For the Love of Us All

SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER

I went to grade school at Saint Francis Xavier

In Pittsburgh

The church and school

Were right around the corner from our home

I have countless friends

From Saint Francis Xavier

And many of them

Are still active in my life today

While today

The church is called RISEN LORD

( it was combined with Saint Leo the Great )

It still begs the question

Who just was this Saint Francis Xavier

This man---who my church and school

Were named after

Francis Xavier was a Jesuit missionary

Who was a Basque Spaniard

Who lived from 1506 to 1551

He was educated

At the University of Paris

Where he met Saint Ignatius of Loyola

And both were ordained as priests 3 years later

The foreign missions

Has been an integral part

Of the Jesuit ideal and vocation

And in Francis Xavier---it was no different

In 1541

Francis sailed to Goa in the East Indies

At the invitation of the King of Portugal

And was backed by a Papal brief

Nominating him as Apostolic nuncio

In the East

The journey took 13 months

And his mission there was to evangelize

For the remaining 10 years of his life

And he did just that

By his example

And by his preaching and writing verses

On Christian truths

He went among the poor

As a poor man himself

Slept on the ground

And lived on only rice and water

He would return to his headquarters

From time-to-time in Goa

And made plans to go further East

Eventually

Despite his propensity towards seasickness

And difficulty in learning foreign languages

He did make it to Japan

His external appearance of poverty

Was unsuccessful in Japan

So he abandoned this tactic

And began to dress in fine robes

And present gifts to the rulers

As a representative of the King of Portugal

When he left Japan

There were 2000 Christians---and growing

But they were under fierce attack form the rulers there

Counted among them were Paul Miki and his companions

Who ALL died a martyr’s death in 1597

With many more to follow in the coming years

Having established

The roots of the Christian faith in Japan

Francis returned to Goa

Then decided to set out for China

To try to establish roots there

While on his way there

Francis fell ill and died

Practically alone on an island

He became a Saint in 1622

And in 1927---Saint Francis Xavier

Was declared the patron Saint of foreign missions

Robert P. Wallman

2-9-12

Ps               This one is for ALL my friends from Saint Francis Xavier---with whom

                   I share so many beautiful memories

                   Saint Francis Xavier’s feast day is December 3^rd

                   Saint Paul Miki and his 26 companions---February 6th