FRANCESCO da SIENA. – Carmelite priest of the 14th century. While residing in Cremona, with apostolic vehemence and frankness he began to preach against the vice of blasphemy, for which he was stoned to death by some violent men intolerant of his zealous ministry.
A 14th-century martyrology has preserved the following praise of him: “A man of great holiness, he died in the Convent of Cremona, where his body, glorious for many miracles recorded in his life, rests honorably.” From the 14th century onward the famous preacher of Cremona is often confused with Blessed Franco da Siena, a Carmelite layman, who, after converting from a dissolute life that marred all his youth, ended his days in harsh penances. In the city of Cremona, FRANCESCO has been venerated from time immemorial, and in 1925 a regular canonical process was instituted to obtain confirmation of his cult from the Holy See.
He gathered his experience as superior of the mission among heretics in the region of Cervennes into the manual Sens Christ ou le parfait missionnaire (Paris 1662), on the organization and method of missions, especially among native heretics, and on the moral and doctrinal qualities required of missionaries. A valued document of his preaching is Le missionarie apostolique ou sermons utiles de ceux qui s'employent aux missions (12 vols., Paris 1666–82; 3rd ed., 12 vols., ibid. 1676–1882), of which some Sermons choisis were edited by P. Migne in Orateurs sacrés (X, Paris 1884, cols. 891–1134; XI, ibid. 1884, cols. 9–900).
He also published in the hagiographical field: Vie de la vie-mère Jeanne de Lestonnac (Toulouse 1671) and La vie et les actions de madame de Liste (ibid. 1672).