An Introduction to the Devout Life (Tan Classics)

This book is excellent, it is easy to understand, very relevant, and contains very profound insight on how to live a devout life. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants help in establishing a God centered life as St Francis De Sales helps make it very clear and obtainable. I use the meditations contained in the book in my own prayer life. I have read this book repeatedly and I have bought it again as a gift for a friend.

Works of the saints can inspire ordinary people to be better and live a good Christian life. This work by St. Frances de Sales does that. It is composed of short essays aimed toward improving ordinary faults, with examples on how to live a holier life. The book is well translated, with nice paper, good print that isn't small, and well bound. A bargain at the price.

If only someone out there could translate this invaluable guide to the spiritual life without all the cumbersome French that drags this translation down, what a blessing that would be! However, this translation, encumbered as it is by too much extraneous material and an absolutely wretched type font, with words set so closely together as to make you blind, still gives us Saint Francis' basic ideas.

St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622), the Catholic Bishop of Geneva during the early Calvinist period, wrote many important works of spirituality, including especially the "Introduction to the Devout Life" (1609) and "Treatise on the Love of God" (1616), which are complementary works to assist the faithful through the three stages of spiritual development: the purgative way (the initial phase of turning away from sin and coming to conversion), the illuminative way (the second phase of continuing spiritual growth, more moral stability, and the removal from one’s life of all that is not of God), and finally the unitive way (“deep, habitual union with God” combined with a “great desire to serve God”) (Ralph Martin, “The Fulfillment of All Desire,” 2006, pp. 11-12).

Unlike many books of spirituality of the time, "Introduction to the Devout Life" is directed to the layperson. As Msgr. David Bohr explains, the early centuries of the Church were characterized by “the community’s shared life in Christ Spirit.” As monasticism emerged and grew, another way of Christian spirituality developed that emphasized asceticism and contemplative prayer; ordinary Christians were left to observe the commandments and trying to avoid committing sin (“Catholic Moral Tradition,” 1999, p. 26). St. Francis de Sales saw a better way for laypeople, one that gave them a path through the three stages of spiritual growth that heretofore had been primarily the domain of the religious and the cleric. He outlines that way in "Introduction to the Devout Life," a way of becoming holy in a secular world often hostile to religion.

The book is divided into five parts: the first part focuses on general purgation: making the initial steps towards devotion and holiness. The second part covers types of prayer, the Mass, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The third part consists of extended treatments of virtues such as patience, humility, obedience, chastity, poverty of spirit, propriety in dealing with others, friendship, marriage, and widowhood. The fourth part concerns temptation, anxiety, sorrow, and spiritual dryness. The fifth and final part provides exercises that one might regard as a kind of spiritual tune-up to ensure that one isn’t slipping back from the good progress one has made. Francis assumes by the fifth part that one has mostly progressed through the purgative way, and is making inroads on the illuminative way. The unitive way may be in sight but is still out of reach.

Although there are elements of "Introduction to the Devout Life" that could be updated, this work of spirituality for the average person holds up remarkably well. The Image edition is nicely printed, and the typeface comfortable to read. The references, however spare (mostly scriptural references), are provided as endnotes. I highly recommend this book as a practical guide to a life of prayer and holiness for the average person.

Spiritual exercises, devotions, finding a spiritual director ~ that's all difficult mystic twaddle just for priests, monks and nuns who have given up the world for the religious life, right?

Wrong! Every Christian is called to work on their faith, spirituality is like a garden that must be tended on a continual basis if it is to produce fruit. In this classic spiritual `how-to' book, St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) shows the average person, no matter what their calling is in life, how to become closer to God and provides excellent advice on many spiritual subjects. As the translator, John K. Ryan, explains in his introduction (i.e from the Image Books / Doubleday Press Edition, 1989):

"St. Francis avoids the extremes that lead to danger or are themselves dangerous. His purpose is to arouse in his reader a complete love of God and an absolute confidence in Him. This life of devotion is as open to soldiers, shopkeepers, courtiers, statesmen and men of (business) affairs, and women in their homes as it is to solitaires in the desert and nuns in their cells. To the diversity of men and women he presents ways and means to attain holiness of life that are perfectly adapted to their varying conditions of life."

This monumental book in spiritual literature first started out as a collection of letters to one of the saint's spiritual children, Marie du Chastel, who married a relative of St. Francis, the ambassador of the Duke of Savoy to the republic of Berne. For legal reasons, Marie was compelled to stay in Annecy during the early part of 1607, the town close to where the St. Francis was born and where he resided after he was consecrated bishop of Geneva in 1602. However, when the time came for her to leave and return to Savoy, Marie was afraid her spiritual life might backslide without his personal guidance, which she was privileged to receive. He told her not to worry, for he would continually guide her through correspondence when needed. The letters were so helpful, she showed them to a Jesuit priest, Père Jean Fourier, then rector of the College of Chambéry, who was so impressed he urged St. Francis to have them printed whereby all the faithful could profit from his instructions. St. Francis did as he advised. He worked on the letters from 1607 to 1608, preparing them to be printed in a book format, also taking out Maria's name and inserting `Philothea' to include the general reader as St. Francis himself explains: "... I use a name that can refer to all who aspire to devotion. `Philothea' signifies a soul loving, or in love with, God." The year 1609 is printed on the title page of the first edition of "Introduction to the Devout Life".

However, as can be expected, it became very popular and a second edition was called for, but errors crept in over the years, some due to himself St. Francis admits, others were due to printing errors, so the saint continually worked on the book and its various editions, adding to the material when a new topic came to him that needed clarification, or to correct serious blunders when chapters were accidentally omitted. To make a long story short about revisions and new editions, the final and most definitive version arranged by St. Francis de Sales was printed in 1618, from which the latest edition featuring in this review is based.

It is not a difficult book to read or understand, St. Francis de Sales uses straightforward language and advises the Catholic Christian in a simple manner how to grow in devotion and expand upon the spiritual life, giving various instructions and examples drawn not only from Scripture and writings of the saints plus their lives, but also quaint parables and stories from the learning of the period. However, even if some of the various `scientific' parables seem out of date, and other items such as certain rules on when to receive Communion, etc, (we are dealing with the 17th Century after all!), St. Francis' explanations are not dated despite the archaic style of expression, they are as valuable and enlightening today as when the day he first penned them in his letters to Maria. Such examples the reader will find very helpful, like advice on how to discern a temptation (which is not sinful) from a venial or even a mortal sin, especially when the sin is by interior consent and not by action, which is often a troubling issue to discern. Also, discerning the nature of true Christian friendship from the `toxic' relationships harmful to the soul, and how to practise virtue when out in the world is illuminating. Of course, this book is excellent reading material for the penitential season of Lent when we need to pull up our bootstraps and scrub our souls a little!

I will say no more but allow the reader judge for themselves by the Table of Contents,
The subjects are numerous, but the book only has about 300 pages, so the chapters are short despite their number: do not let the lengthy nature of the Table of Contents put you off! The book also includes a short chronology of St. Francis' life, plus numerous footnotes and an index. Certainly, this spiritual diamond deserves the full five stars.

Table of Contents

The First Part of the Introduction

Instructions and Exercises Needed to Lead the Soul from Its First Desire for the Devout Life until Brought to a Full Resolution to Embrace It.

1) Description of True Devotion
2) The Propriety and Excellence of Devotion
3) Devotion Is Possible in Every Vocation and Profession
4) Need of a Guide for Beginning Devotion and Making Progress in It
5) We Must First Begin by Purifying the Soul
6) The First Purgation (Purification), Namely, That of Mortal Sin
7) The Second Purgation, Namely, of Affection for Sin
8) Then Means of Making this Second Purgation
9) The First Meditation - On Our Creation
10) The Second Meditation--On the End for Which We Were Created
11) The Third Meditation--On God's Benefactions
12) The Fourth Meditation--On Sin
13) The Fifth Meditation--On Death
14) The Six Meditation--On Judgment
15) The Seventh Meditation--On Hell
16) The Eight Meditation--On Paradise
17) The Ninth Meditation--The Election and Choice of Heaven
18) The Tenth Meditation--The Election and Choice the Soul Makes of a Devout Life
19) How to Make a General Confession
20) An Authentic Declaration to Impress on the Soul Its Resolution to Serve God and Conclude the Acts of Penance
21) Conclusion Drawn from This First Purgation
22) We Must Purify Ourselves of Affection for Venial Sin
23) We Must Purify Ourselves of Affection for Useless and Dangerous Things
24) We Must Purge Ourselves of Our Evil Inclinations.

The Second Part of the Introduction

Various Instructions for Elevating the Soul to God by Prayer and the Sacraments

1) The Necessity of Prayer
2) A Short Method of Meditation, and First of the Presence of God, Which Is the First Point of the Preparation.
3) The Invocation, the Second Point of Preparation
4) The Subject of the Mystery, the Third Point of Preparation
5) Considerations, the Second Part of the Meditation
6) Affections and Resolutions, the Third Part of Meditation
7) Conclusion and Spiritual Bouquet
8) Certain Useful Instructions on the Subject of Meditation
9) The Dryness Sometimes Experienced in Meditation
10) The Morning Exercise
11) The Evening Exercise and Examination of Conscience
12) Spiritual Retreat
13) Aspirations, Ejaculatory Prayers, and Good Thoughts
14) How to Attend Holy Mass
15) Other Public and Communal Exercises
16) Our Duty to Honor and Invoke the Saints
17) How We Must Hear the Word of God
18) How We Should Receive Inspirations
19) Holy Confession
20) Frequent Communion
21) How We Ought to Communicate

The Third Part of the Introduction

Instructions On the Practise of Virtue

1) The Choice We Must Make in the Exercise of Virtues
2) Discussion of the Choice of Virtues Continued
3) Patience
4) Outward Humility
5) Deeper Interior Humility
6) Humility Causes Us to Love Our Own Abjection
7) How We Are to Preserve Our Good Name
8) Meekness toward Our Neighbour and Remedies for Anger
9) Meekness toward Ourselves
10) We Must Watch Our Affairs Carefully but without Eagerness or Solicitude
11) Obedience
12) The Necessity of Chastity
13) Advice on How to Preserve Chastity
14) The Poverty of Spirit to Be Observed in the Midst of Riches
15) How to Practise Genuine Poverty although Really Rich
16) How to Practise Richness of Spirit in Real Poverty
17) On Friendship, and First, on Evil and Frivolous Friendships
18) Fond Loves
19) True Friendship
20) The Difference between True and Vain Friendships
21) Advice and Remedies against Evil Friendships
22) Further Advice on the Subject of Friendships
23) The Exercise of Exterior Mortification
24) Society and Solitude
25) Propriety in Dress
26) Concerning Speech, and First, How We Must Speak of God
27) Modesty in Speech and the Respect Due to Others
28) Rash Judgment
29) Slander
30) Additional Advice with regard to Conversation
31) Pastimes and Recreations, and First, Those That are Lawful and Praiseworthy
32) Prohibited Games
33) Parties and Lawful but Dangerous Pastimes
34) When It is Permissible to Play or Dance
35) We Must be Faithful to Both Great and Little Tasks
36) We Must Preserve a Just and Reasonable Mind
37) On Desires
38) Instructions for Married Persons
39) The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed
40) Instructions for Widows
41) A Word to Virgins

The Fourth Part

Necessary Counsels against the Most Frequent Temptations

1) We Must Disregard the Criticisms of This World's Children
2) We Must Have Firm Courage
3) The Nature of Temptation and the Difference between Feeling Temptation and Consenting to It.
4) Two Good Illustrations of the Subject
5) Encouragement for a Soul under Temptation
6) How Temptation and Pleasure May Become Sinful
7) Remedies against Great Temptations
8) We Must Resist Small Temptations
9) Remedies to Be Taken Against Small Temptations
10) How to Strengthen Our Heart against Temptation
11) Anxiety
12) Sorrow
13) Concerning Spiritual and Sensible Consolations and How We Must Conduct Ourselves in Them
14) Spiritual Dryness and Sterility
15) Confirmation and Clarification of What Has Been Said by a Remarkable Example

The Fifth Part of the Introduction

Exercises and Instructions for renewing the Soul and Confirming It in Devotion

1) Each Year We Must renew Our Good Resolutions by the Following Exercises
2) Consideration of How God Benefits Us by Calling Us into His Service According to the Protestation Already Set Down
3) Examination of Our Soul on Its Progress in the Devout Life
4) Examination of Our State if Soul in Relation to God
5) Examination of Our State with Regard to Ourselves
6) Examination of Our State of Soule with Reference to Our Neighbor
7) Examination of the Affections of Our Soul
8) Affections to be Formed after This Examination
9) Considerations Proper for Renewing Our Good Resolutions
10) First Consideration: The Excellence of Our Soul
11) Second Consideration: The Excellence of Virtue
12) Third Consideration: The Example of the Saints
13) Fourth Consideration: The Love That Jesus Christ Has for Us
14) Fifth Consideration: God's Eternal Love for Us
15) General Affections on the Preceding Considerations and Conclusion of the Exercise
16) Our Sentiments after This Exercise
17) Answer to Two Objections That May Be Made to This Introduction (to the Devout Life)
18) The Three Last and Principal Counsels for this Introduction

The Introduction to the Devout Life really consists of several intertwined parts.

First, there is a basic statement of the devout life: A soul, perceiving the goodness of God through the eyes of faith, loves him and wants to live a life worthy of being his servant. This love is inflamed by means of frequent prayer and reception of sacraments. It is lived out by the practice of the virtues and the avoidance of sin.

What is particularly important in this work is that this life can be lived by everyone, not only the cloistered or those who have made solemn vows. The culmination of this idea is seen in such documents of the Second Vatican Council like Lumen Gentium or Gaudium et Spes.

Lasty, the bulk of the work is devoted to sage advice from St. Francis on how to put these resolutions into practice. Some of this is dated but most is not and can be read profitably by the modern Christian.

To those in the world who want to lead a life of devotion to God this is an indispensable text.

I first read this book while attending a Salesian high school -- and I've returned to repeatedly in the ensuing years. It is a timeless guide to leading a life that is filled with the greatness and goodness of God. I was pleased to recently share it with my children who've also come to love it. So I was over joyed after receiving a Kindle for my birthday to discover it was available for Kindle. I am thrilled to have it but to my disappointment I found that the Kindle version is NOT the John K. Ryan translation -- widely consider to be the best translation. That is not to say that this isn't an adequate substitution, but it is unfortunate that the image used is that of the Ryan translation. I just wish the Kindle version didn't come up when searching for the Ryan book and that the Ryan book was actually available for Kindle.

This book is an instruction of devotion to those who live any kind of life, not just religious. So Saint Francis de Sales with that thought writes regarding an individual, which by desire of devotion wishes to the love of God. The instructions are broken down into five parts.

He starts by showing us how to turn our simple desire to a life of devotion into an absolute resolution. Among all of us, a Bishop should set the example of perfect devotion. But its practice cannot be the solitary life of a Carthusian. Nor would that be the life for a tradesman. True devotion does no harm, but rather leads all things toward perfection. True devotion actually makes your trade take on a great beauty. To follow our path of devotion we must purify our soul via the sacrament of penance. And this must be done with fore thought, if necessary write a list. We must truly depart from sin with all our heart. We must then be diligently exercising ourselves by starting our days with spiritual exercises. Which will help place us in the presence of God and beseech him to inspire us. The remainder of the section focuses on various meditations.

Then we learn how we may unite more to Our Lord. By use of the sacraments, God comes closer to us. And by holy prayer, in which he attracts us closer to Him. And above all mental prayer is recommended which has for its object the life and passion of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Then there is a short explanation of how to perform mental prayers. We are reminded that God is everywhere, especially in our heart and spirit.

The third part is to learn to advance in the exercises of the virtues. Charity is the most important of all virtues. For with charity come all the other virtues. When we exercise virtues, we should always prefer those that are in accord with our duty, not those that we feel are most agreeable. We must exercise virtues faithfully and discreetly.

Fourth he exposes us to some of the snares of our enemy and how we might escape them, and then move forward in our life of devotion. And finally, We stop and take a break. We renew our strength and examine our advancements in our devotion to God.

This is a perfect discourse on how to live a holy life in the secular world. Perhaps even more relevant today then when it was written.

This review addresses the formatting and features of the available Kindle editions, not the written contents. The star rating is for the best Kindle edition reviewed. (The written content deserves five stars and then some. Read this book.)

The Treasures Media Kindle edition (Introduction to the Devout Life) suffers from having no hyperlinks in the table of contents. It also has page numbers embedded in the text, in a manner consistent with scanning a paper book to OCR, then not editing the results for use as an ebook. Rating: 1 star *

This unidentified edition has no table of contents at all in the free sample. I did not pay for the full version to see if the ToC is at the end. Rating: 1 star *

The CCEL Kindle edition (Introduction to the Devout Life - Enhanced Version) is the best Kindle edition I've looked at so far. The Main table of contents has hyperlinks to each of the five main sections, though not to the chapters within the sections. The footnote numbers are not hyperlinked to the footnotes, but the latter appear at the end of each chapter, and each chapter is fairly short. Rating: 3 stars ***

All of the editions above appear to be made from the same translation, and certain quirks in the text suggest they may derive from the same OCR data, or at least the same physical printing.

This book is an instruction of devotion to those who live any kind of life, not just religious. So Saint Francis de Sales with that thought writes regarding an individual, which by desire of devotion wishes to the love of God. The instructions are broken down into five parts.

He starts by showing us how to turn our simple desire to a life of devotion into an absolute resolution. Among all of us, a Bishop should set the example of perfect devotion. But its practice cannot be the solitary life of a Carthusian. Nor would that be the life for a tradesman. True devotion does no harm, but rather leads all things toward perfection. True devotion actually makes your trade take on a great beauty. To follow our path of devotion we must purify our soul via the sacrament of penance. And this must be done with fore thought, if necessary write a list. We must truly depart from sin with all our heart. We must then be diligently exercising ourselves by starting our days with spiritual exercises. Which will help place us in the presence of God and beseech him to inspire us. The remainder of the section focuses on various meditations.

Then we learn how we may unite more to Our Lord. By use of the sacraments, God comes closer to us. And by holy prayer, in which he attracts us closer to Him. And above all mental prayer is recommended which has for its object the life and passion of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Then there is a short explanation of how to perform mental prayers. We are reminded that God is everywhere, especially in our heart and spirit.

The third part is to learn to advance in the exercises of the virtues. Charity is the most important of all virtues. For with charity come all the other virtues. When we exercise virtues, we should always prefer those that are in accord with our duty, not those that we feel are most agreeable. We must exercise virtues faithfully and discreetly.

Fourth he exposes us to some of the snares of our enemy and how we might escape them, and then move forward in our life of devotion. And finally, We stop and take a break. We renew our strength and examine our advancements in our devotion to God.

This is a perfect discourse on how to live a holy life in the secular world. Perhaps even more relevant today then when it was written.

This book although old...has nothing but priceless counsel for the believer who eagerly yearns to experience a daily dying of the sin nature & to see all worldliness washed away. I've owned this book for 15+ yrs..& it's still one of my very favorite Christian books. I continually go back to it for guidance, spiritual refreshment, encouragement & discipline. De Sales obviously had a heart burning with desire to please & elevate Christ to the highest possible place in every area of his own life. He also addresses his brethren as "Philothea" throughout the book..speaking to us lovingly..with a pure heart to see each reader transformed. That theme of love is prevalent throughout this book..& although there's some unusual Catholic sayings...thoughts & ideas within the text that are outdated...it in no way takes away from the impact & power of this mans witness. De Sales mercilessly, efficiently & repeatedly tears the common man's most pitiful vices..limb from limb...so as to leave one no choice but to surrender. De Sales gets into every nook & cranny of our being..leaving nothing in the dark...exposing those things we try so hard to hide. To read this & act upon it..can only mean allowing our Lord to reign supreme over every facet of our lives. Read this book regularly...with an open mind & heart.. let it do the deep & painstaking work it was intended to do...to help believers relinquish all control..& begin living a holy & devout life..to the glory of God.

John K. Ryan's translation of St. Francis de Sales's masterpiece is very readable, facilitating rather than hampering the reader's ability to grasp and apply the Doctor of the Church's instructions and exercises. The Introduction to the Devout Life is an invaluable aid to the love of God, no matter what a person's present situation is. Many suggestions, insights, guides, and much advice for the soul desiring to draw or be drawn closer to God. It should be read slowly and savored.

One of my favorite passages: "Sin is shameful only when we commit it. When it is converted into confession and penance, it becomes honorable and wholesome. Contrition and confession are so beautiful and of such good odor as to efface its deformity and purify its stench."

Highly recommended.

(Based on the original French version shown in the following link)

http://www.the store.fr/Introduction-d%C3%A9vote-Sales-saint-Fran%C3%A7ois/dp/2020236109/ref=sr_1_1/403-9387809-3938065?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188580998&sr=8-1

Saint François de Sales originally wrote this text for one person alone, and subsequently adapted it for the many, addressing the reader as "Philothée", in French, probably translated as Philothea in English, I wouldn't know, meaning "lover of God". This book is a sort of guide to devotion, in case the title wasn't self-explanatory enough.

This work was reprinted over 40 times during the life of its author and was a success for both Catholics and Protestants. Everyone liked it and as a Protestant it's equally useful, you just have to remove the parts about the Sacraments and that's just as good for Protestant usage.

I'd say this book isn't only a good read for Christians, but for anyone interested in wisdom and the likes. I personally didn't agree with everything there, as I am prone not to do with Catholic beliefs, but on the whole it's a very good read. And while I can't say anything of the English translation presented here, I can assure you that the original French is splendidly written and very witty; reminiscent of Montaigne, who wrote at the same period of time (late 16th to early 17th).

A very intelligent, pragmatic, and witty guide to religious behaviour.

Saint Francis de Sales-patron saint of authors and writers and eminent Doctor of the Catholic Church-is quite deserving of his posthumous honors and titles, for with Introduction to the Devout Life (among his numerous other books and pamphlets), he gives to not only Catholics around the world but humanity in general, a religious, imformative yet readable work of theology that will aid in answering some of the fundamental questions of human existence. But more importantly, in the Introduction to the Devout Life, "St. Francis de Sales gives one of the clearest statements in religious literature of the theory and practice of the purgative way, the illuminative way, and the unitive way, the three levels of thought and conduct that are required for a completely moral and religious life..." Page 14. That is the gist of this work; for those individuals (which would indeed, unfortunately, be a large numer) who are not destined for a religious vocation or a life of monastic contemplation, the lessons contained within the Introduction to the Devout Life (if at least minutely adhered to) can become a moral and religious compass for individuals who are frightfully lost as a result of the freewheeling sexualization of society, unrepentant, insolent amour propre, the rise of unceasing materialism and other debasing wounds that can cause spiritual deadness and thus can become none too quick to heal. Written in a similar style to that of the Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena, the book, however, is in the format of St. Francis writing down answers to a female pupil named Philothea and not a one-on-one conversation as in the Dialogue, but Introduction to the Devout Life is similar in idea. One of the many pleasant aspects of this work is that it does not sermonize extreme ways for acquiring grace, but for people who have lived on the opposite side of the moral spectrum far longer than they care to acknowledge, bits of the book may seem very extreme. However, it is not meant to be interpreted that way, merely as a catalyst to a newer and brighter beginning. If there ever was a much required and sincere "how-to" guide to bring people back to God while also repairing the interior damage of the self as a result of environment, people and inborn human flaws, Introduction to the Devout Life would be and is, very high on the list, for as he gloriously writes on page 291: "Such are the joys that lure my sight,/All pains grow sweet, all labors light. Live, Jesus! to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and throughout the endless ages of eternity. Amen."

Francis de Sales, who later recieved the title of "Doctor" from the Church due to his wisdom, wrote this book to advise people who live ordinary lives, and don't have the walls of a religious community (nor the support) to help them keep temptation at bay. There are chapters for any issues, conflict or spiritual difficulties that you may experience in life.

I particularly enjoyed the first section of the book. So many saints (like Teresa of Avila, Margaret Mary, Catherine of Siena, Gerturde of Helfta) have written how valuable mental prayer is to spiritual development. Few have provided a "how to" guide in their writings. And none has provided a more succint or accessible approach. the book is worth it for this page or two alone. Like many great wirters, De Slaes, reminds us often of the need to be charitable in all we do, reassures us of God's mercy and has lovely advice about it not being our role to judge (it usurp's God's authority), unless we are a parent or officer of state who has such responsibility over individuals by law.

Other valuable topics inlcude handling difficutlies of "spritual dryness," when you don't feel inspired to pray or do wht you know your soul needs and how to deal with the world's comments about your religious practices (very pertinent with people asking why go to Church or why this mroal stand). Chapters on approved leisurely activities talk about avoiding activities (he specifies gambling, which gets an extra chapter) that encourage of communication, isolation form community, and moodiness. How well this can apply to certain video game addicts! The chapter on anxiety is very helpful for people going through tough times.

The section on "fond relationships," is a bit problematic, and is the only time that I thought the book seemed to demonstrate the date of its writing. One the one hand, it offers great advice for people trying to recover from a hurtful relationship, when he talks about how to end "fond relationships" with people. On the other hand, if women followed all of the advice about not ever forming such relationhips, then no one would ever marry, because Francis tells us earlier that women don't usually choose their husbands, and accordingly, there is no moral reason for them to meet men as friends with potential for more in Francis' time period.

I thought his writing style was much dryer than that of Catherine of Siena or Teresa of Avila, whihc made it difficult for me to concentrate at one point (think it was the relations bit), but over all this book is amazing becuase of the scope of topics it covers and how pertinent they are to people today. True sign of great wisdom: it's timeless! Every one should own a copy as a reference.

If you think that a book several hundreds years old is going to offer only "dated" theology, think again: Christianity is a revealed religion that claims to be given by God to humanity--and therefore no Christian doctrine can be changed. This book will seem strange to modern, post-Vatican-II Christians only if they don't understand their Faith. Vatican II changed no Church teaching, and in fact encouraged us to look to the great saints of the past for guidelines to our own development. Along with St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and St. Alphonsus of Liguori, St. Francis de Sales is among the most accessible, most reliable, and most immediately useful Catholic authors, and this is a fine edition. Get it! Read it! Learn what your Church teaches about life, and why.

By Jordan Aumann, O.P., Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition (1985)
The doctrine taught by St. Francis de Sales was not new, but he did present spiritual teaching in an original manner and he deserves credit for removing Christian spirituality from the monastic framework in which it had been confined for many centuries....
The Introduction to the Devout Life...was written precisely for the laity and perhaps St. Francis de Sales is the first spiritual writer to compose a treatise of lay spirituality. As he states in his preface, those who have written previously on the spiritual life have done so for the instruction of persons who have given up association with the world or they have taught a spirituality that would lead persons to do so. The intention of St. Francis, however, is to give spiritual instruction to those who remain in the world, in their professions and in their families, and falsely believe that it is impossible for them to strive for the devout life.
What does St. Francis understand by the devout life or true devotion?...
True devotion, which for St. Francis de Sales is the same as Christian perfection, is the fulfillment of the twofold precept of charity enunciated by Christ (Mt. 22:34-40)....

Although he mentions the good works that flow from true devotion, St. Francis is insistent that the devout life is essentially an interior life....
Immediately after stressing the universal call of all Christians to perfection, St. Francis de Sales insists on the need for a spiritual director....
The first task facing the soul is purgation from sin, and here St. Francis follows the teaching of St. Ignatius Loyola, proposing meditation on the last ends and a general confession. Then, there must be a complete renunciation of all attachment to sin, without which there can be no lasting conversion and no progress in perfection....
In the second part of the Introduction St. Francis proposes a daily schedule of spiritual exercises in which the practice of mental prayer holds a central position....
In the third part of the Introduction St. Francis considers the practice of virtue, selecting those which are particularly necessary for the Christian layman. Of all the virtues treated we could say that, after charity, the predominantly Salesian virtue is meekness....Finally, in the last two parts of the Introduction St. Francis treats of temptations, sadness, consolations, and aridity and concludes the work with a series of self-examinations and considerations whereby the soul can judge its progress in true devotion. Thus, in its totality the Introduction to the Devout Life provides a complete program for the spiritual advancement of the laity.

This book will help any one get through hard times, good times, loving times, bad relationships, and will basically help you through every day life. It is so deep and so well written by St. Francis de Sales. In the beggining it might be a little hard to read but after going through it, you feel better as a human being. When I first heard about this book I didn't think it would be great, and I thought it would be St. Francis de Sales lecturing me on how I can become more like Jesus Christ. But as I went through the book page by page I started to realize how much I needed this book in my life. The best part about it is that you dont have to read it cover to cover. You just think about some troubles in your life and then you look them up in the table of contents. You only have to read things you would like to read at that particular moment in your life. As I said before, I love the book and anyone who doesn't own it does not know how much closer you become to God after reading it. So next time you have a chance, do yourself a favor, pick up a copy.

A splendid edition of a book that, while written 400 years ago, is still just as relevant today. It remains one of the great classics of western spirituality containing practical advice for living every day closer to God. It's aimed at people in all walks of life and has been an inspiration for me for years - I only wish I had bought it even sooner!

This is an abridged version of this wonderful book. It states plainly in an introductory, unsigned, Life of St. Francis of Sales on page xi that

"In adapting a new translation of it to the use of members of the English Church, the Editor has laid down for himself the principle of making as few omissions and alterations as possible. He has sometimes perhaps, in pursuing this principle gone to the very edge of what is permissible in the English Church ...."

(See page xii as well as he goes on to name other changes he has made such as substituting the term Holy Communion or Holy Eucharist for that of Mass wherever it occurs.)

In a footnote 1 He explains about the omissions he has made "1 They are Part I, chap,xvi Of honouring and invoking the Saints and Angels. Part II. chap xxxix Of the honesty of the marriage bed."

I ordered 6 copies of this book to give to my children. I now have to send them back because this is not the book I thought I ordered.

Although this original text was written in the 1600's, it is as timely in todays modern world as ever. If anyone is looking for spiritual guidance and a way to grow closer to God, this book may help. Many of De Sale's examples are drawn from nature and help us to see our own sin and need for a loving God. The author provides insights on areas such as our own creation, on God's benefactions, on sin, on death, on paradise and our election and choice of heaven. It has changed my life and could change yours....

A spiritual masterpiece for all Christians, Introduction to the Devout Life is rich with spritiual reflections and excercises. It mandates a slow, reflective read. The book focuses the reader on their past and present life rallying them to purge themselves of past sin and affection for present sins. St. Francis recommends spiritual exercises to avoid future spiritual decline, and unites the reader's future devotion with GOD. Introduction to the Devout Life is a "life" changer.

This book by St Francis De Sales is very readable and inspiring for anyone wanting to be a lover of God. Written in the 1600's it is as relevant today as then. Aimed not at Religious or Priests but at Lay men and women it explains how to build your faith and prayer life. The abridgement enables today's reader to clearly follow the teachings of this French Bishop. Excellent reading.

This unidentified edition (ASIN:B003K16QJK) has no table of contents at all in the free sample. I did not pay for the full version to see if the ToC is at the end.

I recommend this other edition instead. You can find my combined review of competing editions in the 3-star section of that product, or by clicking See All my Reviews.