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Life of St. Frances of Rome
240 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2025
About the author
Georgiana Fullerton
151 books6 followersLady Georgiana Fullerton was an English novelist.
Georgiana Charlotte Leveson-Gower was the daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville, and sister of Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, a prominent statesman. In 1833 she married in Paris an attaché of the embassy, Alexander George Fullerton, who came from Ireland.
She wrote several novels, some of which were very successful. They include Ellen Middleton (1844), Grantley Manor (1847), and Too Strange not to be True (1864). She also published two volumes of verse.
She founded Saint Walburga's School, in Bournemouth, which survives, albeit on a new site, and a Blue Plaque to commemorate her Catholic activities can be found on the Sacred Heart church in Bournemouth.
Georgiana Charlotte Leveson-Gower was the daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville, and sister of Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, a prominent statesman. In 1833 she married in Paris an attaché of the embassy, Alexander George Fullerton, who came from Ireland.
She wrote several novels, some of which were very successful. They include Ellen Middleton (1844), Grantley Manor (1847), and Too Strange not to be True (1864). She also published two volumes of verse.
She founded Saint Walburga's School, in Bournemouth, which survives, albeit on a new site, and a Blue Plaque to commemorate her Catholic activities can be found on the Sacred Heart church in Bournemouth.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 9, 2025
Nicely written life of a fascinating saint. I am interested in reading TAN's book on her visions, which were only touched on lightly in this book. Note: There were a few minor transcription errors: 'mom' in place of 'more' for example.
A few quotes of importance to me that I marked:
"[Francesca] did not intrust her child for a moment to the care of others...It is remarkable how careful the holy mothers which we read of in the lives of the Saints appear to have been of the circumstances attending the infancy of their children."..."Francesca, in obedience to her director, as well as guided by her own sense of duty, modified for the time being her usual mode of life, and occupied herself with the care of her child and preference to all other observances of charity or of devotion."
"... with regard to the difficulty she felt in submitting to certain cares and obligations which belong to her position as mistress and head of a family. She was apt to imagine that the hours thus employed were lost in God's sight; but her celestial guardian corrected her judgment on this point, and taught her to discern the Divine will in every little irksome worldly duty, in every trifling contradiction, as well as in great trials and on important occasions."
A few quotes of importance to me that I marked:
"[Francesca] did not intrust her child for a moment to the care of others...It is remarkable how careful the holy mothers which we read of in the lives of the Saints appear to have been of the circumstances attending the infancy of their children."..."Francesca, in obedience to her director, as well as guided by her own sense of duty, modified for the time being her usual mode of life, and occupied herself with the care of her child and preference to all other observances of charity or of devotion."
"... with regard to the difficulty she felt in submitting to certain cares and obligations which belong to her position as mistress and head of a family. She was apt to imagine that the hours thus employed were lost in God's sight; but her celestial guardian corrected her judgment on this point, and taught her to discern the Divine will in every little irksome worldly duty, in every trifling contradiction, as well as in great trials and on important occasions."
February 26, 2026
While I love Saint Frances of Rome, I can’t say I was a fan with how this biography was written. It’s an older one for sure (and I love older books), but it is one of those saint biographies that makes the saint appear to have reached full sanctity from the moment of their birth. It was incredibly flowery and could have focused just a tad bit more on her humanity. That being said, it covers a lot of her life, so if you are wanting to learn more about the details of her life (marriage, children, oblates, miracles, etc), this covers a lot. It does not go into incredible detail on any one event, unfortunately.
All that being said, this biography did leave me feeling inspired to perform corporal works of mercy, caring for the sick, the hungry, etc.
All that being said, this biography did leave me feeling inspired to perform corporal works of mercy, caring for the sick, the hungry, etc.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews