St. Francis de Sales, a saint of the Catholic Church, born on 21st August 1567, at Thorens near Annecy, France, is the patron of Saint of the Congregation of fransalians. He was ordained a priest on the 18th of December 1593 and was consecrated as a Bishop in 1602. Francis was a pioneer missionary to publish the printed word of God. In 1608 , he published the “Introduction to devout life” and the “Treatise on the love of God” in 1616. He was beatified in 1661 and cannonised in 1665. Pope Pius IX proclaimed him Doctor of the Church in 1877.
He was a dynamic pastor, about a dozen missionary congregations hail the name of this spiritual genius by following his principles and practicing his virtues of patience, gentleness courage, spirit of poverty, self sacrifice etc.
Francis was a man of prayer and he conquered all by his gentlemanliness. Once St. Jane de Chantal asked whether he ever went for any length of time without actually and explicitly turning his mind to God and he said, “Sometimes for as long as about a quarter of an hour”. If we too could be like him!
