January 24th - Feast of Saint Francis de Sales - new CATHOLIC FILM coming 2019

A FILM ABOUT SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES

Saint Francis de Sales is known as 'the gentleman Saint'.
He was gentle and docile from his early youth, named for Saint Francis of Assisi, who became his favourite Saint, yet he wasn't without a mischievous streak and prone to vanities while a boy.

Obedient to his father, Francis de Sales was educated to become a lawyer and a senator. When his father arranged a marriage for him, Saint Francis said he wished to be a priest. Things were difficult for a while, but he was eventually allowed to study for the priesthood and was quickly appointed Bishop of Geneva.

Saint Francis de Sales is famous for his writings, especially the spiritual classic, Introduction to the Devout Life which was aimed at people in the world aiming to become holy and saintly.
He met Saint Jane de Chantel and together they founded an order for nuns that would serve the poor and needy in the world.

He was also famous for bringing about the conversion of 72,000 Calvinists - he became a light to them in the darkness and through his pamphlet campaign that presented the Truths of the Catholic Faith, he converted practically his entire diocese. He is the patron saint of writers and journalists.

In 2018 Mary's Dowry Productions filmed a variety of visuals from the life of Saint Francis de Sales for a film biography of this great Saint. We wanted to be able to include some inspiring parts of his writings as well as his life.

Like the English Martyr Saint Alexander Briant, Saint Francis de Sales was 'a soldier of the Cross'. He sought the lost sheep of his region and was determined, despite threats and even assassination attempts upon his life, to enlighten them to the Truths of the Catholic Faith.

The Calvinists were forbidden to listen to Saint Francis and often surrounded him, threatened him and heckled as he tried to preach to them. Eventually Saint Francis organised his pamphlet-mission whereupon he wrote about the teachings of the Church and slipped the leaflets under doors during the night, or fastened them to doors and walls.

The Catholic Bishop was often forced to sleep outside, sometimes in old barns, but he never complained, although he suffered from ill health most of his life.

He organized 40 hours adoration and gradually curious Calvinists approached and asked to be catechized and received into the Catholic Church.

We filmed several scenes from the life of Saint Jane de Chantal. She married a handsome Baron and they had a very happy marriage with four children. When the Baron was accidentally killed during a hunting trip, Saint Jane found it very hard to forgive the person who had killed her husband. She heard a sermon by Saint Francis de Sales and the two became friends.

Saint Francis and Saint Jane (like Saint Francis and Saint Clare) founded an order of nuns together.
We filmed the death of Saint Francis de Sales - he died of a stroke.

We are hoping to have this film available on DVD this year and are enjoying working on the life of these two great Catholic Saints. For DVDs about the Saints and English Martyrs -

www.marysdowryproductions.org