Скачать книгу - The Devout Life

First published in 1609 “An Introduction to the Devout Life” is Saint Francis de Sales work which belongs to the Christian tradition of “Lectio Divina” or “Divine Reading”. Like Thomas a Kempis’ “The Imitation of Christ” it is a work intended to provide guidance to the individual desiring spiritual direction in order to lead a more devout life. Based on a series of letters between Francis and his cousin, Madame Marie de Charmoisy, who as the wife of an ambassador of the Duke of Savoy was struggling with the distractions to faith associated with court life, “An Introduction to the Devout Life” was crafted from those original letters into a guide for a more general audience. Through five parts Francis discusses the aspiration to a devout life, the use of prayer and sacraments, the personal characteristics of virtue necessary to the devout life, the challenge of temptation and how to overcome it, and the practices for renewing and confirming the soul in devotion. An immensely popular work of Christian spirituality “An Introduction to the Devout Life” remains as relevant today as when it was first published.

A contemporary selection of Catholic classics, curated for the modern reader by Our Sunday Visitor in the spirit of our founder, Archbishop John Francis Noll.

This masterpiece of Christian literature by a 16th-century priest explains how to live a holy life in the secular world. Drawn from the letters of St. Francis de Sales, it presents clear and direct advice about praying, resisting temptation, and maintaining devotion to God. A key figure in France's Counter Reformation, St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) served as Bishop of Geneva and was canonized in 1665. The popularity of his prolific writings on spirituality led to his nomination as the patron saint of authors and journalists. Today's readers feel a special affinity for St. Francis, whose suggestions for living a truly Christian life don't involve withdrawal from the world. In this enduring spiritual guide, his remarkably modern advice appears in the form of letters. The saint's frank and practical counsel ranges from embracing meditations that strengthen the resolve to maintain a virtuous existence to performing daily exercises that renew the soul.

De Sales’ classic has been described as “a masterpiece of psychology, practical morality, and common sense” and, after The Bible and The Imitation of Christ, is the widest read spiritual book of all time. Unlike many others, Devout Life was written specifically for lay persons and it demonstrates a rare sensitivity to the demands of life in a world that is often antagonistic to spirituality. In this first-of-its-kind edition, Fr. John-Julian offers a fresh translation, a most thorough historical introduction, and notes explaining points of language and theology along the way.