Francis Facts #1

Welcome to our 1st edition of Francis facts. As we begin our jubilee year we want to enrich our journey with a greater understanding of who our patron saint was. St Francis de Sales was the Bishop of Geneva. He was born August 21st 1567 and died on December 28, 1622. St Francis was ordained on December 18, 1593, and installed as Bishop on December 8, 1602 a position to which he held until his death. He was the eldest of six sons and because of this his father, Francois de Sales, Lord of Boisy, Sales, and Novel and his mother Francoise de Sionnaz, wanted him to attend the best schools. This was in preparation to follow in his father’s footsteps as a magistrate. Due to his father’s connection Frances was welcomed into homes of nobility.

At the age of eight, Francis began his privileged education in a nearby town of La Roche-sur-Foron at the Capuchin College in Annecy. In 1583 he attended the College de Clermont, a then Jesuit institution, in Paris France. As a nobleman his studies also included fencing, riding and dancing. All of these pursuits were in line for grooming a gentleman. Francis was a tall, well-built man with grey/blue eyes. He was considered both handsome and intelligent and yet was somewhat quiet and reserved.

Happy Jubilee Year venture with our patron Saint. REMEMBER WE ARE ST. FRANCIS!!!