"O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you." - 1 Timothy 6:20
St. Francis de Sales
Great Quote
"Anyone with courage and determination can live in the world without being tainted by its spirit, finding springs of the fresh water of devotion in the world's salty waves and able to fly amid the flames of the temptations of the world without losing the wings of holy desires of a devout life."[1] - Introduction to the Devout LifeBiography
Francis de Sales was born at Thorens in the Duchy of Savoy on August 21, 1567. As the eldest of six, he belonged to an old aristocratic family, attending the college of Clermont in Paris as well as law school at Padua. He was a lawyer and against his father's wishes went on to become a priest, provost, Bishop, and doctor of the Church. He is well known for his writings and his gentle, yet impassioned way of encouraging souls to strive for holiness. He died at Lyons on December 28, 1622.Guarding the Deposit
St. Francis de Sales was a pivotal figure in the history of the Catholic Reformation because of his tireless devotion and unwavering faith to Christ and the Church as he pursued her renewal and preservation through several different avenues of service. The movements of charity found unique expression in St. Francis as he was characteristically "gentle and lowly in heart,"[2] and yet still maintained a resilience and strength. Within Francis' life and writings the formulations of many great theologians such as Thomas More, Erasmus, Lorenzo Scupoli, came together as he drew from there insights and devotions to develop a theology whose contribution would further the renewal of the Church.During his time at Clermont Francis experienced a period of unrest, confusion, and doubt as he struggles to find answers to the questions of many theologians of the day concerning grace, predestination, and eternal salvation. This was a poignant part of his pathway to sainthood, as all of his life's work sprang forth from the love of God that brought him through this trial. A brilliant author, intelligence and reason, only as it was united to love and faith, gave rise to the movement of reform enacted through his life. He consecrated himself to the Blessed Mother before the statue of Notre des Gres, his heart devoted to love of God and his hands committed to the service of the Church.
Against the wishes of his father to become a highly ranked senator and nobleman, Francis received Holy Orders in 1593 and was appointed Provost of Geneva by the Bishop. He unreservedly devoted himself to ministry of the sick, poor and sinful, hearing confessions for long hours and preaching, awakening the stagnant hearts of the faithful in the Churches of Geneva. Francis was next involved with major point of reform in Le Chablais which had become Protestant. Francis enlisted his efforts to restore the area back to Catholicism after a failed attempt by Duke Charles Emmanuel of Savoy. Francis traveled throughout the district preaching and proclaiming doctrines of truth, encouraging he faithful to virtuous lives, often at the risk of his own health and safety. He refuted the theology of the preachers in Geneva who were sent to bring an end to his ministry, converting many pivotal figures of the Calvinist movement, in particular Theodore Beza who was called the Patriarch of the Reformation, on the command of Pope Clement VIII. His "countenance full of gentleness, but also majesty, restful yet charged with strength" proved to be an integral part to his success of reform. It wasn't through fiery rebukes but rather a gentle way of speaking, "so sweet and luminous that it insensibly poured calm into the most troubled minds."[3]
The many inhabitants of Le Chablais were brought back to the Catholic faith, the district finding restoration in the radiant faith and the surety of love found in the heart of Francis, anchored in the pool of Divine Love he so deeply drank from. His contributions were recognized by Pope Clement VIII and in 1602 he was consecrated Bishop of Geneva after the previous died. He did much in this new position to awaken and renew the lives of the people of the Church in Geneva. He began catechetical instruction, outlined the duties of the clergy, held conferences to renew the spirit of the priests, and continued to preach with transformative passion. Francis de Sales traveled throughout the dioceses meeting the needs of the religious communities and both spiritually and physically impoverished, leading them by example to a renewal of the Christian life. With the help of St. Jane de Chatal, he founded a new order called the Sisters of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin.
His loyalties always remained to Annecy, refusing the wealth and high ranking position of power in Paris as Coadjutor- bishopric. Humility and simplicity guided the charity that flowed so freely from his heart and animated his life's work. His contributions to the reform of the Church during the Protestant Reformation are many. This spiritual rebirth of the Church, specifically in regards to the area of Geneva, was accomplished through the awakening of Christian souls to the divine love of God. That reawakening was facilitated by means of his "human virtues, which illuminated by the love of Christ, [possessed] undying radiance."[4] Exhausted by overwork St. Francis de Sales died of apoplexy on the 27th of December, 1622. He was canonized on April 19th, 1665 by Pope Pius VII. He is patron saint of authors, confessors, educators, journalists, and is also called the Gentle Christ of Geneva.
1. Wendy M. Wright, Francis De Sale: Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1993), 38.
2. New American Bible, (Washington: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 1976), Matthew 11:29.
3. Henri Daniel-Rops, The Catholic Reformation Vol II , trans. John Warrington (New York: Division of Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1962), 199.
4. Henri, Daniel-Rops, The Catholic Reformation Vol II , trans. John Warrington (New York: Division of Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1962), 200.