A New Translation of an Enduring Classic:

In late 1608, St. Francis de Sales, the Catholic Bishop of Geneva, published his first edition of the Introduction to the Devout Life. It sold out quickly. In September of 1609, he published the second edition with additional material and revisions. A third edition was published in 1610, a fourth in 1616, and his fifth and final edition was published in 1619.

On December 28th, 1622, St. Francis died at the age of 55. He was canonized a Saint in 1665 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1877.

The depth and breadth of the Introduction has made it an enduring classic. De Sales' insights and practical guidance for keeping our lives centered on Christ are timeless and effective. The Introduction will forever change your heart and deepen your personal relationship with God. As St. Francis says: “I wish to engrave and inscribe on your heart, before everything else, this holy and sacred maxim: LIVE JESUS! Yes, Lord Jesus, live and reign in our hearts forever and ever. Amen.”

Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales