Today (24 Jan) the Church celebrates the life and ministry of Francis de Sales

Today the Church celebrates the life and ministry of Francis de Sales who was born in 1567 in the castle at Sales in Savoy. He was educated in Paris and Padua, first as a legal advocate and then as a priest.

His preaching against Calvinism began in 1593 to win back the Chablais to Roman Catholicism, and in 1599 he was appointed Bishop-Coadjutor of Geneva. He moved to Annecy, from where he administered his diocese when he became the diocesan bishop in 1602.

In his preaching and writings, particularly his book Introduction to the Devout Life, Francis concentrated on putting prayer and meditation within the reach of all Christians. He died at Lyons on 28 December 1622 and his body was translated to Annecy on this day in 1623.