Prayers To St. Francis De Sales

Prayer in Special Need to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Say not, merciful Virgin, that you cannot help me; for your beloved Son has given you all power in heaven and on earth. Say not that you ought not assist me, for you are the mother of all the poor children of Adam, and mine in particular. Since then, merciful Virgin, you are my mother and you are all-powerful, what excuse can you offer if you do not lend your assistance? See. my mother, see, you are obliged to grant me what I ask, and to yield to my entreaties.

(St. Francis De Sales)


Prayer to St. Francis De Sales

"O Glorious St. Francis, model of the interior life, and full of zeal for the salvation of souls! Obtain for me the grace to employ all my faculties, not for my own sanctification alone, but for that of my neighbor also; that continually spreading abroad the sweet odor of Jesus Christ by my words and works, I may attain with thee the blessedness promised to the merciful: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy;" and that I may one day have a share in the glory which thou dost enjoy in paradise with the angels and saints, where those who edify and instruct to justice shall shine as stars for all eternity (Dan. xii. 3)

Prayer to Obtain the Protection of St. Francis De Sales

"O Great St. Francis, glorious apostle of Jesus Christ, seraph of the earth, who didst breathe but for the glory of God; perfect imitator of thy meek and humble Saviour, and devoted child of the holy Mother of God, deign to receive me among the number of thy special clients; be henceforth my advocate, my counselor, my friend, and my father. Thy prayers, even on earth, were the instruments of innumerable miracles of grace. Oh, vouchsafe to offer one for me, now that their efficacy is so greatly increased in heaven. May my entire conversion now add another to the already countless triumphs of thy charity. Teach me, like thee, to see God in my fellow-creatures; and for His sake to make myself all to all, weeping with them that weep, rejoicing with them that rejoice. May the example of thy wondrous meekness sink into my soul and excite my earnest, persevering efforts to imitate it. Strengthen me, by thy prayers, to pursue the difficult practice of interior mortification, without which I can not hope to possess my soul in peace and patience. Oh, enkindle in my heart one spark of the heavenly fire of charity which glowed in thine! Teach me, like thee, to seek and find my happiness in God, and to feel that it is good to live, to labor, and rejoice in Him alone. Shield me against the many perils which beset my path: watch over my immortal interests, and obtain that my soul may die the death of the just, and my last end be like unto thine. Amen.

The Virtue of Meekness from the Butler's Lives of Saints

Meekness was the favorite virtue of St. Francis de Sales. He once was heard to say that he had spent three years in studying it in the school of Jesus Christ, and that his heart was still far from being satisfied with the progress he had made. If he who was meekness itself, imagined, nevertheless, that he possessed so little of it, what shall we say of those who, upon every trifling occasion, betray the bitterness of their hearts in angry words and impatient gestures. Francis was often tried in this matter, especially when the press of business and the crowds who thronged to him for relief in their various necessities, scarcely allowed him a moment to breathe. He has left us his thought upon this situation, which his extreme affability rendered of very frequent occurrence.

"God," says he, "makes use of such occasions to try whether our souls are sufficiently strengthened to bear every attack. I have myself been sometimes in this difficulty: but I made a covenant with my heart and with my tongue, in order to confine them within the bounds of duty . . . . the man who possesses Christian meekness is affectionate and tender toward everyone; he is disposed to forgive and excuse the frailties of others; the goodness of his appears in a sweet affability that influences his words and actions, and presents every object to his view in the most charitable and pleasing light; he never allows himself to use a harsh phrase, much less any language that is haughty or rude, There is always a gentle serenity in his expression which distinguishes him from those violent characters who with looks full of furry, only know how to say no, or who, when they grant, do it with so bad a grace that they lose all the merit of the favor they confer." 

Novena Prayer to St. Francis De Sales

O great prelate, most blessed saint, model of bishops, the glory of the Church. Thou wast and ever shall be revered on earth as a man according to God's own heart, and a most perfect imitator of our adorable model, Jesus Christ. Thou wast the champion of the Faith whose zeal extirpated heresy; the ardent victim of charity and docile disciple of that heavenly spirit Who spoke by thy pen, and rendered thy inspired doctrine the treasure of the Church. O good and faithful servant, thou hast now entered into the joy of thy Lord; the divine and Holy Object of thy love on earth is now thy reward exceedingly great in heaven. O amiable saint, whose tender, compassionate charity was always the refuge of the miserable, despise not our supplications. Since thy conduct on earth toward all thy fellow-creatures, particularly the weakest, marked thee out, like thy beloved Master, as the friend of sinners, show thyself such to us, by obtaining for us the intentions of this novena. 

Receive us, O great Master of solid perfection into the number of those whom thou didst form according to the true spirit of the religious state. Teach us those heavenly virtues which thy blessed life, no less than thy word, so constantly inculcated. Thou wast one of the most humble of men, though gifted with all that could exalt thee before God and the world; O plant in our hearts that root of every virtue, humility. Thou wast an angel of peace, whose presence alone gave consolation to the most afflicted hearts, and whose heavenly meekness succeeded in gaining the most obdurate sinners; obtain, then, for us, also, that peace of God which surpasseth all understanding; a condescending meekness in our conduct toward our neighbor. But principally teach us thy own favorite lesson of perfect conformity to the will of God, that we may repose tranquilly in the arms of His adorable Providence; that we may cast all our solicitude on God, so as "to ask for nothing and to refuse nothing;" at least to ask for nothing more earnestly than the treasure of His divine love, and to refuse nothing so resolutely as the misfortune of consenting to sin. Amen.

Prayer To St. Francis De Sales

Peaceful conqueror of souls! Pontiff beloved of God and man! we venerate thee as the perfect imitator of the sweetness and gentleness of our Jesus. Having learnt of Him to be meek and humble of heart, thou didst, according to His promise, possess the land (1 St. Matth. v. 4). Nothing could resist thee. Heretics, however obstinate; sinners, however hardened; tepid souls, however sluggish;--all yielded to the powerful charm of thy word and example. We love to see thee standing near the Crib of our loving Jesus, and sharing in the glory of John and the Innocents, for thou wast an Apostle like John, and simple like the children of Rachel. Oh! that our hearts might be filled with the spirit of Bethlehem, and learn how sweet is the yoke, and how light the burden of our Emmanuel (St. Matth. xi. 30)!

Pray for us to our Lord, that our charity may be ardent like thine; that the desire of perfection may be ever active within us; that we may gain that introduction to a devout Life which thou hast so admirably taught; that we may have that love of our neighbour, without which we cannot hope to love God; that we may be zealous for the salvation of souls; that we may be patient and forgive injuries, in order that we may love one another, not only in word and in tongue, but, as thy great model says, in deed and in truth? Bless the Church Militant, whose love for thee is as fresh as though thou hadst but just now left her; thou art venerated and loved throughout the whole world.

Hasten the conversion of the followers of Calvin. Thy prayers have already miraculously forwarded the great work, and the Holy Sacrifice has, long since, been publicly offered up in the very City of Geneva. Redouble those prayers, and then, even we may live to see the grand triumph of the Church. Root out too, the last remnants of that Jansenistic heresy, which was beginning to exercise its baneful influence at the close of thy earthly pilgrimage. Remove from us the dangerous maxims and prejudices, which have come down to us from those unhappy times, when this odious sect was at the height of its power.

"Bless with all the affection of thy paternal heart the holy Order thou didst found, and which thou didst offer to Mary under the title of her Visitation. Maintain it in its present edifying fervour; give it increase in number and merit; and do thou thyself direct it, that so thy family may be ever animated by the spirit of its father. Pray, also, for the venerable Episcopate, of which thou art the ornament and model: ask our Lord to bless His Church with Pastors endowed with thy spirit, inflamed with thy zeal, and imitators of thy sanctity. Amen

Prayers To St. Francis De Sales

Litany of St. Francis de Sales

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
O God, the Father of heaven,
Have mercy on us.
O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
O God, the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us
O Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us. *

St. Francis de Sales, *
St. Francis, miracle of the most august Trinity, *
St. Francis, faithful imitator of Jesus Christ, *
St. Francis, attached to the the service of the Blessed Virgin, *
St. Francis, practicing the virtues of the Saints, *
St. Francis, most devote to Jesus crucified, *
St. Francis, august tabernacle of true religion, *
St. Francis, most humble in prosperity, *
St. Francis, most patient in adversity, *
St. Francis, true portrait of the meekness of Christ, *
St. Francis, simple as the dove, *
St. Francis, example of angelic modesty, *
St. Francis, exact observer of evangelic poverty, *
St. Francis, excellent example of the purity of angels, *
St. Francis, ever obedient to the Apostolic See, *
St. Francis, generously despising the world, *
St. Francis, powerful vanquisher of demons, *
St. Francis, invincible triumpher over the flesh, *
St. Francis, inflamed with the love of God, *
St. Francis, abounding in virtues, *
St. Francis, all to all for the salvation of souls, *
St. Francis, most dear to God, and beloved by men, *
St. Francis, unwearied apostle of Geneva and its territory, *
which thou didst so laboriously reunite to the one true Church of God, *
St. Francis, most fervent pastor, ever careful to lead thy flock to the fold of Jesus the Good Shepherd, *
St. Francis, most renowned for thy miracles, *
St. Francis, greatest of all thy miracles, *
St. Francis, patriarch of the Visitation, *
St. Francis, continual martyr to thy love of God, *
St. Francis, father of many Saints, by the holy rules which thou hast left for every state, *
St. Francis, powerful protector to obtain of God that mildness which preserves the peace of the heart, *
St. Francis, amiable patron of those who invoke thee, *

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, O Lord.

O Blessed Francis, like the fruitful olive-tree in the house of God, radiant in miracles, make us partakers of thy sanctity and of the light which thou enjoyest.

V. Pray for us, Blessed Francis of Sales.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us pray:

O God, by whose gracious will the Blessed Francis, thy confessor and bishop, became all things unto all men, for the saving of their souls, mercifully grant that, being filled with the sweetness of thy love, we may, through the guidance of his counsels, and by the aid of his merits, attain unto the joys of life everlasting. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

St. Francis De Sales

Feastday: January 24
Patron Saint of Journalists, Writers
1567 - 1622

Born in France in 1567, Francis was a patient man. He knew for thirteen years that he had a vocation to the priesthoodbefore he mentioned it to his family. When his father said that he wanted Francis to be a soldier and sent him to Paris to study, Francis said nothing. Then when he went to Padua to get a doctorate in law, he still kept quiet, but he studied theology and practiced mental prayer while getting into swordfights and going to parties. Even when his bishop told him if he wanted to be a priest that he thought that he would have a miter waiting for him someday, Francis uttered not a word. Why did Francis wait so long? Throughout his life he waited for God's will to be clear. He never wanted to push his wishes on God, to the point where most of us would have been afraid that God would give up!

God finally made God's will clear to Francis while he was riding. Francis fell from his horse three times. Every time he fell the sword came out of the scabbard. Every time it came out the sword and scabbard came to rest on the ground in the shape of the cross. And then, Francis, without knowing about it, was appointed provost of his diocese, second in rank to the bishop.

Perhaps he was wise to wait, for he wasn't a natural pastor. His biggest concern on being ordained that he had to have his lovely curly gold hair cut off. And his preaching left the listeners thinking he was making fun of him. Others reported to the bishop that this noble-turned- priest was conceited and controlling.

Then Francis had a bad idea -- at least that's what everyone else thought. This was during the time of the Protestant reformation and just over the mountains from where Francis lived was Switzerland -- Calvinist territory. Francis decided that he should lead an expedition to convert the 60,000 Calvinists back to Catholicism. But by the timehe left his expedition consisted of himself and his cousin. His father refused to give him any aid for this crazy plan and the diocese was too poor to support him.

For three years, he trudged through the countryside, had doors slammed in his face and rocks thrown at him. In the bitter winters, his feet froze so badly they bled as he tramped through the snow. He slept in haylofts if he could, but once he slept in a tree to avoid wolves. He tied himself to a branch to keep from falling out and was so frozen the next morning he had to be cut down. And after three years, his cousin had left him alone and he had not made one convert.

Francis' unusual patience kept him working. No one would listen to him, no one would even open their door. So Francis found a way to get under the door. He wrote out his sermons, copied them by hand, and slipped them under the doors. This is the first record we have of religious tracts being used to communicate with people.

The parents wouldn't come to him out of fear. So Francis went to the children. When the parents saw how kind he was as he played with the children, they began to talk to him.

By the time, Francis left to go home he is said to have converted 40,000 people back to Catholicism.

In 1602 he was made bishop of the diocese of Geneva, in Calvinist territory. He only set foot in the city of Geneva twice -- once when the Pope sent him to try to convert Calvin's successor, Beza, and another when he traveled through it.

It was in 1604 that Francis took one of the most important steps in his life, the step toward holiness and mystical union with God.

In Dijon that year Francis saw a widow listening closely to his sermon -- a woman he had seen already in a dream. Jane de Chantal was a person on her own, as Francis was, but it was only when they became friends that they began to become saints. Jane wanted him to take over her spiritual direction, but, not surprisingly, Francis wanted to wait. "I had to know fully what God himself wanted. I had to be sure that everything in this should be done as though his hand had done it." Jane was on a path to mystical union with God and, in directing her, Francis was compelled to follow her and become a mystic himself.

Three years after working with Jane, he finally made up his mind to form a new religious order. But where would they get a convent for their contemplative Visitation nuns? A man came to Francis without knowing of his plans and told him he was thinking of donating a place for use by pious women. In his typical way of not pushing God, Francis said nothing. When the man brought it up again, Francis still kept quiet, telling Jane, "God will be with us if he approves." Finally the man offered Francis the convent.

Francis was overworked and often ill because of his constant load of preaching, visiting, and instruction -- even catechizing a deaf man so he could take first Communion. He believed the first duty of a bishopwas spiritual direction and wrote to Jane, "So many have come to me that I might serve them, leaving me no time to think of myself. However, I assure you that I do feel deep-down- within-me, God be praised. For the truth is that this kind of work is infinitely profitable to me." For him active work did not weaken his spiritual inner peace but strengthened it. He directed most people through letters, which tested his remarkable patience. "I have more than fifty letters to answer. If I tried to hurry over it all, i would be lost. So I intend neither to hurry or to worry. This evening, I shall answer as many as I can. Tomorrow I shall do the same and so I shall go on until I have finished."

At that time, the way of holiness was only for monks and nuns -- not for ordinary people. Francis changed all that by giving spiritual direction to lay people living ordinary lives in the world. But he had proven with his own life that people could grow in holiness while involved in a very active occupation. Why couldn't others do the same? His most famous book, INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE, was written for these ordinary people in 1608. Written originally as letters, it became an instant success all over Europe -- though some preachers tore it up because he tolerated dancing and jokes!

For Francis, the love of God was like romantic love. He said, "The thoughts of those moved by natural human love are almost completely fastened on the beloved, their hearts are filled with passion for it, and their mouths full of its praises. When it is gone they express their feelings in letters, and can't pass by a tree without carving the name of their beloved in its bark. Thus too those who love God can never stop thinking about him, longing for him, aspiring to him, and speaking about him. If they could, they would engrave the name of Jesus on the hearts of all humankind."

The key to love of God was prayer. "By turning your eyes on God in meditation, your whole soul will be filled with God. Begin all your prayers in the presence of God."

For busy people of the world, he advised "Retire at various times into the solitude of your own heart, even while outwardly engaged in discussions or transactions with others and talk to God."

The test of prayer was a person's actions: "To be an angel in prayer and a beast in one's relations with people is to go lame on both legs."

He believed the worst sin was to judge someone or to gossip about them. Even if we say we do it out of love we're still doing it to look better ourselves. But we should be as gentle and forgiving with ourselves as we should be with others.

As he became older and more ill he said, "I have to drive myself but the more I try the slower I go." He wanted to be a hermit but he was more in demand than ever. The Pope needed him, then a princess, then Louis XIII. "Now I really feel that I am only attached to the earth by one foot..." He died on December 28, 1622, after giving a nun his last word of advice: "Humility."

He is patron saint of journalists because of the tracts and books he wrote.