By Fr Salvador Fernandes
January 26, 2003 marked the 80th anniversary of St Francis de Sales since Pope Pius XI named him the Patron Saint of Journalists and Writers. If you have ever needed help in your writing career, Francis de Sales is your man.

He was born in France in 1567 and became the Patron Saint of writers and journalists after being the first writer to pen his views about faith in order to communicate with people. In fact, he was an utter failure as a pastor! Preached homilies were not the strong point of Father de Sales. A less patient man would have conceded loss but not Francis, for he had a plan. De Sales lived during the Protestant reformation. If the Swiss Calvinists would not open their doors to listen to him he would write out his homilies and deliver them under the doors of the people. Finally, success!  When Fr de Sales left Switzerland he had successfully brought faith to the people through his writing.
As bishop, Francis continued to give spiritual direction to many, predominantly through letters. Writing was his best form of communication and he wrote many books, his most famous being  'Introduction to the Devout Life' in 1608, which became a smashing success in Europe,  and  still  later  his  theological masterpiece  ‘Treatise  on the  love of  God’ in 1616. 
And  for  which  reason  he  can  be  called  the  founder  of  lay  spirituality. One who seeks to become a better writer might do well to consider Francis as a worthy mentor. If people wouldn't listen to him about his product, maybe they would read about his product. With that thought de Sales began to write passionately and convincingly about the product he loved so much, the word of God. He was convinced that if people took the time to learn about his product they would love it too and want to purchase it. Ever eloquent with the pen and paper, de Sales wrote about his product in a heartfelt manner.   In  1595  the  political  power  at his  place  of  work  in  southern  Switzerland  would  sternly  punish  those  who  listened  to  Francis.  Majority of the people hesitated to listen to him speak, let alone listen to him preach. So the idea came to him to use the newly invented printing press and the popular medium of pamphlets to his own purposes. If people will not come to my sermons, thought Francis, then I have to bring my sermons to the people. The pamphlets helped him do that. He did this in such a brilliant way that the interest of the populace in the explanations of the young preacher grew tremendously. In just a few weeks, more and more people became less intimidated by the order of the council men and they began to attend the sermons of Francis de Sales.  After a few years, Francis had made 40,000 sales, one written article at a time. Perhaps in an age of computers and e-mail this number may not seem as impressive as it was in the seventeenth century. But four hundred years ago there were no large databases, copy machines, or mass mailings. In those times each letter had to be written by hand. A feather quill, ink and paper were the only things available to a writer in those times...and, yes, a candle to light his desk at night!
Francis became a better writer himself through sheer persistence and practice. Pamphleteering was one of the reasons why Pope Pius XI later named Francis de Sales the Patron of Writers and Journalists for the entire Church.
Francis de Sales wrote more than 20,000 letters during his lifetime. His letters always exhibited a high degree of respect and love for the truth. When it is a matter of truth one may not remain silent; love and truth belong together he said. A truth that is not uttered with kindness is to be enjoined with caution.  When it comes to telling someone an unpleasant truth then one must not omit love. Not only does his language fascinate, but also Francis de Sales could almost effortlessly place himself in the shoes of those he addressed. His style varied according to who his reader was.
Journalists should not exactly tear out their eyes when they write their articles. However, a little passion for the love for truth and a little love in the description of truth would stand them in good stead. Francis de Sales, who was dedicated to truth in all his writings, serves as a model precisely in our pluralistic society in which headlines are sought to increase profits, whether those headlines correspond to the truth or not. Whosoever’s position or vocation demands that he correct mistakes of others must try to cook a truth, which is hard to swallow. Outspoken criticisms were always delivered by him with love and a great respect for the individual. Francis de Sales’ conviction about the subject of criticism was clearly expressed in the following words: “Criticism has as part of its nature a certain bitterness. But sugar it with gentleness, cook it with the fire of love, and then it will seem completely from the heart, filled with love and delicious to the taste.”
And then he added the following famous sentence: “You can catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a barrel of vinegar.”
In view of the lack of time and the stress that characterised his life, Francis de Sales would be a very welcome patron for all who work under a constant deadline, especially journalists. He is patron of writers and journalists because of a different kind of criticism and correction. Above all, when criticism is warranted in the situation, we must remember to condemn the sin not the sinner. Even when being critical, the person of the individual must be protected as much as possible. It would certainly be a fitting time for all journalists to learn from SFS, as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the naming of Francis de Sales as patron of journalists.
Saint Francis de Sales died on December 28, 1622 and the last word he spoke was one all writers should take to heart. Saint Francis’ last word - “Humility!”