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Francis de Sales

Francis de Sales, C.O., O.M. (French: François de Sales; Italian: Francesco di Sales; 21 August 1567 – 28 December 1622) was a Savoyard Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Geneva and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God.


Francis de Sales

Saint Francis de Sales
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Born21 August 1567
Château de Sales, Duchy of Savoy, Holy Roman Empire
Died28 December 1622(1622-12-28) (aged 55)
Lyons, Lyonnais, Kingdom of France
Beatified8 January 1661, Rome, Papal States, by Pope Alexander VII
Canonized8 April 1665, Rome, Papal States, by Pope Alexander VII
Feast
  • 24 January (General Roman Calendar of 1969)
  • 29 January (General Roman Calendar of 1960 and local communities)
AttributesHeart of Jesus, Crown of Thorns
PatronageBaker, Oregon; Cincinnati, Ohio; Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana; Catholic press; Columbus, Ohio; confessors; deaf people; educators; Upington, South Africa; Wilmington, Delaware; writers; journalists; the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest; Oblates of St. Francis de Sales; Salesians of Don Bosco
Saint

Francis de Sales
Bishop of Geneva
Native name
François de Sales
ProvinceVienne
DioceseGeneva
Appointed15 July 1602 (Coadjutor)
Installed8 December 1602
Term ended28 December 1622
PredecessorClaude de Granier
SuccessorJean-François de Sales
Orders
Ordination18 December 1593
Consecration8 December 1602
Personal details
Previous post(s)Titular Bishop of Nicopolis ad Iaterum (1602)
MottoNon-excidet
Coat of arms

Life edit

Early years edit

Francis de Sales was born two months premature on 21 August 1567 in the Château de Sales into the noble Sales family of the Duchy of Savoy, in what is today Thorens-Glières, Haute-Savoie, France. His father was François de Sales, Lord of Sales, and Novel, and by marriage, de Boisy. His mother was a noblewoman, Françoise de Sionnaz, the only child of the prominent magistrate, Melchior de Sionnaz, Seigneur de Vallières, de la Thuile, and de Boisy. This being one of the noblest families in Savoy, Francis's father was generally known as M. de Boisy.[1]

He was baptized Francis Bonaventura after his godparents, François de la Fléchère and Damoiselle Bonaventure de Chevron-Villette, who was also his widowed, maternal grandmother.[2] His father wanted him, the first of his six sons, to attend the best schools in preparation for a career as a magistrate. He, therefore, enjoyed a privileged education in the nearby town of La Roche-Sur-Foron, and at the age of eight at the Capuchin college in Annecy.[3]

Education and self-consecration edit

 
Francis de Sales age 12

In 1578, de Sales went to the Collège de Clermont, then a Jesuit institution, to study rhetoric and humanities. On this first visit to Paris, he lived near the Église Sainte-Geneviève with his three cousins.[4] As a nobleman, he was accompanied by his servant and by a priest tutor, Abbé Déage. To please his father, he took lessons in the gentlemanly pursuits of riding, dancing, and fencing. De Sales is described as intelligent and handsome, tall and well built with blue-grey eyes, somewhat reserved and quiet, and a welcome guest in the homes of the nobility among whom his father had connections.

In 1586, Francis de Sales attended a theological discussion about predestination that convinced him of his damnation to hell. A personal crisis of despair resulted. That conviction lasted through December 1586. His great despair made him physically ill and even bedridden for a time. Sometime in either late December or early January 1587, he visited the old parish of Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, Paris, where he prayed the "Memorare" before a famed statue of Our Lady of Good Deliverance, a Black Madonna. He consecrated himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary and decided to dedicate his life to God with a vow of chastity.[3] He then became a tertiary of the Minim Order.

De Sales ultimately concluded that God had good in store for him because "God is love", as the First Epistle of John attests. This faithful devotion to God not only expelled his doubts but also influenced the rest of his life and his teachings. His way of teaching Catholic spirituality is often referred to as the Way of Divine Love, or the Devout Life, taken from a book he wrote of a similar name: Introduction to the Devout Life.

De Sales completed his studies at Collège de Clermont and enrolled at the University of Padua, in Italy, where he studied both law and theology.[5] He was accompanied by his twelve-year-old brother, Gallois, also a student in Padua. De Sales took Antonio Possevino, a priest in the Society of Jesus, as his spiritual director.

Return to Savoy edit

 
St Francis de Sales, by Giovanni Battista Lucini

In 1592, de Sales received his doctorate in law and theology and made up his mind to become a priest. He made a pilgrimage to Loreto, Italy, famous for its Basilica Della Santa Casa (Shrine of the Holy House) and then returned home to Savoy. As the eldest son and heir, he held the title of Seigneur de Villeroget. The Senate of Chambéry admitted him as a lawyer. Meanwhile, his father secured various positions for Francis, including an appointment as a senator. His father also chose a wealthy noble heiress as his bride, but Francis refused to marry, preferring to stay focused on his chosen path. His father initially refused to accept that Francis had chosen the priesthood rather than fulfill his expectations with a political-military career. His cousin, Canon Louis de Sales, persuaded the Bishop of Geneva, Claude de Granier, to obtain for Francis the position of provost of the cathedral chapter of Geneva, a post in the patronage of the pope. It was the highest office in the diocese; M. de Boisy yielded. After signing over to his younger brother, Louis, his title and right of succession, Francis was ordained in 1593.[5]

Priest and provost edit

Because the Calvinists controlled Geneva, the bishop resided about twenty miles south, in Annecy. De Sales preached in the Cathedral of Annecy, at parish churches and before confraternities. He was an effective speaker; his voice was deep and rich in tone and his speech somewhat slow and measured. His sermons were comparatively short and without the customary displays of erudition. He avoided controversy and focused on a particular point of duty, a specific virtue or the correction of some vice.[1] The cathedral chapter recommended that although he was only twenty-seven years of age, the provost be named Grand Penitentiary of the diocese, with the result that de Sales found himself taking many more confessions.

Chamblais edit

In 1594, the Duke of Savoy requested the Bishop to send a missioner to Chamblais, an area that had been long held by the Swiss and only recently returned to Savoy. The task would be both difficult and dangerous, and the most qualified for the assignment was the provost. Despite his family's objections, de Sales readily accepted. Accompanied only by his cousin, the Canon Louis, they made their base the fortress of Allinges to which the Governor of the Province, Baron d'Hermance, insisted they return each night. Gradually they expanded their efforts, with de Sales concentrating on Thonon-les-Bains, which had become almost completely Calvinist. He also attended the Savoyard soldiers garrisoned at Allinges.[1]

They met great opposition from the Geneva ministers, who accused de Sales of being a sorcerer. He moved to Thonon, where he boarded with a widow, who on one occasion hid him from some armed men. More than once, he escaped death at the hands of assassins. His mother managed to send him some linen and money, which he distributed to the poor. A good deal of his religious instruction was handled individually and privately. It was at this time that Francis began writing pamphlets which were later collected and published as The Catholic Controversy. Gradually, the mission began to show some small success.

In 1599 he was appointed coadjutor bishop of Geneva. In 1602, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Henry IV of France to negotiate the restoration of Catholic worship in Gex, a part of the diocese that had been returned to France.[6] He was invited to give the Lenten sermons at the Chapel Royal. The morals at court reflected those of the King, which were notorious, but King Henry became personally attached to Francis and is said to have observed, "A rare bird, this Monsieur de Genève, he is devout and also learned; and not only devout and learned but at the same time a gentleman. A very rare combination".[This quote needs a citation]

While in Paris, he also met Cardinal Berulle and Madame Acarie.[7] They consulted with him on matters such as the introduction of Teresa of Ávila's Carmelites into France and plans for the reforming of monasteries and convents. He was consulted on matters of conscience by persons at court.

 
Arms of St Francis de Sales

Bishop of Geneva edit

In 1602, Bishop Granier died, and Sales was consecrated Bishop of Geneva by Vespasien Gribaldi, assisted by Thomas Pobel and Jacques Maistret, O.Carm., as co-consecrators. He resided in Annecy (now in France) because Geneva remained under Calvinist control and was therefore closed to him. His diocese became famous throughout Europe for its efficient organization, zealous clergy and well-instructed laity, an achievement in those days.[8]

He worked closely with the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, which was very active in preaching the Catholic faith in his diocese. It appreciated his cooperation so much that in 1617 it made him an official associate of the Order, the highest honour possible for a non-member. It is said that at Evian, on the south shore of Lake Geneva, Francis of Assisi appeared to him and said: "You desire martyrdom, just as I once longed for it. But, like me, you will not obtain it. You will have to become an instrument of your own martyrdom".[9] During his years as bishop, de Sales acquired a reputation as a spellbinding preacher and something of an ascetic. His motto was, "He who preaches with love, preaches effectively". His goodness, patience and mildness became proverbial.[10]

Author edit

These last qualities come through in de Sales' books, the most famous of which was Introduction to the Devout Life, which, unusually for the time, was written for laypeople, especially for women. In it, he counseled charity over penance as a means of progressing in the spiritual life. De Sales also left a mystical work, the Treatise on the Love of God, and many highly valued letters of spiritual direction, including those with Jane Frances de Chantal compiled in the Letters of Spiritual Direction.[11]

Founder edit

 
San Francisco de Sales
 
Francis de Sales and Jane Frances de Chantal, medal 1867

Along with Chantal, de Sales founded the women's Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines) in Annecy on 6 June 1610. Archbishop Denis-Simon de Marquemont required the order's members to maintain cloistered lives.[12]

Sales also established a community of men, an Oratory of St. Philip Neri, at Thonon-les-Bains, with himself as the superior, or Provost. That work, however, was crippled by his death, and that foundation soon died out.[13]

Death edit

In December 1622, de Sales was required to travel in the entourage of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, for the Duke's Christmas tour of his domain. Upon arrival in Lyon, de Sales chose to stay in the gardener's hut at the Visitandine monastery in that city. While there he suffered a stroke, from which he died on 28 December 1622.[6]

Posthumous veneration edit

De Sales has been styled "the Gentleman Saint" because of his patience and gentleness.[9] His autopsy revealed many gallstones. Despite the resistance of the populace of Lyon to moving his remains from that city, he was buried on 24 January 1623 in the church of the Monastery of the Visitation in Annecy, which he had founded with Chantal, who was also buried there. Their remains were venerated there until the French Revolution.[14] Many miracles have been reported at his shrine.

His heart was kept in Lyon, in response to the popular demand of the citizens of the city to retain his remains. During the French Revolution, however, it was saved from the revolutionaries by being carried by the Visitation nuns from Lyons to Venice.[3]

De Sales was beatified in 1661 by Pope Alexander VII, who then canonized him four years later. De Sales was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877.[15]

The Roman Catholic Church celebrates de Sales' feast on 24 January, the day of his burial in Annecy in 1624.[16] From 1666, when his feast day was inserted into the General Roman Calendar to its 1969 revision, it was celebrated on 29 January.

Francis is remembered in the Church of England with a Lesser Festival on 24 January.[17] In 2022, Francis de Sales was officially added to the Episcopal Church liturgical calendar with a feast day shared with Jane Frances de Chantal on 12 December.[18]

Patronage edit

In 1923, Pope Pius XI proclaimed him a patron of writers and journalists because de Sales made extensive use of broadsheets and books in spiritual direction and in his efforts to convert the Calvinists of the region.[5] Sales developed a sign language to teach a deaf man about God. That has made him the patron saint of the deaf.[19]

Having been founded as one of the first non-cloistered group of sisters, after attempts had been with the Visitation Sisters founded by de Sales and de Chantal, the Sisters of St. Joseph (founded in Le Puys, France, in 1650) take de Sales as one of their patrons. The Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, founded by the Abbé Pierre Mermier in 1838, were the first Religious congregation to adopt his spirituality in the 19th century.

Legacy edit

Congregations edit

In the 19th century, his vision for religious communities was revived. Several religious institutes were founded during that period for men and women desiring to live out the spiritual path that de Sales had developed.

 
Mosaic of Francis de Sales on the exterior of St. Francis de Sales Oratory in St. Louis, Missouri

The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a society of priests founded in the 20th century, also has Francis de Sales as one of its three primary patrons. One of the major apostolates of the Institute in the United States is the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales in St. Louis, Missouri.[20]

Influence on other saints edit

In 1618 or 1619 Vincent de Paul met in Paris Francis de Sales, whose spirituality and writings, especially An Introduction to the Devout Life, and Treatise on the Love of God, were to have a profound influence on Vincent.[10]

His writings on the perfections of the heart of Mary as the model of love for God influenced John Eudes to develop the devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.[21]

Namesakes edit

Educational institutions edit

Others edit

Bibliography edit

  • Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout life, London, 2012. limovia.net ISBN 978-1-78336-023-9
  • Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God [known as "Theotimus"], London, 2012. limovia.net ISBN 978-1-78336-024-6
  • Introduction to the Devout Life (Translated and Edited by John K. Ryan), Doubleday, 1972. ISBN 978-0-385-03009-0
  • The Catholic Controversy: St. Francis de Sales' Defense of the Faith, TAN Books, 1989. ISBN 978-0-89555-387-4
  • Set Your Heart Free (Edited by John Kirvan), Ave Maria Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-59471-153-4
  • Sermons of St. Francis de Sales on Prayer, TAN Books, 1985. ISBN 978-0-89555-258-7
  • Sermons of St. Francis de Sales on Our Lady, TAN Books, 1985. ISBN 978-0-89555-259-4
  • Sermons of St. Francis de Sales For Lent, TAN Books, 2009. ISBN 978-0-89555-260-0
  • Sermons of St. Francis de Sales for Advent and Christmas, TAN Books, 1987. ISBN 978-0-89555-261-7

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Lear, H.L.S. (1877). S. Francis de Sales: Bishop and Prince of Geneva. Christian biog. Rivingtons. p. 268.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Ravier, A. (2007). Francis de Sales Sage & Saint (in Spanish). DeSales Resource Center. ISBN 978-0-9713199-6-7.
  3. ^ a b c Pernin, Raphael. "St. Francis de Sales." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 11 March 2020  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ Wiseman, N.P. (1889). The Dublin Review. Early British periodicals. Tablet Publishing Company. p. 26.
  5. ^ a b c . Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  6. ^ a b "The Life Story of St. Francis de Sales", Salesians of Don Bosco in the United States (USA West Province)
  7. ^ Mackey O.S.B., Henry Benedict. "The Land and Works of St. Francis de Sales", The Dublin Review, vol.22, Burns & Oates, London, July 1889, p.2
  8. ^ a b c "Oblate History", Oblates of St. Francis De Sales, Wilmington- Philadelphia Province 28 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ a b The Franciscan Book Of Saints, edited by Marion Habig, ofm, Franciscan Herald Press, 1959 15 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ a b "Francis de Sales – Vincentian Encyclopedia". famvin.org. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  11. ^ Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal (1988). Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal: Letters of Spiritual Direction. Paulist Press. ISBN 978-0-8091-2990-4.
  12. ^ Boundaries of Faith: Catholics and Protestants in the Diocese of Geneva by Jill Fehleison (Truman State University Press, 2011)
  13. ^ Türks, Paul, C.O (1995). Philip Neri:The Fire of Joy. Translated by Daniel Utrecht, C.O. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. pp. 144–145. ISBN 0-567-29303-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Diocese of Annency "Salesian Sites" 26 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine(in French)
  15. ^ John J. Crawley. . Lives of Saints. EWTN. Archived from the original on 5 July 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
  16. ^ "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 115
  17. ^ "The Calendar". The Church of England. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  18. ^ . www.vbinder.net. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Error". desales.edu. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  20. ^ . Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  21. ^ Murphy, John F. Mary's Immaculate Heart, p. 24, 2007 ISBN 1-4067-3409-8
  22. ^ De Sales, St. Francis. . St Francis Nizamabad Official. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016.
  23. ^ St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf, Brooklyn, NY

Sources edit

  •   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainHerbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Francis de Sales". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links edit

Works edit

  • Introduction to the Devout Life Frederick Pustet & Co. (192X)
  • Set Your Heart Free Readings from De Sales
  • Spiritual Conferences from Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
  • An Abridgment of the Interior Spirit of the Religious of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary George Templeman (1834)
  • The Mystical Flora of St. Francis de Sales; or, The Christian Life Under the Emblem of Plants M.H. Gill & Son (1877)
  • Maxims and Counsels of St. Francis de Sales for Every Day in the Year M.H. Gill & Son(1884)
  • Of the Love of God Rivington's (1888)
  • The Secret of Sanctity, According to St. Francis de Sales and Father Crasset, S.J. Benziger Brothers (1893)
  • Letters to Persons of the World Benziger Brothers (1894)
  • The Catholic Controversy Burns and Oates (1909)
  • Letters to Persons in Religion Burns and Oates (1909)
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Giovanni Fontana
— TITULAR —
Bishop of Nicopolis ad Iaterum
15 July 1602 – 17 September 1602
Succeeded by
Bernardin Corneillan
Preceded by
Claude de Granier
Bishop of Geneva
17 September 1602 – 28 December 1622
Succeeded by
Jean-François de Sales

francis, sales, this, article, about, catholic, saint, american, actor, francis, desales, other, uses, disambiguation, saint, françois, sales, redirects, here, commune, saint, françois, sales, french, françois, sales, italian, francesco, sales, august, 1567, d. This article is about the Catholic saint For the American actor see Francis DeSales For other uses see Francis de Sales disambiguation Saint Francois de Sales redirects here For the commune see Saint Francois de Sales Francis de Sales C O O M French Francois de Sales Italian Francesco di Sales 21 August 1567 28 December 1622 was a Savoyard Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Geneva and is a saint of the Catholic Church He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God SaintFrancis de SalesCO OMSaint Francis de SalesBishop and Doctor of the ChurchBorn21 August 1567Chateau de Sales Duchy of Savoy Holy Roman EmpireDied28 December 1622 1622 12 28 aged 55 Lyons Lyonnais Kingdom of FranceBeatified8 January 1661 Rome Papal States by Pope Alexander VIICanonized8 April 1665 Rome Papal States by Pope Alexander VIIFeast24 January General Roman Calendar of 1969 29 January General Roman Calendar of 1960 and local communities AttributesHeart of Jesus Crown of ThornsPatronageBaker Oregon Cincinnati Ohio Diocese of Houma Thibodaux Louisiana Catholic press Columbus Ohio confessors deaf people educators Upington South Africa Wilmington Delaware writers journalists the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest Oblates of St Francis de Sales Salesians of Don Bosco SaintFrancis de SalesBishop of GenevaNative nameFrancois de SalesProvinceVienneDioceseGenevaAppointed15 July 1602 Coadjutor Installed8 December 1602Term ended28 December 1622PredecessorClaude de GranierSuccessorJean Francois de SalesOrdersOrdination18 December 1593Consecration8 December 1602Personal detailsPrevious post s Titular Bishop of Nicopolis ad Iaterum 1602 MottoNon excidetCoat of arms Contents 1 Life 1 1 Early years 1 2 Education and self consecration 1 3 Return to Savoy 1 4 Priest and provost 1 4 1 Chamblais 1 5 Bishop of Geneva 1 6 Author 1 7 Founder 1 8 Death 2 Posthumous veneration 3 Patronage 4 Legacy 4 1 Congregations 4 2 Influence on other saints 5 Namesakes 5 1 Educational institutions 5 2 Others 6 Bibliography 7 See also 8 References 9 Sources 10 External links 10 1 WorksLife editEarly years edit Francis de Sales was born two months premature on 21 August 1567 in the Chateau de Sales into the noble Sales family of the Duchy of Savoy in what is today Thorens Glieres Haute Savoie France His father was Francois de Sales Lord of Sales and Novel and by marriage de Boisy His mother was a noblewoman Francoise de Sionnaz the only child of the prominent magistrate Melchior de Sionnaz Seigneur de Vallieres de la Thuile and de Boisy This being one of the noblest families in Savoy Francis s father was generally known as M de Boisy 1 He was baptized Francis Bonaventura after his godparents Francois de la Flechere and Damoiselle Bonaventure de Chevron Villette who was also his widowed maternal grandmother 2 His father wanted him the first of his six sons to attend the best schools in preparation for a career as a magistrate He therefore enjoyed a privileged education in the nearby town of La Roche Sur Foron and at the age of eight at the Capuchin college in Annecy 3 Education and self consecration edit nbsp Francis de Sales age 12 In 1578 de Sales went to the College de Clermont then a Jesuit institution to study rhetoric and humanities On this first visit to Paris he lived near the Eglise Sainte Genevieve with his three cousins 4 As a nobleman he was accompanied by his servant and by a priest tutor Abbe Deage To please his father he took lessons in the gentlemanly pursuits of riding dancing and fencing De Sales is described as intelligent and handsome tall and well built with blue grey eyes somewhat reserved and quiet and a welcome guest in the homes of the nobility among whom his father had connections In 1586 Francis de Sales attended a theological discussion about predestination that convinced him of his damnation to hell A personal crisis of despair resulted That conviction lasted through December 1586 His great despair made him physically ill and even bedridden for a time Sometime in either late December or early January 1587 he visited the old parish of Saint Etienne des Gres Paris where he prayed the Memorare before a famed statue of Our Lady of Good Deliverance a Black Madonna He consecrated himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary and decided to dedicate his life to God with a vow of chastity 3 He then became a tertiary of the Minim Order De Sales ultimately concluded that God had good in store for him because God is love as the First Epistle of John attests This faithful devotion to God not only expelled his doubts but also influenced the rest of his life and his teachings His way of teaching Catholic spirituality is often referred to as the Way of Divine Love or the Devout Life taken from a book he wrote of a similar name Introduction to the Devout Life De Sales completed his studies at College de Clermont and enrolled at the University of Padua in Italy where he studied both law and theology 5 He was accompanied by his twelve year old brother Gallois also a student in Padua De Sales took Antonio Possevino a priest in the Society of Jesus as his spiritual director Return to Savoy edit nbsp St Francis de Sales by Giovanni Battista Lucini In 1592 de Sales received his doctorate in law and theology and made up his mind to become a priest He made a pilgrimage to Loreto Italy famous for its Basilica Della Santa Casa Shrine of the Holy House and then returned home to Savoy As the eldest son and heir he held the title of Seigneur de Villeroget The Senate of Chambery admitted him as a lawyer Meanwhile his father secured various positions for Francis including an appointment as a senator His father also chose a wealthy noble heiress as his bride but Francis refused to marry preferring to stay focused on his chosen path His father initially refused to accept that Francis had chosen the priesthood rather than fulfill his expectations with a political military career His cousin Canon Louis de Sales persuaded the Bishop of Geneva Claude de Granier to obtain for Francis the position of provost of the cathedral chapter of Geneva a post in the patronage of the pope It was the highest office in the diocese M de Boisy yielded After signing over to his younger brother Louis his title and right of succession Francis was ordained in 1593 5 Priest and provost edit Because the Calvinists controlled Geneva the bishop resided about twenty miles south in Annecy De Sales preached in the Cathedral of Annecy at parish churches and before confraternities He was an effective speaker his voice was deep and rich in tone and his speech somewhat slow and measured His sermons were comparatively short and without the customary displays of erudition He avoided controversy and focused on a particular point of duty a specific virtue or the correction of some vice 1 The cathedral chapter recommended that although he was only twenty seven years of age the provost be named Grand Penitentiary of the diocese with the result that de Sales found himself taking many more confessions Chamblais edit In 1594 the Duke of Savoy requested the Bishop to send a missioner to Chamblais an area that had been long held by the Swiss and only recently returned to Savoy The task would be both difficult and dangerous and the most qualified for the assignment was the provost Despite his family s objections de Sales readily accepted Accompanied only by his cousin the Canon Louis they made their base the fortress of Allinges to which the Governor of the Province Baron d Hermance insisted they return each night Gradually they expanded their efforts with de Sales concentrating on Thonon les Bains which had become almost completely Calvinist He also attended the Savoyard soldiers garrisoned at Allinges 1 They met great opposition from the Geneva ministers who accused de Sales of being a sorcerer He moved to Thonon where he boarded with a widow who on one occasion hid him from some armed men More than once he escaped death at the hands of assassins His mother managed to send him some linen and money which he distributed to the poor A good deal of his religious instruction was handled individually and privately It was at this time that Francis began writing pamphlets which were later collected and published as The Catholic Controversy Gradually the mission began to show some small success In 1599 he was appointed coadjutor bishop of Geneva In 1602 he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Henry IV of France to negotiate the restoration of Catholic worship in Gex a part of the diocese that had been returned to France 6 He was invited to give the Lenten sermons at the Chapel Royal The morals at court reflected those of the King which were notorious but King Henry became personally attached to Francis and is said to have observed A rare bird this Monsieur de Geneve he is devout and also learned and not only devout and learned but at the same time a gentleman A very rare combination This quote needs a citation While in Paris he also met Cardinal Berulle and Madame Acarie 7 They consulted with him on matters such as the introduction of Teresa of Avila s Carmelites into France and plans for the reforming of monasteries and convents He was consulted on matters of conscience by persons at court nbsp Arms of St Francis de Sales Bishop of Geneva edit In 1602 Bishop Granier died and Sales was consecrated Bishop of Geneva by Vespasien Gribaldi assisted by Thomas Pobel and Jacques Maistret O Carm as co consecrators He resided in Annecy now in France because Geneva remained under Calvinist control and was therefore closed to him His diocese became famous throughout Europe for its efficient organization zealous clergy and well instructed laity an achievement in those days 8 He worked closely with the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin which was very active in preaching the Catholic faith in his diocese It appreciated his cooperation so much that in 1617 it made him an official associate of the Order the highest honour possible for a non member It is said that at Evian on the south shore of Lake Geneva Francis of Assisi appeared to him and said You desire martyrdom just as I once longed for it But like me you will not obtain it You will have to become an instrument of your own martyrdom 9 During his years as bishop de Sales acquired a reputation as a spellbinding preacher and something of an ascetic His motto was He who preaches with love preaches effectively His goodness patience and mildness became proverbial 10 Author edit These last qualities come through in de Sales books the most famous of which was Introduction to the Devout Life which unusually for the time was written for laypeople especially for women In it he counseled charity over penance as a means of progressing in the spiritual life De Sales also left a mystical work the Treatise on the Love of God and many highly valued letters of spiritual direction including those with Jane Frances de Chantal compiled in the Letters of Spiritual Direction 11 Founder edit nbsp San Francisco de Sales nbsp Francis de Sales and Jane Frances de Chantal medal 1867 Along with Chantal de Sales founded the women s Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary Visitandines in Annecy on 6 June 1610 Archbishop Denis Simon de Marquemont required the order s members to maintain cloistered lives 12 Sales also established a community of men an Oratory of St Philip Neri at Thonon les Bains with himself as the superior or Provost That work however was crippled by his death and that foundation soon died out 13 Death edit In December 1622 de Sales was required to travel in the entourage of Charles Emmanuel I Duke of Savoy for the Duke s Christmas tour of his domain Upon arrival in Lyon de Sales chose to stay in the gardener s hut at the Visitandine monastery in that city While there he suffered a stroke from which he died on 28 December 1622 6 Posthumous veneration editDe Sales has been styled the Gentleman Saint because of his patience and gentleness 9 His autopsy revealed many gallstones Despite the resistance of the populace of Lyon to moving his remains from that city he was buried on 24 January 1623 in the church of the Monastery of the Visitation in Annecy which he had founded with Chantal who was also buried there Their remains were venerated there until the French Revolution 14 Many miracles have been reported at his shrine His heart was kept in Lyon in response to the popular demand of the citizens of the city to retain his remains During the French Revolution however it was saved from the revolutionaries by being carried by the Visitation nuns from Lyons to Venice 3 De Sales was beatified in 1661 by Pope Alexander VII who then canonized him four years later De Sales was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877 15 The Roman Catholic Church celebrates de Sales feast on 24 January the day of his burial in Annecy in 1624 16 From 1666 when his feast day was inserted into the General Roman Calendar to its 1969 revision it was celebrated on 29 January Francis is remembered in the Church of England with a Lesser Festival on 24 January 17 In 2022 Francis de Sales was officially added to the Episcopal Church liturgical calendar with a feast day shared with Jane Frances de Chantal on 12 December 18 Patronage editIn 1923 Pope Pius XI proclaimed him a patron of writers and journalists because de Sales made extensive use of broadsheets and books in spiritual direction and in his efforts to convert the Calvinists of the region 5 Sales developed a sign language to teach a deaf man about God That has made him the patron saint of the deaf 19 Having been founded as one of the first non cloistered group of sisters after attempts had been with the Visitation Sisters founded by de Sales and de Chantal the Sisters of St Joseph founded in Le Puys France in 1650 take de Sales as one of their patrons The Missionaries of St Francis de Sales founded by the Abbe Pierre Mermier in 1838 were the first Religious congregation to adopt his spirituality in the 19th century The religious institute of the Salesians of Don Bosco founded by John Bosco in 1859 approved by the Holy See in 1874 is also known as the Society of Saint Francis de Sales and is placed under his patronage The Oblate Sisters of St Francis de Sales were founded by Leonie Aviat and Louis Brisson under the spiritual guidance of the Marie de Sales Chappuis in 1866 The Oblates of St Francis de Sales order for men was later founded by Brisson also under the guidance of Marie de Sales in 1875 8 The Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri count him as one of their patrons given his close association with St Philip Neri s disciples and his founding of the Oratory in Thonon France now defunct of which he was the first superior The Paulist Fathers in the United States count him Legacy editCongregations edit In the 19th century his vision for religious communities was revived Several religious institutes were founded during that period for men and women desiring to live out the spiritual path that de Sales had developed The Missionaries of St Francis de Sales MSFS founded by the Abbe Pierre Mermier in 1838 were the first congregation to adopt his spirituality in the 19th century The religious institute of the Salesians of Don Bosco SDB founded by John Bosco in 1859 approved by the Holy See in 1874 is also known as the Society of Saint Francis de Sales and is placed under his patronage The Oblate Sisters of St Francis de Sales OSFS were founded by Leonie Aviat and Louis Brisson under the spiritual guidance of the Marie de Sales Chappuis in 1866 The Oblates of St Francis de Sales OSFS order for men was later founded by Brisson also under the guidance of Marie de Sales in 1875 8 The Paulist Fathers in the United States count him as one of their patrons nbsp Mosaic of Francis de Sales on the exterior of St Francis de Sales Oratory in St Louis Missouri The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest a society of priests founded in the 20th century also has Francis de Sales as one of its three primary patrons One of the major apostolates of the Institute in the United States is the Oratory of St Francis de Sales in St Louis Missouri 20 Influence on other saints edit In 1618 or 1619 Vincent de Paul met in Paris Francis de Sales whose spirituality and writings especially An Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God were to have a profound influence on Vincent 10 His writings on the perfections of the heart of Mary as the model of love for God influenced John Eudes to develop the devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary 21 Namesakes editEducational institutions edit St Francis de Sales School Newark Ohio St Francis College Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire England St Francis de Sales Catholic Junior School Liverpool England School of Sacred Heart St Francis de Sales Bennington Vermont St Francis de Sales Catholic School Toronto ON Canada St Francis De Sales Catholic School Houston TX St Francis de Sales Catholic School Riverside CA St Francis de Sales Catholic School Lake Zurich IL St Francis de Sales School Morgantown WV United States St Francis de Sales School Beckley West Virginia St Francis de Sales School Philadelphia Pennsylvania St Francis de Sales Catholic High School Walla Walla Washington DeSales High School in Louisville Kentucky DeSales University located in Center Valley Pennsylvania formerly Allentown College of St Francis de Sales Mount de Sales Academy Catonsville Maryland Mount de Sales Academy Georgia Saint Francis de Sales Seminary Milwaukee Wisconsin Salesianum School Wilmington DE United States St Francis DeSales High School in Columbus OH United States St Francis de Sales High School in Chicago IL United States St Francis de Sales High School in Toledo OH United States St Francis de Sales College in Mount Barker South Australia Australia St Francis de Sales St Stephen School in Geneva NY United States St Francis de Sales School in Nagpur India managed by the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales St Francis de Sales School in New Delhi India managed by the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales St Francis de Sales School in Gangapur City India managed by the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales St Francis De sales School in Nallasopara India managed by the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales St Francis de Sales School in Dhemaji India managed by the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales St Francis de Sales School Nizamabad Telangana India 22 St Francis de Sales School Wellington New Zealand St Francis de Sales High School Francis Nagar Korutla St Francis de Sales School for the Deaf in Brooklyn New York 23 St Francis de Sales College in Nagpur India The three seminary departments in the Archdiocese of Lipa are named after St Francis de Sales St Francis de Sales Minor Major and Theological Seminary St Francis de Sales College Bengaluru India SFS Public School and Junior College Kerala Ettumanoor India St Francis de Sales elementary school Lake Geneva WI United States St Francis de Sales School Salisbury MD United States St Francis de Sales Regional Catholic School Herkimer NY United States St Francis de Sales Catholic School Lockport NY United States formerly St Francis de Sales High School St Francis de Sales School Sherman Oaks CA United States St Francis Sales Senior Secondary School Kerala Vizhinjam India St Francis De Sales Guwahati Assam India Others edit St Francis de Sales Parish Newark Ohio St Francis De Sales and All Souls Devonport Auckland New Zealand The island of St Francois Atoll Saint Francis Hospital amp Medical Center in Hartford CT United States St Francis de Sales Broadcast Center in Batangas City Philippines houses two radio stations under the Catholic Media Network 99 1 Spirit FM and ALFM 95 9 Radyo Totoo St Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church St Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church Charlestown Mass St Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church Purcellville Virginia St Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church Morgantown WV United States St Francis de Sales Church Norton Shores Michigan Norton Shores MI United States St Francis de Sales Hampton Hill and Upper Teddington St Francis De Sales Catholic Church Ajax Ontario CanadaBibliography editFrancis de Sales Introduction to the Devout life London 2012 limovia net ISBN 978 1 78336 023 9 Francis de Sales Treatise on the Love of God known as Theotimus London 2012 limovia net ISBN 978 1 78336 024 6 Introduction to the Devout Life Translated and Edited by John K Ryan Doubleday 1972 ISBN 978 0 385 03009 0 The Catholic Controversy St Francis de Sales Defense of the Faith TAN Books 1989 ISBN 978 0 89555 387 4 Set Your Heart Free Edited by John Kirvan Ave Maria Press 2008 ISBN 978 1 59471 153 4 Sermons of St Francis de Sales on Prayer TAN Books 1985 ISBN 978 0 89555 258 7 Sermons of St Francis de Sales on Our Lady TAN Books 1985 ISBN 978 0 89555 259 4 Sermons of St Francis de Sales For Lent TAN Books 2009 ISBN 978 0 89555 260 0 Sermons of St Francis de Sales for Advent and Christmas TAN Books 1987 ISBN 978 0 89555 261 7See also editSaint Francis de Sales patron saint archive SavoyReferences edit a b c Lear H L S 1877 S Francis de Sales Bishop and Prince of Geneva Christian biog Rivingtons p 268 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Ravier A 2007 Francis de Sales Sage amp Saint in Spanish DeSales Resource Center ISBN 978 0 9713199 6 7 a b c Pernin Raphael St Francis de Sales The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 6 New York Robert Appleton Company 1909 11 March 2020 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Wiseman N P 1889 The Dublin Review Early British periodicals Tablet Publishing Company p 26 a b c Saint Francis de Sales Franciscan Media Archived from the original on 1 April 2020 Retrieved 11 March 2020 a b The Life Story of St Francis de Sales Salesians of Don Bosco in the United States USA West Province Mackey O S B Henry Benedict The Land and Works of St Francis de Sales The Dublin Review vol 22 Burns amp Oates London July 1889 p 2 a b c Oblate History Oblates of St Francis De Sales Wilmington Philadelphia Province Archived 28 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine a b The Franciscan Book Of Saints edited by Marion Habig ofm Franciscan Herald Press 1959 Archived 15 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine a b Francis de Sales Vincentian Encyclopedia famvin org Retrieved 18 December 2018 Saint Jeanne Francoise de Chantal 1988 Francis de Sales Jane de Chantal Letters of Spiritual Direction Paulist Press ISBN 978 0 8091 2990 4 Boundaries of Faith Catholics and Protestants in the Diocese of Geneva by Jill Fehleison Truman State University Press 2011 Turks Paul C O 1995 Philip Neri The Fire of Joy Translated by Daniel Utrecht C O Edinburgh T amp T Clark pp 144 145 ISBN 0 567 29303 3 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Diocese of Annency Salesian Sites Archived 26 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine in French John J Crawley St Francis de Sales Bishop Doctor of the Church Lives of Saints EWTN Archived from the original on 5 July 2019 Retrieved 14 January 2008 Calendarium Romanum Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969 p 115 The Calendar The Church of England Retrieved 27 March 2021 General Convention Virtual Binder www vbinder net Archived from the original on 13 September 2022 Retrieved 22 July 2022 Error desales edu Retrieved 18 December 2018 Who we are Institute of Christ the King Archived from the original on 31 October 2017 Retrieved 12 August 2014 Murphy John F Mary s Immaculate Heart p 24 2007 ISBN 1 4067 3409 8 De Sales St Francis St Francis De Sales School in Nizamabad St Francis Nizamabad Official Archived from the original on 10 January 2016 St Francis de Sales School for the Deaf Brooklyn NYSources edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Herbermann Charles ed 1913 St Francis de Sales Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Francis de Sales nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Francis de Sales nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Author Francis de Sales Works by Francis de Sales at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Francis de Sales at Internet Archive Works by Francis de Sales at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp International Commission on Salesian Studies All about St Francis de Sales worldwide Statue in St Peter s Square Founder Statue in St Peter s Basilica Saint Francis de Sales papers Vault MSS 447 at L Tom Perry Special Collections Harold B Lee Library Brigham Young University Brief except from Treatise on the Love of God Mackey Henry Benedict Phillips Walter Alison 1911 Francis of Sales St Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 10 11th ed pp 940 941 Works edit Introduction to the Devout Life Frederick Pustet amp Co 192X Set Your Heart Free Readings from De Sales Spiritual Conferences from Oblates of St Francis de Sales An Abridgment of the Interior Spirit of the Religious of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary George Templeman 1834 The Mystical Flora of St Francis de Sales or The Christian Life Under the Emblem of Plants M H Gill amp Son 1877 Maxims and Counsels of St Francis de Sales for Every Day in the Year M H Gill amp Son 1884 Of the Love of God Rivington s 1888 The Secret of Sanctity According to St Francis de Sales and Father Crasset S J Benziger Brothers 1893 Letters to Persons of the World Benziger Brothers 1894 The Catholic Controversy Burns and Oates 1909 Letters to Persons in Religion Burns and Oates 1909 Catholic Church titles Preceded byGiovanni Fontana TITULAR Bishop of Nicopolis ad Iaterum15 July 1602 17 September 1602 Succeeded byBernardin Corneillan Preceded byClaude de Granier Bishop of Geneva17 September 1602 28 December 1622 Succeeded byJean Francois de Sales Portals nbsp Saints nbsp Biography nbsp Catholicism nbsp France Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francis de Sales amp oldid 1221311408, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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