OFFICIAL NAME
St Francis de Sales Association
ALSO KNOWN AS
Daughters of St Francis de Sales
ESTABLISHED
1872
HISTORY
The origins of the Association date back to 1872 when Abbé Henri Chaumont and Caroline Colchen Carré de Malberg founded the Daughters of St Francis de Sales in Paris. It was to be an association of lay people living in the world for the service and glory of God according to the spirit of Saint Francis de Sales.
In 1889, four Daughters set out to evangelise in India under the name of Missionary Catechists, a mission that would later spread throughout the world. In 1911, the Holy See approved the Society of the Daughters of St Francis de Sales.
In 1968 the Society of the Daughters of St Francis de Sales was divided into two branches: lay (Association of St Francis de Sales) and religious (Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate). Although these two branches are autonomous, their members profess the same Salesian consecration and are thus united in a common spirituality with two different states of life.
On 22 May 1994, the Pontifical Council for the Laity decreed recognition of the Association of St Francis de Sales as an international association of the faithful.
IDENTITY
The Association is a spiritual family that seeks the personal holiness of its members. They are called to evangelise the milieux in which they live according to the spirituality of St Francis de Sales. They have particular devotion to the Holy Spirit and to Our Lady. The religious formation programme followed by the members is based on the methodology of a probationary period of two years. It concludes with consecration without vows, the renewal of baptismal promises and a pledge of allegiance to the Most Holy Trinity and to Mary. Lifelong learning, a rule of life and spiritual friendship support each member as they continue to engage in further religious commitments.
ORGANISATION
The Association is headed by a General Council chaired by a General Director. It is divided into regions corresponding to geographic areas which are subdivided into groups. The regions and groups are headed by Regional Directors and Group Directors.
Through the creation of groups of friends of Saint Francis de Sales, the members work to spread Salesian spirituality. There is no obligation for participants to make commitments.
PUBLICATIONS
Lien salésien, a bi-monthly magazine published in French. It is partially translated into English, Polish, German, Portuguese and Spanish.
WEBSITE
http://www.sfdsassociation.org/
HEADQUARTERS
Association Saint François de Sales
57-59, rue Léon Frot - 75011 Paris - France
Tel. [+33]1 43676060 - Fax 1 43704473
Email: centresa@wanadoo.fr
