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Patron Saint: St. Francis De Sales

Francis De Sales was born in 1567 in the backwoods of the lower Alpine mountain ranges in France. At the age of 15 he traveled to Paris to study at the Jesuit University College of Clermont, near the Sorbonne. In 1593 he was ordained a priest, and in 1602 he was consecrated Bishop of Geneva. He died in December 1622.

Francis De Sales is best remembered for his unique ability to spread the Christian message to people of many different cultural backgrounds, from the hardy people of his native mountains to the learned and sophisticated men and women of the French capital. King Henry IV described him as: "A rare bird indeed; devout, learned and a gentleman into the bargain… He does not know the art of flattery: his mind is too sincere for that…He is gentle, good and humble, deeply pious, but without useless scruples."

The patron of writers and journalists, Francis De Sales holds an honored place in French literature. His great work, Introduction to the Devout Life, was popular in his day and remained a widely-read piece for centuries. The book was a pioneer piece of literature in showing that the Christian life is the challenge of every baptized Christian, of whatever rank or state of life, of whatever spiritual insight.

It is through the example of the great men and women of our Church that we learn how to live the Christian life. After the example of our patron, St. Francis De Sales, we at DeSales strive to imitate his dedication to the Christian message, his scholarship, his spiritual heroism, and his love for all people.

The Coat of Arms

The four quadrants of the Coat of Arms are separated by a cross, the symbol of Christianity. DeSales is first and foremost a Christian school which seeks to promote and encourage the Christian way of life as expressed in the message of Jesus and in the history and traditions of the Catholic Church.

In the upper left quadrant is the shield of the Carmelite Order, which helped found DeSales in 1956. The arched line represents Mount Carmel in Palestine where the Carmelite friars began; the three stars represent Elijah and Elisha - prophets of the Old Testament - and Mary, the mother of Jesus, three persons whose way of living has influenced the history and traditions of the Carmelite Order.

In the upper right quadrant is the quill-pen of scholarship, symbolic of the academic endeavors of teachers and students at DeSales High School.

In the lower left quadrant is the Olympic Torch - an ancient Greek symbol representing the athletic endeavors of the DeSales High School Community.

In the lower right quadrant is the fleur-de-lis, the symbol of Louisville, the city in which DeSales is located.

Within the entire Coat of Arms is represented the hopes and aspirations of every person who is a part of the DeSales Community - to give to the city of Louisville educated young men, filled with the vision of the prophets and the zeal of Jesus, imbued with a spirit of academic and athletic excellence with which our students might transform the face of the earth.

The Colt

The "Colt" is the symbol of the DeSales spirit.  The Colt is a symbol of life and vitality. Within the Colt are the strains of future greatness - a greatness that must be conditioned by discipline, training, experience, freedom, responsibility and love.

Like the Colt, the men of DeSales are still young.  We manifest the tensions, frustrations and idealism of youth.  We thirst for success in all areas of endeavor, but primarily in the process of becoming mature, free and responsible Christian men.