San Francis of Sales, is the Patron Saint of Journalists and Communicators. He is also the patron saint of Don Bosco’s Salesian family,
Newsroom (26/01/2023 3:00 PM, Gaudium Press) Born in 1567 in the province of Savoy, Saint Francis de Sales was educated within Catholic principles. He studied law in the Italian city of Padua, but felt called to the priestly life. At the age of 26, on December 18, 1593, he was ordained a priest, later being appointed Bishop.
Among his writings, the book entitled “Introduction to the Devout Life” stands out, in which he summarizes the principles of interior life and teaches how to love God. His friendship with St. Jane Francis de Chantal contributed to founding the Congregation of the Visitation of St Mary, which later became the Contemplative Order, with the aim of helping the poor and needy.
Saint Francis de Sales died at age 55 on December 28, 1622, 21 of which were lived in the episcopate as a servant to all and a sign of holiness. In 1877, Pope Pius IX declared him a Doctor of the Church. He is also the patron saint of the Salesian family, founded by Saint John Bosco, and of journalists and communicators. Pope Alexander VII beatified him in 1661 and canonized him in 1665.
Phrases of Saint Francis de Sales
01 – “The great occasions to serve God are rare. The little ones always show up.”
02 – “God is the God of joy. Joy is therefore the attitude of true piety.”
03 – “The best mortifications are not the ones we choose, but the ones that God chooses for us”.
04 – “We must not be disturbed at the sight of our imperfections, because the fight against them cannot and must not end before our death. Our perfection consists in fighting them”.
05 – “The great fidelity to God is demonstrated in the little things”.
06 – “I made a pact with my tongue: not to speak when my heart is troubled”.
07 – “All thoughts that bring us restlessness are not from God”.
08 – “All of us can achieve Christian virtue and holiness, no matter what condition we live in or what our work is”.
09 – “It is not those who commit the smallest faults who are the Saints, but those who have the greatest courage, the greatest generosity, the greatest love, who make the most daring efforts to overcome themselves, and are not immediately apprehensive about stumble
10 – “The measure of loving God is to love him without measure”.
Prayer to Saint Francis de Sales
Oh! Saint Francis de Sales, who in his mortal life excelled in all the virtues, especially in the love of God and neighbor, I humbly beg to place myself under your immediate protection, to obtain from God my perfect conversion, and the of all sinners, especially… (mention the names of the people you want to pray for).
Teach me, St/ Francis, to fix my eyes on the sky; that I can face all the obstacles that stand in my way, and one day reach glory in heaven, with the help of your intercession.
Also obtain the special favor… (mention intention). Help us, O Lord, we beg you, through the merits of Saint Francis de Sales. That what our efforts cannot obtain, may be given us through his intercession.
Let us pray: O God, who, for the salvation of souls, made Saint Francis de Sales their confessor and bishop, who fought so that all men and women would submit to Your merciful will, and be infused with the sweetness of charity, guided by your teachings, we ask, through the intercession of your servant, the grace to obtain eternal happiness, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Compiled by Raunaq Luis Fernandes
