Renata Milán MoralesSt Francis de Sales was born to a noble family at Chateau de Sales, Switzerland on August 21, 1567. He was a Bishop and is a Doctor of the Church.
Francis was both intelligent and gentle. From a very early age, he desired to serve God. He knew for years he had a vocation to the priesthood but kept it from his family. His father wanted him to enter a career in law and politics. In 1580, Francis attended the University of Paris, and at 24-years-old, he received his doctorate in law at the University of Padua.
He studied theology and practiced mental prayers but kept quiet about his devotion. After much discussion and disagreement from his father, Francis was ordained to the priesthood and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva, in 1593.
During the time of the Protestant reformation, Francis lived close to Calvinist territory. He decided he should lead an expedition to bring the 60,000 Calvinists back to the Catholic Church. For three years, he trudged through the countryside.
No one would listen to him, no one would even open their door. So, he wrote out little pamphlets to explain true Catholic doctrine and slipped them under the doors. This is one of the first records we have of religious tracts being used to communicate the true Catholic faith to people who had fallen away from the Church. By the time Francis returned home, it is believed he brought 40,000 people to the Catholic Church.
In 1602, Bishop Granier died, and Francis was consecrated Bishop of Geneva. In 1604, In Dijon, Francis saw a widow listening closely to his sermon – a woman he had seen already in a dream. Jane de Chantal was a dedicated Catholic Christian on her own.
Jane wanted him to take over her spiritual direction, but Francis wanted to wait. Jane was on a path to mystical union with God and, in directing her, Francis was inspired to follow her and become a mystic himself. In 1610, he founded The Order of Visitation.
Francis was overworked and often ill because of his constant load of preaching, visiting, and instruction. He believed the first duty of a bishop was spiritual direction. For him active work did not weaken his spiritual inner peace but strengthened it.
Francis insisted that every Christian was called to holiness and sanctity, lived within their own state in life. He gave spiritual direction to lay people and recognised that Christian marriage and family life is itself a call to holiness.
His book, Introduction to the Devout Life, was written for lay people in 1608.
For busy people living in the world, he advised, “Retire at various times into the solitude of your own heart, even while engaged in discussions or transactions with others and talk to God.”
He died on December 28, 1622, and was canonised on April 19, 1665, by Pope Alexander VII. In 1923, Pope Pius XI named St Francis de Sales the patron saint of Catholic writers and the Catholic press because of the books he wrote. His feast day is celebrated on January 24.