St. Francis Xavier
David, Kali, Logan, Lydia
In 1500, missionary friars traveled to Goa, India to help the struggling mission of the St Thomas Christians. St Francis Xavier arrived in 1542 to help. He was a founding member of the Society of Jesus. Pope Paul III designated him as a special emissary for the evangelization of the Indian people. He worked to reform the scandalous behavior of the Europeans in India. His primary goal overall was to spread Christianity to all the communities he visited.
Where he traveled to serve
He traveled across India and China and established many churches. Some were India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Philippines, Malacca, and Molucca. He converted over 2,000 Japanese and brought the faith to China and the Philippines. When he traveled, he faced hardships in converting the local people.
Japan and China
He traveled to Japan with the Jesuit Father de Torres and Japanese converts. He spent a year learning the culture, language, and translating the articles of faith into Japanese. In the feudal system, the Japanese priests, bonzes, were tied to it. They were seen as dangerous and tried to get rid of him. In 1552, he left Japan after converting over 2,000. In China, it was closed to foreigners. He convinced smugglers to let him in. While with the smugglers, he caught fever and sickness and was left in a hut. He died a few days later. He was 46, and was canonized 7 years later.
God's presence
God was ever present in St Francis Xavier's life. He had courage to go to places that were threatening to his life, but continued to evangelize. He was successful in converting thousands and establishing missions in many countries.