Pope Francis dedicated his weekly catechesis to reflecting on the life of St. Francis Xavier and his difficult missionary journey from Spain to India. But with the difficulty of his journey. He emphasized that St. Francis Xavier is an important example for Christians today.
SUMMARY OF POPE FRANCIS' CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH:
Dear brothers and sisters:
In our continuing catechesis on apostolic zeal, we now turn to Saint Francis Xavier, the patron of the Catholic missions. Born in Spain, Francis studied in Paris, where he met Saint Ignatius of Loyola and, together with a few companions, formed the Society of Jesus, placing themselves at the service of the Pope for the most urgent needs of the Church of their time.
The sixteenth century, the age of discovery, called for a great missionary outreach. Francis set out for the East Indies, where, starting in Goa, he carried out an intense activity of preaching, baptizing, catechizing and caring for the sick. From India, he passed to the Maluku islands and from there to Japan. Unable to fulfil his dream of entering China, Francis died, at only forty-six years of age, on the nearby island of Shangchuan.
His heroic zeal for evangelization was the fruit of a life of deep prayer and loving union with the person of Jesus Christ. May the example of Saint Francis Xavier inspire our own efforts to advance the Church’s mission, as joyful witnesses to the risen Lord and his saving word.
AT
