December Saints

            Francis Xavier
                     1506-1552
    Francis was born in Navarre, Spain on April 17th, 1506. His parents were very wealthy. He went to the University of Naples where he met Ignatius. He was a popular student, earned good marks, and was extraordinarily good at sports. He was very vain about the clothes he wore. He did not like Ignatius at first but soon became his friend. Francis began to mend his ways. Ignatius, Francis and some other men were the first to join the Society of Jesus in 1534.

    After finishing all his studies at the University of Naples, Francis went to Venice with 15 other companions. There they attended the sick in the hospitals. In 1539, he was appointed by John III, King of Portugal, to evangelize the people in the east. He left for India in 1541.

    For the first five months in India he visited the hospitals to preach and minister to the sick. Francis would teach all the little children about the Catechism and God. He had to endure many cruel persecutions. In 1545, he went to Malacca. In 1546-47 he went to Moluccas near New Guinea and Morotai near the Philippines to bring the Gospel to the natives. Francis has been called the first Apostle of the Philippines. In 1549-51 he visited Japan. When he visited Japan he spent one whole year studying the language. He brought Christianity everywhere he went. In 1522, he was on an island off the coast of China when suddenly he became ill.

    Francis Xavier died on December 3rd, 1552. He is named the World's Greatest Missionary. In ten years he converted more than 50,000 Catholics. He had died when he was 46 years old. Francis Xavier was Canonized a saint in 1622 by Gregory XV. He is patron saint of all foreign missions.