I didn’t stumble into writing by accident, I studied it as a journalism and English major in college. But I have learned a lot since those days. I've learned that writing first requires us to pay attention and to listen carefully. It also requires us to take words seriously.
In this way, it makes perfect sense that the Church would give writers a patron like St. Francis de Sales.
Francis lived in a time when words were often sharp weapons. Religious debate was fierce, and rhetoric could wound as easily as it could persuade. Yet Francis de Sales chose words that were measured and deeply attentive to the human heart. He believed that truth, when spoken gently, could be persuasive.
Francis did not only preach from pulpits. He wrote constantly. Letters, sermons, spiritual direction, and eventually a book that would shape generations of believers. Introduction to the Devout Life was revolutionary because it was accessible. This classic work, addressed as a personal letter to Philothea - the lover of God which genuinely represents the reader - covers prayer, virtues, and overcoming temptations. St. Francis de Sales believed that holiness belonged not just to monasteries, but to those in kitchens, workplaces, and families.
When a woman worried that she was failing in prayer, Francis did not instruct her to try harder or demand more discipline. Instead, he reminded her that God delights in small acts offered with sincerity. His words were not meant to pressure, they were written to encourage.
If you are not familiar with Introduction to the Devout Life, by St. Francis de Sales, I recommend you read it. Although first published in 1609, the book is still relevant today in that it addresses the desire to lead a devout life. It covers how we should approach God in prayer and the Sacraments, the practice of 16 important virtues, remedies against ordinary temptations, and becoming convicted in our practice of devotion. There is a reason it is a classic. It is something no Catholic home should be without! Find yours today at The Catholic Company!
