> St. Francis de Sales was born to a noble family at Chateau de Sales in the Kingdom of Savoy near Geneva, Switzerland on August 21, 1567. He was a Bishop and Doctor of the Church. > Francis was both intelligent and gentle. From a very early age, he desired to serve God. He knew for years he had a vocation to the priesthood, but kept it from his family. His father wanted him to enter a career in law and politics. > In 1580, Francis attended the University of Paris, and at 24-years-old, he received his doctorate in law at the University of Padua. Continue reading: https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=51 > *[Catholic Online](https://www.catholic.org/) needs your help. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations from people like you. Please, consider [making a donation.](https://ycvf.org/products/donate) Just $5.00, the price of a cup of coffee, can help ensure Catholic Online School continues to thrive.* > *[Catholic Online](https://www.catholic.org/) (a 501(c)(3) corporation) is a Project of [Your Catholic Voice Foundation](https://ycvf.org/), a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.*