Friends of the St. Francis de Sales Association

The Daughters of St. Francis de Sales are privileged and honored to avail ourselves to share our devotion, our resources, and our spiritual friendship. St. Francis de Sales teaches: "If your mutual and reciprocal exchanges concern charity, devotion, and Christian perfection, O God, how precious this friendship will be!" (Introduction to the Devout Life, 3:14, by St. Francis de Sales)

When Father Henri Chaumont founded the Society of the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales with Madame Carre de Malberg, he did not limit his actions to only those who were Associates of St. Francis de Sales.  Father Chaumont also spoke of those persons who, for any number of reasons, did not wish to proceed through the process of faith formation and make a commitment to living a consecrated life as a lay associate, but who wished to progress spiritually through the teachings of St. Francis de Sales.  He encouraged the Associates, as true Apostles of the Gospel, to share their love and understanding of the teachings of St. Francis de Sales.  He tells us to "always walk with the Gospels in one hand and the teachings of St. Francis de Sales in the other."

The Friends of the Association are those who are truly Friends. They do not represent a social club, or group organization.  This extension of the association does not impose any obligation of time or expense.  It is rather an extension of friendship to those who want to journey with us in the footsteps of St. Francis de Sales.  It is open to all those who may not be ready or willing to enter into the spiritual formation of the lay association.

To insure that these spiritual friendships are maintained as our founder intended them, a sequential series of material for spiritual reading, meditation and discussion is available upon request. For more information on Friends groups and their series of material contact a Friend of St. Francis de Sales.

Come now, let us pray and support each other as we go forth to Live Jesus!