St. Francis de Sales

CHRONOLOGY

1567 Born on August 21 at the Chateau de Sales near Thorens in the Duchy of Savoy, the first-born of François de Boisy and

Françoise de Sionnaz. Baptised Francis Bonaventure in the parish Church of St. Maurice in Thorens.

1573 Early education began at La Roche-sur-Foron and hten at the College Chappuisien in Annecy.

1578 Began a ten-year stay in Paris, attending the Jesuit College of Clermont, studying the humanities and philosophy, and

theology on his own initiative.

1586 December; beginning of an emotional and spiritual crisis, which was to last six weeks.

1588 After a brief visit to Savoy, left for the University of Padua to study law.

1590 The crisis of Paris resurfaced on a more theological level.

1591 September; received doctorate in civil and canon law.

1592 Admitted to the bar at the Senate of Savoy, Chambery.

1593 Named Provost of the cathedral chapter of Geneva on March 7; ordained priest on December 18 at the cathedral in Annecy.

1594 Beginning of the four-year mission to the Chablais region, south of Lake Geneva.

1597 Three secret meetings in Geneva with Théodore de Bèze.

1599 Called to Rome by Pope Clement VIII and appointed coadjutor to the bishop of Geneva.

1600 Publication of his Defence of the Standard of the Cross

1601 Death of his father at age 79

1602 January to September; second stay in Paris on religious and diplomatic missions. Frequents the Acarie spiritual circle,

preaches in many Paris churches.

En route back to Annecy Francis learned of his predecessor’s death; was ordained bishop of Geneva, December 8, in the

Church of his baptism.

1604 Preached the Lenten series in Dijon; first meeting with Jane Frances Fremyot, Baroness de Chantal. In August they met at St.

Claude, and he agreed to be her spiritual director.

1606 Established, together with Antoine Favre, the Florimontane Academy in Annecy.

1607 Second visit of Jane de Chantal to Sales; Francis shared with her his idea for a new form of religious life.

Francis began writing a “life of holy charity” which would become his Treatise on the Love of God.

1608 Francis completed the first edition of the Introduction to the Devout Life.

1610 Death of his mother, Madame de Boisy, at age 58.

Foundation, with Jane de Chantal, of the Visitation of Holy Mary in Annecy.

1616 Treatise on the Love of God published in Lyons.

1618 November 1618 to September 1619, final visit to Paris; contacts with Angélique Arnauld, Vincent de Paul, et al.

1619 Publication of the definitive edition of the Introduction to the Devout Life.

1622 Francis died while in Lyons, age 55.

1623 Transfer of his body from Lyons to the Visitation chapel in Annecy, arriving there January 24.

1661 Beatified by Pope Alexander VII.

1665 Canonized by the same on April 19.

1854 Declared Patron of the Deaf by Pope Pius IX.

1877 Declared a Doctor of the Church by the same.

1923 Declared Patron of Catholic Journalists and of the Catholic Press by Pope Pius XI.

References

Life of St. Francis de Sales

Francis de Sales [Dirk Koster]

St. Francis de Sales [E.J. Lajeunie]

Saint Francis de Sales [Michael Müller]

Introduction to the Life and Works of St. Francis de Sales

Francis de Sales’ worlds: in Finding God wherever you are [J.F. Power]

A Man, Francis de Sales: in The Spirituality of Francis de Sales, A Way of Life [Francois Corrigan]

Claude Morel, Fifteen Days with St. Francis de Sales.

C.F. Kelley, Spiritual Maxims of St. François de Sales, Introduction

Otto Karrer, The Way to God (Collected Sayings about Religious Life), Life of SFS

Brief biographical sketch of St. Francis de Sales: in Spiritual Conferences (Vol. 2)

Historical Context: in Letters of Spiritual Direction [Wendy M. Wright and Joseph F. Power]

Missionary Spirit of St. Francis de Sales [Midathada Mariadas]

Fr. Francis Moget on St. Francis de Sales

Pastoral Spirit of St. Francis de Sales Book 1 [Midathada Mariadas]

Pastoral Spirit of St. Francis de Sales Book 2 [Midathada Mariadas]

St. Francis de Sales as the Pastor

Pastoral Spirit of St. Francis de Sales [Midathada Mariadas]

Genuine Ecclesiastical Vocation [Midathada Mariadas]

St. Francis de Sales as the Writer

The origin of the “Introduction” [Armind Nazareth]

Introducing the Treatise on the Love of God [Vincent Kerns]

Introduction to the Letters to Persons in the World [Alice von Hildebrand]

Introduction to the Letters of Spiritual Direction [Wendy M. Wright and Joseph F. Power]

Introduction to the Spiritual Conferences [Ivo Carneiro]

Origin of the Sermons [Dom B. Mackey]

St. Francis de Sales [Sermons on Our Lady, About St. Francis de Sales]

Origin of the Spiritual Directory

Web references:

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintf03.htm
http://www.oblates.org/
http://www.execpc.com/~uscsi/sfs.html
http://www.thewebdesk.com/catholic/prayers/francisdesales.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06220a.htm
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saints/francisdesales.html
http://www.ireton.org/sfds/12.htm
http://www.scborromeo.org/saints/fransale.htm
http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/desales.htm
http://www.msfs.org/msfs.html
http://rockforddiocese.org/media/sfdss.htm
http://www.stjane.org/parish/stjane.html

Papal Encyclical:

Pope Pius XI, Rerum Omnium Perturbationem, 26 January 1923, “to celebrate the Third Centenary of the entry into heaven” of St. Francis de Sales, and conferring on him the title of “Heavenly Patron of all Writers”:

Go to: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_26011923_rerum-omnium-perturbationem_en.html#top

Pope Paul VI, Sabaudiae Gemma, 29 January 1967, “Commemorating the Four Hundredth Birth Anniversary of St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church:

Go to: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_letters/documents/hf_p-vi_apl_19670129_sabaudiae-gemma_lt.html

Founder of the Visitation | Docotr of Love | Patron of the Journalists | Patron of the Deaf | Papal Documents on SFS

A Spirituality for Everyone

St. Francis de Sales presents a spirituality that can be practised by everyone in all walks of life