Feast Day of Francis de Sales - January 24

(allocution in honor of Francis de Sales on what used to be his feast day, this shows how human and holy he was and how happy and blessed we are to live his spirituality)

From the Allocution Sabaudiae gemma of Pope Paul VI, January 29, 1967

No one of the recent Doctors of the church more than St. Francis de Sales anticipated the deliberations and decisions of the Second Vatican Council with such a keen and progressive insight.  He renders his contribution by the example of his life, by the wealth of his true and sound doctrine, by the fact that he has opened and strengthened the spiritual ways of Christian perfection for all states and conditions of life.  We propose that these three things be imitated, embraced, and followed.

An acute perception of mind, a solid and clear reasoning, a penetrating judgment, an almost incredible good will and kindness, a gentle and loveable suavity of speech and expression, a calm ardor of an ever active spirit, a rare simplicity of manners, a serene and tranquil peace, an ever firm and secure moderation, nevertheless not separated from strength - gentleness emanates from his strength - by which he was accustomed to love affectionately, and also to take a firm stand in order to achieve what he wished, a lofty elevation of mind and a love of beauty, wishing to show others the most beneficial goods both spiritual and cultural, an immense love of souls and a love of God, radiant as the sun, which surpassed all his other virtues, all of this elevated and increased by the superabundance of divine graces; such are, along with others like them, the characteristics with which the portrait of St. Frandis de Sales is sketched.

He bore the labors of the pastoral ministry undertaken even amid dangers and perils; he composed works rich in doctrine; he preached and renewed sacred eloquence; he reformed many monasteries that had grown lax in religious observance, and together with St. Jane de Chantal, with whom he was joined by a bond of spiritual and supernatural friendship, he founded the Institute of the Visitation of Holy Mary.

St. Francis de Sales appears as a new doctor of the spiritual life quite suited to the present age.  His doctrine remains profoundly anchored in the fullness of the faith of the Church, in tradition and in the teaching of the Fathers of the Church.  Nevertheless he applied himself to placing the old in a new light; he wisely strove to adapt it to the use and advantage of a new age, and to fashion it harmoniously and tastefully.

As a result he united the cult of humanism with the mystical ascent and ardor, and in so doing promoted and developed in himself and in his disciples the varied and harmonious progress of all the faculties of the human person.  Rather than speak as has been done of devout humanism, it would be better to speak of a Christocentric superhumanism, applied to the total holiness of the human person.

It has been clearly established and declared that it is greatly desirable that the ensemble of the faithful including the laity strive wholeheartedly for holiness of life since they are capable of attaining it with the help of divine grace.  The Bishop of Geneva presents this variety of the forms of holness under the name and quality of devotion.  St. Francis de Sales, enflamed by the violence of a holy desire, urgently exhorted and aroused all Christians regardless of differences of sex, age, fortune, or condition in life, to cultivate and reap the fruits of this devotion.  "Holiness is not the prerogative of one group or of another or any one person, but an invitation and a commend addressed to all those who bear the name of Christian."