Francis was born in the Eure region of north western France into one of the countries leading families. He was educated by the Jesuits and studied for the priesthood in Paris. In 1658 he was appointed to the mission of the French Settlements in North America in an area known as New France. France had entered the race for the conquest and eveangetlisation of the New World after Spain and Portugal. The mission in Quebec was the first to take root in New France. When Francis arrived all overseas missions were controlled by the Roman Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, not simply by the kings of the colonising powers. But in 1622 thanks to Francis,Propaganda Fidei was set up with wide ranging reforms. It was designed to eliminate international rivalry between bishops and religious orders and to prevent missionaries regarding such territories as a source of personal wealth.

It was to the spirit of this mission Church to which Francis devoted the next 30 years of his life. Quebec was a little settlement of fewer than 2000 inhabitants, desperately poor and constantly threatened by the English colonists on the eastern seaboard. Francis founded parishes, defended the native tribes from exploitation from European merchants. His social activities included attempts to limit the sale of alcohol and to regulate the fur trade.

When Francis died in 1708 the population of Quebec had increased, new dioceses were being formed and much of the work initiated by Francis continued to grow and flourish.