F. Charmont SJ

Translated by Sr. M.Renelle SSND

(1966)

The purpose of this work is not to compare the youth of St. Francis de Sales with that of St. Ignatius Loyola; they were very different one from die other. We propose merely to show ow the Holy Spirit, he elevated them through their knowledge of Scripture— especially of St. Paul and St. John— and, by means of their personal experiences with souls, implanted in them the same concept of the mystique of Christ and the same practical spirituality. In a similar manner, two torrents, gushing from two mountains distant one from the other, sometimes join their courses and form a single cataract before losing themselves in the sea.

Of what interest— dare we say necessity? — is t is study? Chiefly, we intend to compare the spiritual methodology of the two saints, not to describe a historical situation. Perhaps the historians of spirituality will find in this comparative study some light on the development of the action of the Holy Spirit through the course of the ages, just as theologians like to trace the line of development of certain dogmas. Nor is it our intention to complete or modernize the very satisfactory' work of the hagiographers.

The Society of Jesus should be grateful to Cod that St. Francis de Sales elucidated, explained, expanded the doctrine of its founder with an incomparable mastery, so highly praised by the Popes and by all spiritual writers. Souls of all nations and all ages, reading his works seriously and in toto, attach themselves fervently to the spirituality of St. Ignatius. We hope that they will draw a double profit from our study, namely, (1) that of knowing and following more effectively the Exercises of St. Ignatius, and (2) that of nourishing their souls with the principal works of St. Francis de Sales: The Introduction to the Devout Life, Spiritual Conferences, Treatise on the Love of G od, Spiritual Letters. )