Jesuit saints & blesseds: December 2009 Archives

Saint Francis Xavier

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St Francis Xavier.jpg
The prayer for the feast is found here.

 
Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.

We entered some villages of Christians, who had been baptized about eight years ago. It is an area uninhabited by the Portugese, because of its extreme barrenness and poverty; the native Christians, having no one to instruct them in our faith, know nothing about it save only the face that they are Christians. There is no one to say Mass, no one to teach them the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, or the Ten Commandments.

Whenever I came to one of these villages I baptized all the children who had not yet been baptized. So I baptized a great number of babies "who did know their right hand from their left" (Jonah 4:11). The children in these villages would not allow me any time to say my office, or to eat or sleep, until I had taught them some prayers. Then I came to realize that "of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). As it would been wrong for me to refuse so holy a request, I began with the sign of the cross, then the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary.

I noted that they had considerable abilities and I am quite certain that they would be good Christians if only had someone to instruct them in the holy faith.

Multitudes out here fail to become Christians only because there is nobody prepared to undertake the holy task of instructing them. I have often felt strongly moved to go to the universities of Europe, especially Paris, crying out like a madman, and say to those in the  Sorbonne who have more learning than good will to employ it advantageously: "How many souls are missing heaven and going to hell through your negligence?"

If only, while they studied their humanities, they would also study the account that God will demand for the talent he has given them, many might feel the need to engage in spiritual exercises, so as to discover God's will in their hearts and embrace it rather than their own inclinations, saying: "Lord, here I am. What would you have me to do? Send me where you will, if necessary even to India."

An extract of two letters from Saint Francis Xavier to Saint Ignatius of Loyola dated 28 October 1542 and 15 January 1544
St Edmund Campion.jpeg

Almighty, eternal God, You raised up among the people of England and Wales the holy martyrs Edmund, Robert and their companions, and willed that they should imitate Christ, who died to redeem the world. Grant that, by their intercession, Your people may be strengthened by the same faith and love and always rejoice in Your gift of unity. 

 

On Saint Edmund Campion

On Saint Robert Southwell, plus there's more here

St Robert Southwell.jpg

 

Behold the father is his daughter's son,

The bird that built the nest is hatched therein,

The old of years an hour hath not outrun,

Eternal life to live doth now begin,

The Word is dumb, the mirth of heaven doth weep,

Might feeble is, and force doth faintly creep.

 

O dying souls, behold your living spring;

O dazzled eyes, behold your sun of grace;

Dull ears, attend what word this Word doth bring;

Up, heavy hearts, with joy your joy embrace.

From death, from dark, from deafness, from despairs

This life, this light, this Word, this joy repairs.

 

Gift better than himself God doth not know;

Gift better than his God no man can see.

This gift doth here the giver given bestow;

Gift to this gift let each receiver be.

God is my gift, himself he freely gave me;

God's gift am I, and none but God shall have me.

 

Man altered was by sin from man to beast;

Beast's food is hay, hay is all mortal flesh.

Now God is flesh and lies in manger pressed

As hay, the brutest sinner to refresh.

O happy field wherein that fodder grew,

Whose taste doth us from beasts to men renew.


About the author

Paul A. Zalonski is from New Haven, CT. He is a member of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, a Catholic ecclesial movement and an Oblate of Saint Benedict. Contact Paul at paulzalonski[at]yahoo.com.

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This page is a archive of entries in the Jesuit saints & blesseds category from December 2009.

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