Patron Saint of Kindness: St. Francis de Sales and a Prayer

The Church has not officially named a patron saint of kindness, but the saint most often suggested is St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622), the bishop of Geneva who was so gentle that he was called “the gentleman saint,” even though by nature he struggled with a quick temper. Others are St. Martin de Porres, the Dominican brother of Lima who cared for everyone, rich and poor, people and animals alike; St. Barnabas, whose name the Bible translates as “son of consolation”; and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, whose “little way” was made of small acts of kindness. Below are their stories, what Scripture teaches about kindness, and prayers to be kind.

A short prayer for kindness, written for this page:

Lord Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours.
Help me to be kind in what I say and do, especially to those I find difficult.
St. Francis de Sales, pray for me. Amen.

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle saint

Francis de Sales was born in 1567 in Savoy, studied law in Paris and Padua, and gave up a brilliant career to become a priest. Sent to the region of the Chablais, where the people had become Calvinist, he won thousands back to the Catholic faith, not by arguments alone but by patience and kindness; when people would not come to hear him, he slipped leaflets under their doors. As bishop of Geneva he was known for his gentleness toward everyone, and his Introduction to the Devout Life taught ordinary people how to be holy in their daily duties. He admitted that he had worked for years to master his anger. He died in 1622 and is a Doctor of the Church. His feast day is January 24. See the St. Francis de Sales prayer.

St. Martin de Porres, kindness to all

Martin de Porres (1579–1639), the son of a Spanish nobleman and a freed woman of African descent in Lima, Peru, became a Dominican lay brother. He worked as a barber and infirmarian, cared for the sick of the whole city, founded an orphanage, fed the poor at the convent gate, and even looked after stray dogs and cats. He treated everyone with the same tenderness. His feast day is November 3. See the St. Martin de Porres prayer.

Other saints of kindness

St. Barnabas, the apostle whose name means “son of consolation” (Acts 4:36), who welcomed St. Paul when others were afraid of him. See St. Barnabas.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who chose to smile at and help the sisters she found most difficult. See the St. Thérèse prayer.
St. Vincent de Paul, the apostle of charity to the poor. See the St. Vincent de Paul prayer.

What Scripture says about kindness

Ephesians 4:31–32 (Douay-Rheims):

Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and clamour, and blasphemy, be put away from you, with all malice.
And be ye kind one to another; merciful, forgiving one another, even as God hath forgiven you in Christ.

Colossians 3:12–13 (Douay-Rheims):

Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience:
Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also.

Charity is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4–7, Douay-Rheims):

Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up;
Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Kindness (benignity) is also one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Prayers for kindness

Written for this page.

To be kind to difficult people

Lord, you know who tries my patience.
Help me to answer them gently, to see them as you see them,
and to do them good. St. Francis de Sales, pray for me. Amen.

For a kind heart

St. Martin de Porres, you were kind to everyone you met.
Pray that my heart may be open to the poor, the lonely and the forgotten,
and that I may never pass by someone in need. Amen.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the patron saint of kindness?

There is no official patron, but St. Francis de Sales, St. Martin de Porres and St. Barnabas are the saints most often suggested.

Is kindness a fruit of the Holy Spirit?

Yes. Benignity, or kindness, is one of the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit listed in the Douay-Rheims Bible (Galatians 5:22–23).

When is St. Francis de Sales’s feast day?

January 24.

More prayers

Texts and sources

Ephesians 4:31–32, Colossians 3:12–13 and 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (Douay-Rheims).