Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal: Letters of Spiritual Direction

by Joseph F. Power, Henri J.M. Nouwen, Wendy M. Wright, et al.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0809104083
• ISBN13: 9780809104086
• Release Date: January 1988
• Publisher: Paulist Press
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Francis De Sales, Jane De Chantal: Letters of Spiritual Direction

Wonderful book, full of lots of insightful concrete guidance and helpful support for the serious seeker of spiritual truth and how to live it, no matter what religion. I especially appreciated the generous encouragement to keep on in one's spiritual endeavors despite any set backs, as the strong conviction that St. Francis De Sales has that everyone can attain the loftiest spiritual heights, dominates the book.

Good solid stuff, but a little fluffy

A nice reassuring set of spiritual letters between two friends. I did find it difficult to identify with some of this, probably due to Francis and Jane's station in life. The work had a feeling of aloofness for me.

Mellow Advice in a Cantankerous Age

It is probably worth recapping the history of this remarkable series of spiritual writings provided by Paulist Press. In the late 1970s Paulist set out to provide a limited number of volumes of great western spiritual thinkers and authors. The original goal, as I recall, was to produce approximately eighty volumes for subscription or individual purchase, spread out over a period of about twenty years. Apparently the success of the series has prompted Paulist to continue the series indefinitely, and at last count the series is now at over one hundred volumes as it approaches the end of its third decade. It is worth noting that over the past thirty years the Paulists have stretched the term "Western" to encompass about two thirds of the globe, but no one is the poorer for that.The volume at hand was published in 1988 and follows the established outline of all the works to date, an introduction to the author[s] followed by the texts themselves. This volume includes an unremarkable preface by Henri Nouwen. It appears that in this particular work at least some of the letters are making their first appearance in English, although in other volumes [Augustine, Francis of Assisi, etc.] it would seem that the effort has been to bring forth either more contemporary or more readable translations of works already in English translation. The introduction of ninety pages outlines in broad strokes the lives of both Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal, as well as the general outline of Salesian spirituality. When compared to Franciscan or Jesuit spirituality, the Salesian ideal of a holy life may seem almost pedestrian, certainly not revolutionary. The emphases are fidelity to prayer, purity of intention, holiness within the marketplace, an assumption of a loving God and the attendant joy appropriate to that fact. The commentators are careful to give Jane her due, noting that she was not simply Francis de Sales's first disciple but a co-creator of the Salesian heritage.There are 170 pages of letters of spiritual direction from both Francis and Jane. Francis's style reflects a French chivalry that might raise eyebrows today, given that he seemed to devote his considerable spiritual attention to women. Jane reflects a more practical style, given her role as foundress of the Visitandine Order of women, an unusual community for its time, which recruited more mature women with storied pasts and played down austerity for devotion, moderation, and charity. Jane is not the poet that Francis is, but as a widow with four grown children, her understanding of life is perhaps a touch more realistic. Jane's letters include some with a very practical bent: the management of miscreant novices, advice to her children about marriage, concerns about attached endowments, etc. The commentators are wise to sketch the landscape of European Catholic life prior to the presentation of the letters themselves. The Salesian movement developed at the height of the counter-Reformation. The