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Francis de Sales Quotes

Francis de Sales was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint in the Catholic Church. 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 topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God. Wikipedia  

✵ 16. August 1567 – 28. December 1622   •   Other names Svatý František Saleský, Sv. František Saleský
Francis de Sales photo

Works

Introduction to the Devout Life
Francis de Sales: 12   quotes 2   likes

Famous Francis de Sales Quotes

“It is the mark of a mean, vulgar and ignoble spirit to dwell on the thought of food before meal times or worse to dwell on it afterwards, to discuss it and wallow in the remembered pleasures of every mouthful. Those whose minds dwell before dinner on the spit, and after on the dishes, are fit only to be scullions.”

Francis de Sales book Introduction to the Devout Life

Pt. 3, ch. 39
Introduction to the Devout Life (1609)

“Those who love to be feared fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only them, they fear everyone.”

Francis de Sales

The Spirit of Saint Francis de Sales, ch. 7, sct. 3 (1952)
Quoted by Bishop Jean-Pierre Camus in L'esprit de Saint François de Sales, Part 3, ch. 5 http://books.google.com/books?id=XdDvTZWjR_sC&q=%22Ceux-l%C3%A0%22+%22qui+aiment+%C3%A0+se+faire+craindre+craignent+de+se+faire+aimer+et+eux-m%C3%AAmes+craignent+plus+que+tous+les+autres+car+les+autres+ne+craignent+qu'eux+mais+eux+craignent+tous+les+autres%22&pg=PA194#v=onepage (1650)

“You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so you learn to love God and man by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.”

Francis de Sales

Quoted by Bishop Jean-Pierre Camus in The Spirit of Saint Francis de Sales, ch. 1, Pg. 3 (1880)

“Have patience with every one, but especially with yourself.”

Francis de Sales

Quoted by Bishop Jean-Pierre Camus in The Spirit of Saint Francis de Sales, section "Upon Discouragement"

“The damned are in the abyss of Hell, as within a woeful city, where they suffer unspeakable torments, in all their senses and members, because as they have employed all their senses and their members in sinning, so shall they suffer in each of them the punishment due to sin.”

Francis de Sales book Introduction to the Devout Life

Pt. 2, ch. 15
Introduction to the Devout Life (1609)

“Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you…. Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.”

Francis de Sales book Introduction to the Devout Life

Pt. 2, ch. 16
Introduction to the Devout Life (1609)

Francis de Sales Quotes about love

“A heart-memory is better than a mere head-memory. Better to carry away a little of the love of Christ in our souls, than if we were able to repeat every word of every sermon we ever heard.”

Francis de Sales

Reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 373.

“There are no galley-slaves in the royal vessel of divine love—every man works his oar voluntarily!”

Francis de Sales

Quoted by Bishop Jean-Pierre Camus in The Spirit of Saint Francis de Sales, ch. 7, sct. 3 (1952)

“Because friendship is intercommunication of love, therefore where love is not mutual, there can be no friendship.”

Francis de Sales book Introduction to the Devout Life

http://books.google.com/books?id=d8kCAAAAQAAJ&q=%22Because+friendship+is+intercommunication+of+love+therefore+where+love+is+not+mutual+there+can+be+no+friendship%22&pg=PA145#v=onepage
Car l'amitié est un amour mutuel, & s'il n'est mutuel, ce n'est pas amitié.
http://books.google.com/books?id=orIOAAAAQAAJ&q=%22car+l'amiti%C3%A9+est+un+amour+mutuel+%26+s'il+n'est+mutuel+ce+n'est+pas+amiti%C3%A9%22&pg=PA242#v=onepage
Pt. 3, ch. 17
Introduction to the Devout Life (1609)

“The elephant, not only the largest but the most intelligent of animals, provides us with an excellent example. It is faithful and tenderly loving to the female of its choice, mating only every third year and then for no more than five days, and so secretly as never to be seen, until, on the sixth day, it appears and goes at once to wash its whole body in the river, unwilling to return to the herd until thus purified. Such good and modest habits are an example to husband and wife.”

Francis de Sales book Introduction to the Devout Life

Introduction to the Devout Life (1609)

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