Francis de Sales

Born on August 21, 1567, at the Château de Sales near Thorens-Glières, Savoy, Francis de Sales was an influential churchman of the Counter-Reformation. After studying law in Padua and theology in Paris, he was ordained a priest in 1593. He distinguished himself through his missionary zeal in Chablais, a region where he worked to bring people back to Catholicism after they had converted to Protestantism. Appointed Bishop of Geneva in 1602 (although he resided in Annecy, as Geneva was under Calvinist control), he was a tireless pastor, preaching, catechizing, and providing spiritual direction to many, including through correspondence. He is the author of two major works of Catholic spirituality: 'Introduction to the Devout Life' (Philothea), a practical guide to daily holiness, and 'Treatise on the Love of God,' a deeper work on union with God. With Saint Jane de Chantal, he co-founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary in 1610. He died in Lyon on December 28, 1622. Canonized in 1665, he was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1877.