Letters to Persons in Religion 

"Ah how happy are these well-beloved hearts of my daughters, in having given up some years of the false liberty of the world, in order to enjoy eternally that desirable slavery in which no liberty is taken away save that which hinders us from being truly free." -SFS 

St. Francis de Sales (1567 -1622) was a Bishop of Geneva. He is honored as a saint in the Catholic Church. He is known for his writings on the topics of spiritual direction and spiritual formation--most notably, the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God. 

ST. FRANCIS OF SALES AND THE RELIGIOUS LIFE

It comprises a  very  complete selection of the holy Doctor’s Letters to “religious” persons. These letters are characterised not  only  by  that  depth,  sweetness,  and  attractiveness which  we  find  in  all  his  utterances,  but  also  by  matured  and  powerful instructions,  worthy  of  so  great  a  spiritual  director,  on  the  subject  of  the religious life of persons consecrated to God. The division into six books will be found useful. All the letters to the Visitation are kept together, viz., in Books II. and III. and arranged according to date. Book I. contains letters previous to the founding of the Visitation; Book IV. letters to persons outside the Visitation; Book V. “general instructions”  for  the  Visitation,  and  Book  VI.  letters on  various festivals.