St. Francis de Sales

The Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrandt (1606-1669). 1668 oil on canvas. Hermitage Museum / Wikimedia Commons

The Eternal Love of God for Us

God has loved each one of us since the beginning of time. He has willed our being into existence and like a tender mother, watches

Stained glass window of the sacred Heart of Jesus Christ in the Cathedral of Cordoba, Spain (Wikimedia Commons)

The Longing Of The Divine Heart

St. Francis de Sales

God longs for the return of man’s love. He has offered infinite proof of His unfathomable desire to be united with mankind. In this excerpt

Discover the wisdom of Saint Francis de Sales as he transforms sickness into an altar of sacrifice. Explore his guidance for spiritual growth during trials.

Spiritual Counsel for the Sick

St. Francis de Sales

Saint Francis de Sales calls the bed of sickness an altar of sacrifice. In his Consoling Thoughts on Sickness and Death, this beloved Doctor of the Church guides the soul to glorify God in their most bitter trials. This excerpt compiles his invaluable counsel on spiritual advancement for the sick and suffering.

The Heart Of Prayer

St. Francis de Sales

As a master of the interior life and a gifted spiritual director, St. Francis de Sales offers an abundance of wisdom for the soul seeking to grow in prayer. Here, he discusses the heart of prayer including the types of prayer, exterior reverence during prayer, and mental prayer.

Discover how to deepen your spiritual life and grow in love for God through prayer and the Sacraments with An Introduction to the Devout Life. Explore meditations on death and judgment.

Meditation On Death And Judgment

St. Francis de Sales

An Introduction to the Devout Life is a thorough, loving guide to advancing in the spiritual life and loving God in prayer and the Sacraments. This excerpt includes two meditations on death and judgment.

The Goal Of Prayer

St. Francis de Sales

In this excerpt from The Sermons of St. Francis de Sales: On Prayer, the saint treats the subject of prayer. De Sales discusses the four operations that pertain to our understanding and the goal of prayer.

In the pursuit of holiness, expect opposition from the world. Saint Francis de Sales advises us to remain unwavering in our resolutions, standing strong against threats, insults, and assaults. Discover the courage to face adversity and stay true to your devout path.

In The World, But Not Of It

St. Francis de Sales

When we pursue the devout life, Saint Francis de Sales warns that the world will cast threats, insults, and assaults upon us of every kind. Here, de Sales reminds us that when the world mocks us in our pursuit of holiness, we must stand firmly rooted in our resolutions.

Meditations on Creation

St. Francis de Sales

From Saint Francis de Sales’s Introduction to the Devout Life, these meditations illuminate the glory of God’s creation and His purpose for us. First Meditation

Uncover the transformative teachings of Saint Francis de Sales in "Philothea" as he illuminates the path to resisting temptations and nurturing a devout heart. Gain valuable insights on overcoming worldly allurements.

Guarding The Heart Against Temptation

St. Francis de Sales

While we remain on earth, we will inevitably encounter temptations. In Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, Saint Francis de Sales has left us with wisdom on how temptation can become sinful, how to remedy them, and how to guard our hearts against temptation.

Discover the spiritual wisdom of Saint Francis de Sales in his renowned work, Consoling Thoughts on God and Providence. Learn how to embrace God's will with perfect resignation, using the analogy of a ship without a known destination.

A Will Perfectly Resigned

St. Francis de Sales

Saint Francis de Sales was a saint renowned for his spiritual wisdom and guidance. Here, in one of his most well known works, Consoling Thoughts on God and Providence, he uses an analogy of a person aboard a ship without knowing its destination to explain how a soul should be perfectly resigned to the will of God.

Consolation During Temptation

St. Francis de Sales

Find comfort in the belief that with God’s aid, we can defeat any allurements.

Stilling the Storm of an Anxious Soul

St. Francis de Sales

The Temptation of Anxiety Anxiety, or disquietude, is not merely a temptation itself, but it is a source from which and by which several other

Discover the infinite love of God at our website. Explore the essence of His love from eternity to eternity. Learn how to reciprocate His love in return.

From Beast to Man

St. Francis de Sales

The Incarnation occurred in order to teach us to live no longer like brute animals, as people did after Adam’s fall, but with and according

Oh, How He Loves You

St. Francis de Sales

YOU ask me whether Our Lord thinks of you, and whether He looks upon you with love. Yes, He thinks of you, and not only

Gentleness Toward Ourselves

St. Francis de Sales

ONE of the forms in which we should practice gentleness regards ourselves, in never growing irritable with ourselves on our imperfections; for, although, in reason

The Virtue of Virtues

St. Francis de Sales

ABANDONMENT is the virtue of virtues; it is the cream of charity, the fragrance of humility, the sweetness of patience, and the fruit of perseverance.

Called By Name

St. Francis de Sales

CONSIDER the love with which Jesus Christ Our Lord suffered so much in this world, particularly in the Garden of Olives, and on Mount Calvary.

Embrace the spirit of evangelic poverty by leaving all things for God's sake. Possess only life's necessities and be willing to go without for the love of God.

Purification and General Confession

St. Francis de Sales

The first purification to be made is that of sin, and the means—the holy Sacrament of Penance. Seek the best confessor that you can, take some one of the books prepared for the aid of conscience, read it carefully, and observe minutely wherein you have sinned from the earliest period up to the present time,

Purification from the Affection to Sin

St. Francis de Sales

All the children of Israel actually departed from Egypt, but they did not all depart heartily, wherefore in the desert some of them regretted the flesh, the melons, the leeks, and onions of Egypt. (Num. 11). And so some penitents, though they forsake sin outwardly,

Explore the demand for spirituality in a secularized world and the role of Christ in fulfilling this need. Discover the depths of the relationship with Christ and its transformative power.

The Soul’s Choice of a Devout Life

St. Francis de Sales

Preparation 1. Place thyself in the presence of God. 2. Prostrate thyself before Him, and seek His aid.

Sermon for Ash Wednesday: Fasting

St. Francis de Sales

THESE first four days of the holy season of Lent serve as a preface to indicate the preparation that we ought to make in order

TAN Direction Search Results

The Eternal Love of God for Us

The Longing Of The Divine Heart

Spiritual Counsel for the Sick

The Heart Of Prayer

Meditation On Death And Judgment

The Goal Of Prayer

In The World, But Not Of It

Meditations on Creation

Guarding The Heart Against Temptation

A Will Perfectly Resigned

Consolation During Temptation

Stilling the Storm of an Anxious Soul

From Beast to Man

Oh, How He Loves You

Gentleness Toward Ourselves

The Virtue of Virtues

Called By Name

Purification and General Confession

Purification from the Affection to Sin

The Soul’s Choice of a Devout Life

Sermon for Ash Wednesday: Fasting

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