Teachers and Learners · Week 2 · Grades 3–5
Guided Notes: St. Francis de Sales
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
A castle and a choice
Francis de Sales was born on August 21, blank 1, in his family’s castle in Savoy. Savoy was a mountain land near today’s France, Switzerland and Italy.
His father wanted him to become an important lawyer. Francis studied hard in blank 2 and then in Padua, Italy, and he earned a law degree.
But Francis believed God was calling him to be a priest. His father was not pleased at first. Francis was patient, and in blank 3 he was ordained a priest.
Words to know
Write what each word means.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Bishop | Write your answer |
| Leaflet | Write your answer |
| Gentleness | Write your answer |
| Patron saint | Write your answer |
| Canonized | Write your answer |
Notes under the door
In 1594 Francis went to a region called the blank 4. Most people there were Protestant Christians, and they did not want to hear a Catholic priest.
Doors stayed shut. So Francis wrote short blank 5 explaining the Catholic faith. He copied them by hand and slipped them under doors.
He never insulted anyone. Over about four years, many people chose to return to the Catholic Church.
Later Francis became the blank 6 of Geneva. He wrote books and thousands of letters to help ordinary people love God.
Quick check
What did Francis do when people would not open their doors? Circle one.
- A He went home to his castle
- B He shouted in the town square
- C He asked soldiers to help him
- D He slipped leaflets under doors
True and kind?
Francis wrote words that were both true and kind. Sort each message you might send or post. Check one box for each.
| Item | True and kind | Not Francis’s way |
|---|---|---|
| “I think you made a mistake. Can I show you?” | ||
| Calling someone a name in a game chat | ||
| Sharing a rumor you are not sure is true | ||
| “Good game! You played really well.” | ||
| Typing in all capital letters to win an argument | ||
| Telling a friend the truth in a private, gentle message |
Quick check
Why is Francis the patron saint of writers? Circle one.
- A He owned a very large library
- B He used writing to share the faith
- C He invented a new kind of pen
- D He taught writing at a school
Think, pair, share
Francis wrote to people who disagreed with him, and he stayed gentle. Think of a time someone disagreed with you in a game or a group chat. What could a true and kind answer sound like?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “A true and kind answer could be ...”“When someone is rude online, I can ...”“Staying gentle is hard when ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Jesus, you are gentle and humble of heart.
Help us speak and write what is true and kind.
St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
Francis died in 1622 and was canonized in 1665. His feast day is January 24.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
Challenge: Before you send a message this week, ask two questions: Is it true? Is it kind?