Saint Francis Xavier
One of the Church’s Greatest Missionaries
Patron of the Foreign Missions
Apostle to the Far East
Francis was born on April 7 in the Basque region
of Spain in the family castle of Xavier in the
kingdom of Navarre in 1506. He was the youngest
child of his parents, Don Juan and Dona Maria.
Being a nobleman he enjoyed a privileged way of
life as a child. His early education was provided by
private tutors in the family castle. Francis had a
very good personality and was surrounded by
people who loved him. He was a happy, loving,
good natured little kid with excellent manners. He
was very bright and charming. The young
nobleman’s world seemed perfect.
However, this wonderful life was interrupted when
Francis was about seven. The kingdoms of France
and Aragon (sounds like Lord of the Rings!) were
expanding their holdings and Navarre was caught
up in the middle. Francis’s father, Don Juan fled
the family castle and took refuge in France when Navarre became part of Aragon. He
died a short time later. During this time Francis’s older brothers became soldiers to fight
for the independence of Navarre. They tried to convince Francis to join them but he
refused because he wanted to follow the path of education and stay home with his mother
during these troubling times of war, especially since Don Juan was now absent. On an
ironic note, Francis’s brothers fought against another Basque nobleman, named Ignatius
of Loyola who went on to form the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) of which Francis was one of
the original members. (More on that later!)
When Francis was eighteen, his brothers returned home from the war, with their estates
and titles intact and Francis was now free to pursue further education. Francis left home
and made his way to Paris to study at the renowned University of Paris. Francis faced the
same opportunities and temptations of modern day college students. Paris had a wild
social and political scene and was filled with opinions of revolt against the establishment
in the areas of religion, politics and moral behavior. This was near the beginning of the
Renaissance period and the Protestant Reformation. Francis, being a nobleman with the
funds to live the wild party life was spared from possibly heading down that path by a
man named Juan Pena. Juan was the new Master at school and he was a very good man
who befriended Francis and became quite a role model for him. Juan was quite a contrast
to the former school master who tied a horrible death from venereal disease that he
picked up by living a promiscuous life. This too, made an impression on Francis and
contributed to him staying away from being sexually promiscuous.
When Francis was twenty three, he earned his Master’s Degree and was well on his way
to establishing a name for himself in the area of philosophy. While at school, Francis and
his room-mate, Pierre Favre met Ignatius of Loyola. At first Francis didn’t care for
Ignatius but soon Ignatius’s goodness and spirituality made quite an impression on
Francis and Pierre. Ignatius would often repeat to Francis the line from scripture, “What
shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?” Ignatius
convinced Francis to use his many gifts for God to spread the Gospel instead of using it
all for the secular world. A short time later, these three room-mates, Ignatius, Francis and
Pierre formed a group that would go on to become the Society of Jesus, better known as
the Jesuits. They were soon joined by four others and they began to give the Church a
counter to the Protestant Reformation that was sweeping the continent. Francis and his
friends, along with Ignatius made their religious vows in Paris, on the Feast of the
Assumption, in 1534. Francis was now twenty eight years old. He and his friends wanted
to go to the Holy Land to devote their lives to the service of God and the Church. This
was put on hold due to a war so Francis served the sick in a hospital in Rome while he
awaited his chance to go to the Holy Land. He also visited prisons. Three years later
Francis was ordained a priest at the age of thirty one. Ignatius was also ordained with
him.
After his ordination, the King of Portugal made a request to the Pope for priests to serve
the growing number of converts to Christianity in the Portuguese colonies overseas in the
Orient. It was a treacherous voyage but with some
reluctance Fr. Ignatius of Loyola, who was the new
society’s leader, called on Francis for the job.
Francis left Rome and went to Portugal for a year.
There he met with the King of Portugal and he
learned the Portuguese language. While there he also
served the sick, visited homes, and prisons. The King
was very impressed with the character and holiness of
Fr. Francis. Later the King wrote to the Pope and
asked him to speed up the Church’s official
recognition of the Society of Jesus.
Francis finally set sail for Goa, India. He was offered
a nice cabin on the ship but he graciously refused and
instead stayed on deck with the soldiers and sailors. It
was a perilous voyage that took thirteen months.
For twelve years he worked tirelessly to win souls for Christ. Francis slept only three
hours per night. He ate very little and his diet consisted primarily of rice and water. His
passion to preach the Gospel inspired people by the thousands. He taught the Creed and
catechism to children, and would walk through the streets, ringing a bell to call them to
their studies. Francis was loved by the people. They were genuinely attracted to his
kindness and love for Jesus. He baptized over 40,000 people and once baptized 10,000
people in a single month! Francis built over 45 churches. He planted crosses in the town
centers. Francis also converted people through music. He would put religious verses with
the popular music of the culture. Francis lived poor, dressed poor and converted the poor
to Christianity by the thousands.
When Francis was forty three, he went to Japan as its first Christian missionary. He had
some successes but realized that because of his poor appearance he would not be taken
seriously, especially by those in power. Francis changed into fine robes and brought gifts
to the local rulers as the representative of the King of Portugal. This won great respect for
Francis and he was even given an empty Buddhist monastery to use in his mission work.
After a little more than two years he left Japan, but had converted about two thousand
Japanese to Christianity. Francis returned again to India but he had his eyes on an ever
bigger prize for conversion – China!
After about two months Francis left India and set sail for China. It had become a real
dream of Francis to convert the Chinese people to the True Faith. Foreign missionaries
were forbidden in China but Francis had made arrangements to get a Portuguese ship to
get him close to China, where a Chinese captain would then meet them to smuggle
Francis ashore. Within site of the mainland he fell very ill from a fever and had to stop on
the small island of the Chinese coast called Shang-chwan (Sancian). It was there that
Francis spent the last two weeks of his life. He stayed in a small primitive hut and spent
most of his time praying. Francis had one very faithful Chinese companion with him,
named Antonio, when he breathed his last on December 3. Francis was just 46 years old.
Some Very Cool Facts and Stories
At a place called Meliapour, Fr. Francis found the exact place where Saint Thomas
the Apostle was martyred for the Faith. He actually said Mass on the marble slab where
this took place and during the Mass the altar exuded blood
Francis had the gift of tongues
Francis resurrected several dead persons
Like Jesus, he calmed storms. Once while calming a raging storm at sea,
Francis raised high, the crucifix which usually hung around his neck.
The sea suddenly calmed but when the ship made a sudden lurching
movement, the crucifix flew out of his hand and plunged into the sea.
The next day the ship landed and as Francis walked along the shore, a
giant crab came out of the sea carrying the crucifix perfectly upright in
its claws. The crab crawled straight up to Francis, delivered the crucifix
to him and then returned to the sea! This true story was verified by many
credible witnesses.
Francis had the gift of bilocation. He was reported many times to be at different places at
the same time, preaching the Faith to the native people.
He traveled thousands of miles in his bare feet
During some of his mission travels he dined with head hunters!
Francis’s body is incorrupt. One hundred forty-two years after his death, his body was
examined in the presence of the bishops, medical personnel and other dignitaries. This is
what the medical report said:
The Saint’s hair is black and slightly curling. The forehead is broad and high, with two
rather large veins, soft and of a purple tint, running down the middle, as is often seen in
talented persons who concentrate a great deal. The eyes are black, lively and sweet, with
so penetrating a glance that he would seem to be alive and breathing. The lips are of a
bright reddish colour and the beard is thick. In the cheeks there is a very delicate
vermillion tint. The tongue is quite flexible, red and moist, and the chin is beautifully
proportioned. In a word, the body has all the appearance of being that of a living man.
The blood is fluid, the lips flexible, the flesh solid, the colour lovely, the feet straight and
the nails well formed. The loss of two toes left a darkish trace on the right leg. But for
this, there can be found no other body so clean and sound as the body of the Apostle of
the Indies. It is so great a marvel that on seeing it, while I was present, the Commissary
of the Dutch East India Company, Mynheer Vandryers, became at once a convert to the
Catholic Faith.
Sixty two years after Francis’s death his right arm was amputated and it is now reverently
kept in the Church of Il Gesu in Rome. This right arm which baptized so many thousands
was taken on pilgrimage in Japan and the United States in 1949 where it was venerated
by huge crowds in several cities during a three month tour. Francis’s incorrupt body is
enshrined in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa.
His Own Words
Francis scolded his patron, King John of Portugal, over the slave trade:
"You have no right to spread the Catholic faith while you take away all
the country's riches. It upsets me to know that at the hour of your death
you may be ordered out of paradise."
Prayer Written by Saint Francis Xavier
Eternal God, Creator of all things, remember that You alone has created the souls of
unbelievers, which You have made according to Your Image and Likeness. Behold, O
Lord, how to Your dishonor many of them are falling into Hell. Remember, O Lord,
Your Son Jesus Christ, Who so generously shed His Blood and suffered for them. Do not
permit that Your Son, Our Lord, remain unknown by unbelievers, but, with the help of
Your Saints and the Church, the Bride of Your Son, remember Your mercy, forget their
idolatry and infidelity, and make them know Him, Who You have sent, Jesus Christ,
Your Son, Our Lord, Who is our salvation, our life, and our resurrection, through Whom
we have been saved and redeemed, and to Whom is due glory forever. Amen.
From letters written by Saint Francis Xavier to Saint Ignatius of Loyola
We have visited the villages of the new converts who accepted the Christian religion a
few years ago. The country is so utterly barren and poor. The native Christians have no
priests. They know only that they are Christians. There is nobody to say Mass for them;
nobody to teach them the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Commandments
of God's Law.
I have not stopped since the day I arrived. I conscientiously made the rounds of the
villages. I bathed in the sacred waters all the children who had not yet been baptized.
This means that I have purified a very large number of children so young that, as the
saying goes, they could not tell their right hand from their left. The older children would
not let me say my Office or eat or sleep until I taught them one prayer or another. Then I
began to understand: "The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
I could not refuse so devout a request without failing in devotion myself. I taught them,
first the confession of faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; then the Apostles'
Creed, the Our Father, and Hail Mary. I noticed among them persons of great
intelligence. If only someone could educate them in the Christian way of life, I have no
doubt that they would make excellent Christians.
Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is
nobody to make them Christians.
I wish they university students would work as hard at converting these people as they do
at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and the talents
entrusted to them.
This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen
actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human
affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God's will and his choice.
They would cry out with all their heart: "Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do?"
Send me anywhere you like - even to India!
Some Things to Think About
Saint Francis converted thousands, using his
God-given talents and by cooperating with
the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He was
open to God’s plan and God certainly used
him for the best according to God’s Divine
Will. We all have a certain “sphere of
influence” whether it is in our families,
neighborhoods, schools, circle of friends, etc.
We should ask ourselves if we are using that
influence and the associations we have to lead people closer to Jesus or further away
from Jesus? We have the same Holy Spirit to help us as Saint Francis Xavier had. Are
we open to God’s will in our lives so that we can lead many to Christ and His Church?
Francis was well on his way to a life as a well to do Philosophy Professor until he met
Ignatius of Loyola who challenged Francis to use his talents for the Kingdom of God and
not the world. The example of Ignatius impressed Francis. As a result, thousands were
converted and baptized, numerous churches were built. The tremendous effect of
Francis’s work has multiplied itself thousands of times over until this very day.
Numerous schools carry his name. Jesuits have been laboring for souls for close to 500
years. Francis has inspired countless numbers of missionaries. Foreign countries have a
Christian community that may not have to this day had it not been for Francis Xavier.
Might we, like Ignatius, encourage our friends to be open to a vocation to the priesthood
or another service to the Church for the salvation of souls?
Isn’t it amazing what a few college friends did together in Paris in the 1500’s? Imagine
what you and your friends can accomplish for souls if you get together to talk about it,
and to pray about it.
Our world is in desperate need of missionaries to spread the truth and the love of Jesus.
Often these mission fields can be all around us, i.e. our sport teams and events, our social
circles, our families, our places of work and school. Pray that by our words and actions,
we can witness to the Truth and others will come to the Catholic faith inspired by our
Christ-like example.
Resources used: Patron Saints Index, New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, Mysteries Marvels
Miracles - Cruz, Lives of the Saints Illustrated, Lessons from the Lives of the Saints – Fr. Esper,
St. Francisco Xavier – his life and times – Dr. Jose Colaco