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Francis De Sales (ST Bishop of Geneva founder)

ST., Bishop of Geneva, founder of the Order of Visitation; born of a noble Savoyard family, in the château of Sales, near Geneva, Aug. 21, 1567. He was educated by the Jesuits at Paris, studied law at Padua, and having a strong bent to theology and a religious life, entered the Church.

He was sent, in 1594, with his kinsman, Louis de Sales, to preach in the Duchy FRANCISCAN of Chablais, and bring back, if possible, to the Catholic Church the followers of Calvin. He had a large measure of success. His conferences with Théodore de Bèze, Calvin's successor, at Geneva, were, however, without result. He went to Paris in 1602, preached there with great success. The same year he was appointed Bishop of Geneva and applied himself zealously to the reform of the diocese and its monasteries. He declined the offer of a cardinal's hat. In 1610 he founded the Order of the Visitation, of which the first directress was his friend, Madame de Chantal. He was sent again to Paris in 1618. His best known works are the "Introduction to a Devout Life" and "A Treatise on the Love of God." He died in Lyons, France, in 1622; was canonized by Pope Alexander VII. in 1665.