Francis de Sales - Quodid

About

Picture of Francis de Sales

Francis de Sales (French: François de Sales; Italian: Francesco di Sales; Arpitan: Francês de Sâles; 21 August 1567 – 28 December 1622) was a Catholic prelate from Savoy who served as Bishop of Geneva from 1602 to 1622. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topics of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God. He was a member of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, a tertiary of the Order of Minims, and was canonized in 1665.

Francis de Sales is sometimes cited as:

Saint Francis de Sales

Quotes from Francis de Sales

Be who you are and be that well.

—Francis de Sales

A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship.

—Francis de Sales

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them—every day begin the task anew.

—Francis de Sales

[M]aybe the most any of us can expect of ourselves isn't perfection but progress.

—Francis de Sales

When your heart roams or gets distracted lead it back very gently, softly putting it close to its Master; and even if you spend your whole hour doing nothing except gathering up your heart quite calmly and putting it close to Our Lord, and even if your heart does nothing except turn away as soon as you have led it back, your hour will have been very well spent

—Francis de Sales

God heart distraction

When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.

—Francis de Sales