, at least, that in this one I love him as much as I can. This is the grace that I ask of you and expect from you.”