FRANCISDESALES SOURCES&SPIRIT (SP-4571)

SPRING 2024

St Francis de Sales served as Bishop of Geneva from 1602 to 1622. He is known as a spiritual author and director, but few Americans understand how his roots in the Italian Renaissance and his training in secular environments prepared him to become one of the foremost Catholic Reformers during the Early Modern Period. This course provides the opportunity to examine Francis de Sales’ principal works and lesser-known personal writings. The hope is to allow students of Christian history to discover how his practical spirituality in the Catholic tradition implement the Council of Trent and paved the way for both Vatican Council I and II. Primary sources are studied and discussed; final grade will be based on a class participation, five short evaluations of reading material and a final class presentation.

SPRING 2025

Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva from 1602 to 1622 and Doctor of the Church, is known as a French-speaking spiritual director, but few understand his roots in the Italian Renaissance and how his training in secular environments prepared him to for his life mission as one of the foremost Catholic Pastoral Leaders in the aftermath of the Council of Trent. This course provides the opportunity to examine his principal works as well as lesser known personal writings in an attempt to understand the basis for Salesian spirituality that he (perhaps unknowingly) originated -- a lay spirituality in the Catholic tradition that paved the way for Vatican II.
Format: Primary sources studied and discussed; final grade based on research paper and class presentation.