Ignatius Loyola and Francis de Sales: Two Masters - One Spirituality
Type
Book
Authors
Category
Spiritual Life
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Publication Year
1966
Publisher
B. Herder, United States
Pages
251
Description
To those who picture St. Ignatius Loyola as a severe and demanding soldier saint, and St. Francis de Sales as a gentle and urbane bishop saint, the linking of their names may come as a surprise. Yet, anyone who studies the history of the various trends of spiritual teaching and practice throughout the centuries will certainly become aware of the fact that since the sixteenth century the dominating influence in spirituality has been Ignatian.
Moreover, the sons of St. Ignatius have been outstanding contributors to the spiritual literature of the Church in modern times. Any catalog of books on the spiritual life will inevitably be generously weighted with Jesuit authors. This same Ignatian influence is discernible in the constitutions and practices of the majority of religious institutes founded since the sixteenth century.
Father Charmot is so completely convinced of the convergence of spiritual doctrine in the works of St. Ignatius and St. Francis de Sales that he does not hesitate to assert that it is impossible to understand one of them without having understood the other. He does not mean to imply that St. Francis de Sales was slavishly indebted to St. Ignatius, for the saintly bishop of Geneva was also well versed in the spiritual doctrine of St. Augustine, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Bonaventure and Berulle. Moreover, St. Francis not only received from the teaching of St. Ignatius; he also expanded and explained this teaching.
One has but to compare the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with the Treatise on the Love of God of St. Francis de Sales to see what a remarkable fidelity exists between the two. Father Charmot gives special attention to certain basic points which would seem to be differently explained by the two authors: the love of God, holy indifference, obedience, abnegation, prayer and contemplation. St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, says Father Charmot, are the great masters of theology; St. Ignatius and St. Francis de Sales are a common spiritual source at which all souls can quench their thirst.
Taken from the inside flaps
Moreover, the sons of St. Ignatius have been outstanding contributors to the spiritual literature of the Church in modern times. Any catalog of books on the spiritual life will inevitably be generously weighted with Jesuit authors. This same Ignatian influence is discernible in the constitutions and practices of the majority of religious institutes founded since the sixteenth century.
Father Charmot is so completely convinced of the convergence of spiritual doctrine in the works of St. Ignatius and St. Francis de Sales that he does not hesitate to assert that it is impossible to understand one of them without having understood the other. He does not mean to imply that St. Francis de Sales was slavishly indebted to St. Ignatius, for the saintly bishop of Geneva was also well versed in the spiritual doctrine of St. Augustine, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Bonaventure and Berulle. Moreover, St. Francis not only received from the teaching of St. Ignatius; he also expanded and explained this teaching.
One has but to compare the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with the Treatise on the Love of God of St. Francis de Sales to see what a remarkable fidelity exists between the two. Father Charmot gives special attention to certain basic points which would seem to be differently explained by the two authors: the love of God, holy indifference, obedience, abnegation, prayer and contemplation. St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, says Father Charmot, are the great masters of theology; St. Ignatius and St. Francis de Sales are a common spiritual source at which all souls can quench their thirst.
Taken from the inside flaps
Number of Copies
1
