feast day: December 3
patron of: all foreign missions
about:
- born 7 April 1506 in Xavier, Kingdom of Navarre (present Spain)
- died 3 December 1552 (age 46) in Portuguese Base at São João Island (now China)
- a Roman Catholic missionary born in Xavier, Kingdom of Navarre (now part of Spain), and co-founder of the Society of Jesus
- a study companion of St. Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits who took vows of poverty and chastity at Montmartre, (Paris) in 1534
- led an extensive mission into Asia, mainly in the Portuguese Empire of the time. He was influential in evangelization work most notably in India. He also ventured into Japan, Borneo, the Maluku Islands, and other areas which had, until then, not been visited by Christian missionaries. In these areas, being a pioneer and struggling to learn the local languages in the face of opposition, he had less success than he had enjoyed in India. It was a goal of Xavier to extend his missionary preaching to China but he died in Shangchuan Island shortly before doing so.
- attributes: crucifix; preacher carrying a flaming heart; bell; globe; vessel; young bearded Jesuit in the company of Saint Ignatius Loyola; young bearded Jesuit with a torch, flame, cross and lily
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PRAYER OF SAINT FRANCIS
source: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=134
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me
sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where
there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to
console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
For
it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are
pardoned;
it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
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links/ sources:
- "Prayer of Francis Xavier" (source: Wikipedia):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_of_Saint_Francis
-"Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, Saint Francis Prayer" (source: Catholic Online):
http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=134
- "Francis Xavier" (source: Wikipedia):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Xavier
- "St. Francis Xavier" (source: Catholic Online):
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=423
- "St. Francis Xavier" (source: Catholic Encyclopedia):
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06233b.htm
- "St. Francis Xavier" (source: American Catholic):
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1218 - "Saint Francis Xavier" (source: Bio):
http://www.biography.com/people/saint-francis-xavier-39911#synopsis
