Today, January 24, is the memorial of Saint Francis de Sales.
Doctor of the Church and co-founder of the Order of the Visitation.
Francis was born in 1567 to the Sales nobility. His father Lord Francois wanted him to live a life of privilege and to become a lawyer. The future saint, wanting to please his father, studied in the finest schools, and even pursued gentleman’s hobbies such as riding, dancing, and fencing.
In his teens, Francis came across the concept of predestination. The idea that he was condemned to hell sent him into a deep crisis that he got sick and bedridden. However, in January 1587 at the Church of Saint Stephen, he prayed the Memorare and was freed from his crisis. He gave himself to the care of the Virgin Mary and promised to lead a chaste life.
After earning his doctorates in law and theology, Francis felt a call to the priesthood. His family was against the idea, as they had arranged a marriage for him. It was his devotion to prayer that made his family change their minds.
In 1593 he was appointed administrator of the diocese of Geneva, Switzerland, a stronghold of Calvinists. He opposed them with his simple, clear explanations of Catholic doctrine, and his gentle way with everyone. He won them back to the Roman Catholic Church. He also used sign language to preach to the deaf.
He became bishop of Geneva, and worked tirelessly to evangelize. With St. Jeanne Frances de Chantal he helped found the Order of the Visitation (Visitandines).
He was a prolific letter-writer. Many of his letters have survived. He wrote masterpieces such as “Introduction to the Devout Life” and “Treatise on the Love of God”.
At age 55, Francis died from a stroke in 1622. Pope Alexander beatified (1661) and canonized (1665) Francis de Sales.
He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1877, and a patron of writers and journalists by Pope Pius XI in 1923.