St Francis de Sales

[MarysLittleFlower]

He's known as the gentle Saint. Yet I heard that he naturally had a temper and had to overcome A LOT to get there! I'm wondering has anyone heard that too and is that true? Also do you think it's true that each Saint has a particular virtue they exemplify more than others? They are all really different... Compare St Francis De Sales to St Louis De Montfort to St John of the Cross. All very holy men and very different in ways! Any thoughts?

[NadaTeTurbe]

Yes, it's true ! When he was a little boy, he would fight his family's chickens saying "they are protestants !". He wanted to do the war to the protestants. But he understood that you converting them, by preaching, and by the exemple of a holy, christian life, was better than killing them. He converted a lot of protestants in his region. He is not only the gentle saint. He was a great writer, he is the patron saint of writers and journalist ! http://www.amazon.com/The-Catholic-Controversy-Defense-Faith/dp/0895553872/ref=pd_sim_14_9?ie=UTF8&dpID=619qzpI3leL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR104%2C160_&refRID=0CWFY4E8HY0G3RWE41BW And even on his spiritual direction, he was gentle, but not laxist.

There's a very nice metaphor in the Introduction to the Devout life, that I would like to share with you. St François tell us a legend : if you write something on a almond tree seed, it will be written on the leaves of the tree after it. It's the same for us. If we write "Long live Jesus" on our heart, then we will radiate the love of Christ around us. I'm not as clear as the Saint, sorry ! 

I think every Saint is gifted with a special virtue, but it's also us who give to them this, when every Saint is complex. It's not just "St Bruno liked solitude, Francis poverty, Dominic preaching, and the other Francis was gentle". There's many facets to a diamond. It's the same for our Saints. 

[MarysLittleFlower]

Thanks, that makes sense! that's so funny about the chickens. It must have been a struggle for him though and he clearly conquered himself.

Does anyone have more info about how he had to overcome his natural temper maybe as an adult?