--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To every man, however holy he may be…" description: "\"“To every man, however holy he may be, there always remains some imperfection, because he has been drawn from nothingness: so that we do no injury to t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/st-francis-de-sales-12228_every-man_to-every-man-however-holy-he-may-be-ther_369240.jpg" --- # To every man, however holy he may be, there always remains… ![“To every man, however holy he may be, there always remains some imperfection, because he has been drawn from nothingness: so that we do no injury to the saints when, in recounting their virtues, we relate their sins and defects; but, on the contrary, those who write their lives seem, for this…” quote by St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/st-francis-de-sales-12228_every-man_to-every-man-however-holy-he-may-be-ther_369240.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/st-francis-de-sales-12228_every-man_to-every-man-however-holy-he-may-be-ther_369240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/st-francis-de-sales-12228_every-man_to-every-man-however-holy-he-may-be-ther_369240.jpg) > ““To every man, however holy he may be, there always remains some imperfection, because he has been drawn from nothingness: so that we do no injury to the saints when, in recounting their virtues, we relate their sins and defects; but, on the contrary, those who write their lives seem, for this reason, to do a great injury to making by concealing the sins and imperfections of the saints, under pretence of honouring them, not referring to the commencement of their lives, for fear of diminishing the esteem of their sanctity. Oh, no, indeed, this is not to act properly; but it is to wrong the saints and all posterity.”” [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sanctifying saints by exposing their flaws prevents false idealization and preserves true reverence. **In simple terms:** Show saints’ flaws to keep reverence real. Key Takeaway Balance admiration with honesty. Themes humility truth integrity Mood thoughtful serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - religious education - biographical writing - leadership training Key Concepts hagiography ethical representation Questions to Reflect On - Should we always reveal imperfections? - How does honesty affect faith? A Different Perspective Risk of scandal if details are too graphic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints/) ## Related quotes > [Christ bears with the saints' imperfections; well may the saints one with another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/christ-bears-with-the-saints-imperfections-well-may-the-saints-one/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [Do not be afraid to be saints. Follow Jesus Christ who is the source of freedom and light. Be open to the Lord so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/do-not-be-afraid-to-be-saints-follow-jesus-christ-who-is-the-source/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [We have relegated the saints to a pink and blue and gold world of plaster statuary that belongs to the past; it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-kilmer-myers/we-have-relegated-the-saints-to-a-pink-and-blue-and-gold-world-of/) C Kilmer Myers > [“Which would be at about shoulder height. Apparently, in Pada’s search for her path, the Saints needed to be sure that they had nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-lisle/which-would-be-at-about-shoulder-height-apparently-in-pada-s-search/) [Holly Lisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-lisle/) > [What does it mean to be a Saint? In the Lord's Church, the members are Latter-day Saints, and they attempt to emulate the Savior,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-l-cook/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-saint-in-the-lord-s-church-the-members-are/) [Quentin L. Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-l-cook/) > [In Ethiopia, the black people became Christians 1700 years ago, hundreds of years before Northern Europe turned to Christianity... And here, most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/in-ethiopia-the-black-people-became-christians-1700-years-ago/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“It is no sign of benediction to have been obsessed with the lives of saints, for it is an obsession intertwined with a taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/it-is-no-sign-of-benediction-to-have-been-obsessed-with-the-lives-of/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [We are all called to be great saints, don't miss the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-angelica/we-are-all-called-to-be-great-saints-don-t-miss-the-opportunity/) [Mother Angelica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-angelica/) > [“You may of course ask whether we really need to refer to "saints". Wouldn't it suffice just to refer to decent people? It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-emil-frankl/you-may-of-course-ask-whether-we-really-need-to-refer-to-saints/) [Viktor Emil Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-emil-frankl/) > [The saints differ from us in their exuberance, the excess of our human talents. Moderation is not their secret. It is in the wildness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-saints-differ-from-us-in-their-exuberance-the-excess-of-our-human/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-luminous-wake-with-which-god-has/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [It takes all sorts to make a world - saints as well as soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/it-takes-all-sorts-to-make-a-world-saints-as-well-as-soldiers/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [“Serve in the grace of strength within thy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/serve-in-the-grace-of-strength-within-thy-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by St. Francis de Sales > [ “We must unceasingly ask for \[perseverance\] by making use of the means which God has taught us for obtaining it: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, frequenting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/we-must-unceasingly-ask-for-perseverance-by-making-use-of-the-means/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“How do you love yourself? Is it a love which concerns this life chiefly? Is so, you will desire to abide here forever, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-which-concerns-this-life/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“The body is poisoned through the mouth, even so is the heart through the ear ... And even if we do mean no harm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/the-body-is-poisoned-through-the-mouth-even-so-is-the-heart-through/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“Grace is never wanting. God always gives sufficient grace to whoever is willing to receive it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/grace-is-never-wanting-god-always-gives-sufficient-grace-to-whoever/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“When any evil happens to you, apply whatever remedies you can and do this in a way agreeable to God, since to do otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/when-any-evil-happens-to-you-apply-whatever-remedies-you-can-and-do/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“God did not bring you into the world because He had any need of you, useless as you are; but solely that He might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/god-did-not-bring-you-into-the-world-because-he-had-any-need-of-you/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“Frequently give up some of your property by giving it with a generous heart to the poor ... It is true that God will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/frequently-give-up-some-of-your-property-by-giving-it-with-a-generous/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“Take patiently the petty annoyances, the trifling discomforts, the unimportant losses which come upon all of us daily; for by means of these little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/take-patiently-the-petty-annoyances-the-trifling-discomforts-the/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“From the heights of heaven Jesus Christ mercifully looks down upon you and graciously invites you there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/from-the-heights-of-heaven-jesus-christ-mercifully-looks-down-upon/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“If we walk steadily and faithfully...God will lift us up to greater things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/if-we-walk-steadily-and-faithfully-god-will-lift-us-up-to-greater/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“When we abandon all to Him, He takes a tender care of us, and His Providence for us is great or small according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/when-we-abandon-all-to-him-he-takes-a-tender-care-of-us-and-his/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [ “He enables \[his children\] to walk before him; he holds their hand in difficulties; he himself carries them along in hardships that he sees… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/he-enables-his-children-to-walk-before-him-he-holds-their-hand-in/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“There is a wide difference between having poison and being poisoned. All apothecaries have poisons ready for special uses, but they are not consequently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/there-is-a-wide-difference-between-having-poison-and-being-poisoned/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“When we find that we have been aroused to anger we must call for God's help like the apostles when they were tossed about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/when-we-find-that-we-have-been-aroused-to-anger-we-must-call-for-god/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [“Certainly all virtues are very dear to God, but humility pleases Him above all the others, and it seems that He can refuse it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/certainly-all-virtues-are-very-dear-to-god-but-humility-pleases-him/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) [Explore all 55 St. Francis de Sales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) ## More Every man quotes > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Every man has his secret sadness and sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-has-his-secret-sadness-and-sorrows-which-the-world-knows/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“The old intergenerational give-and-take of the country-that-used-to-be, when everyone knew his role and took the rules dead seriously, the acculturating back-and-forth that all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-old-intergenerational-give-and-take-of-the-country-that-used-to/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [Every man who is high up likes to think that he has done it all himself, and the wife smiles and lets it go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-who-is-high-up-likes-to-think-that-he-has-done-it-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [All religions must be tolerated for every man must get to heaven in his own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-religions-must-be-tolerated-for-every-man-must-get-to-heaven-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Use every man according to his desert and who should 'scape whipping? Use them after your own honor and dignity, the less they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/use-every-man-according-to-his-desert-and-who-should-scape-whipping/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“China reminds me most of America at its own moment of transformation—the period that Mark Twain and Charles Warner named the Gilded Age, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-osnos/china-reminds-me-most-of-america-at-its-own-moment-of-transformation/) [Evan Osnos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-osnos/) > [Every man is a missionary, now and forever, for good or for evil, whether he intends or designs it or not. He may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chalmers/every-man-is-a-missionary-now-and-forever-for-good-or-for-evil/) [Thomas Chalmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chalmers/) > [“John, let me make one thing clear,” Jim said, cutting me off in his most stern, evangelical voice. “Every man is blessed with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/john-let-me-make-one-thing-clear-jim-said-cutting-me-off-in-his-most/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe a final breath. And if what that man did in his life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-ultimate-warrior/every-man-s-heart-one-day-beats-its-final-beat-his-lungs-breathe-a/) [The Ultimate Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-ultimate-warrior/) Browse all 3,342 Every man quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To every man, however holy he may be, there always remains some imperfection, because he has been drawn from nothingness: so that we do no injury to the saints when, in recounting their virtues, we relate their sins and defects; but, on the contrary, those who write their lives seem, for this reason, to do a great injury to making by concealing the sins and imperfections of the saints, under pretence of honouring them, not referring to the commencement of their lives, for fear of diminishing the esteem of their sanctity. 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