I am reading just about the best book on a life of a saint I have read: St. Francis de Sales was born in 1567 in the region of the western Alps. There were many military and political conflicts there were heightened and complicated by religious tensions between Catholics and Protestants, whose leader John Calvin had settled in nearby Geneva and won a following in some districts of Francis' hometown as well. Francis' aristocratic father had great plans to position him for rapid social advancement. He sent the young man to law school, maneuvered for his appointment as a senator, and chose a noble heiress as his future wife—but God had other plans. This new edition of A Man of Good Zeal: A Novel Based on the Life of St. Francis de Sales tells the inspiring story of how Francis risked his life to win thousands back to the Catholic faith, transformed the Diocese of Geneva as its bishop, and wrote the spiritual classics that eventually led Rome to name him a Doctor of the Church. https://tanbooks.com/content/AManOf...oKBc0mDa16BCUpzKepBxrf-n37qcrq5ww1E3WdMxN_EHJ
What makes this book so good is that it is written by the cousin of the saint who grew up with and was educated with him and so saw him rise to become a saint first hand. So may stories and the book has a wonderful modern feel. Really enjoyable. I was just thinking about St Francis De Sales last night before sleep and comparing him to other French saints such as the Cure of Ars, St Vincent De Paul and St Louis De Montford. It is surprising how much they have in common. Being gentle, kind, humble, loving and so wise. In may ways like children.
Wow, I read some of this in the link you shared, and loved it so much...then very happily discovered that it's already in my bookshelf! Needless to say, I've begun reading it!
It has such a modern feel, I could not believe it was written over three centuries ago. I do love a good story and the true stories of the saints best of all. Also it is intriguing to see how someone became a saint following him right from childhood. The workings of grace. It seems to me that Saint Francis De Sales would make a great Patron of the Internet. There is much nastiness and anger here and Francis was so kind and gentle.
I was just reading last night about how St Francis as a very young priest worked to convert the nearby Calvinist town of Toman were there were only 15 Catholics. The people were very hostile and he could not even say Mass in case there was a riot. He was boycotted and no one would even look at him let alone listen. His cousin ,also a priest left him to it. Francis wrote little leaflets which were handed round the town. Yet it was the witness of the saint himself that I think converted people.He bore their hostility so well. What finally broke the dam was that three men with swords ambushed him in the night to kill him. The young saint has a sword fight with them and captured one and drove the other two off. This really impressed the townsfolk and they admired him for this. But all this hate and hostility really drained the saint. He was a shadow of himself at the end. It is hard when everyone hates you and will not even talk to you.
