Daniel Stewart on the Courage of St. Francis de Sales

"St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church, was one of the greatest evangelists and most powerful confessors during the Counter-Reformation. His writings on Catholic spirituality still inspire the faithful today and his words still resonate across the centuries. Yet there was a time when Francis was entirely incapacitated by doubt and fear.

"When Francis de Sales was a young man at college in Paris, he began to hear discussions and debates on predestination and the nature of salvation. This was during the late 16th century when Calvinism was devouring large parts of Western Christendom. Young Francis was swayed by some of the harsher interpretations of predestination and began to doubt his salvation. Convinced he was one of the damned, Francis began to feel terrible anguish. He fell into a deep depression and was even bedridden for a time.

"But Francis did not despair completely. He made his way to the Church of St. Etienne-des-Grè and found there the statue of the Black Madonna of Paris, 'Notre Dame de Bonne Délivrance;' Our Lady of Good Deliverance. Here he prayed the Memorare prayer and truly was delivered from his crippling doubt. In place of this doubt, Francis was filled with the simple assurance that 'God is Love.'"

In a recent commentary, writer Daniel Stewart reflected on St. Francis and his journey from doubt and despair.

To access Daniel's complete post, please visit:

Catholic Exchange: St. Francis de Sales: A Profile in Courage (25 JAN 16)