The Devout Life

The Devout Life:  A Modern Guide to Practical Holiness with St. Francis de Sales

Are you ready to take your Catholic faith more seriously, but need direction? Do you want to practice Christian discipleship but don't know where to begin? Do you wonder what it means to be devout outside of church, in your day-to-day life? If you answered yes to these questions, The Devout Life is written for you.

Christians throughout the ages have looked to saintly men and women for guidance in how to live a holy life. In the seventeenth century, the French bishop St. Francis de Sales was one of the most sought-after spiritual counsellors of his day. Anticipating by more than 350 years the Second Vatican Council's universal call to holiness, he insisted that devotion was for everyone, not just the professional religious class. Writing for the average lay person, his practical advice was collected in the classic text, An Introduction to the Devout Life.

In this book, Deacon Matthew Newsome brings the timeless wisdom of St. Francis de Sales into the context of the modern world and the modern Church. This book is written for adult Catholics of any age looking for practical advice on how to advance in holiness and practice intentional discipleship.

This is not a prayer book; it is a book that teaches you how to pray. This is not a theology text; it is a text that helps you apply theology to daily life. It does not provide a rule of life but a way of life that can be adopted by every person and adapted to individual circumstances.

Arranged in short, easy to read chapters, each ending with a scripture passage and questions for reflection, this book is perfectly suited to use for both private devotion or group discussion.