Francis de Sales, C.O., O.M. was a Savoyard Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Geneva and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God.

The Confederation of Oratories of Saint Philip Neri, abbreviated C.O. and commonly known as the Oratorians, is a Catholic society of apostolic life of pontifical right for men who live together in a community bound together by no formal vows but only with the bond of charity.