The model, the inspirer and the protector of his Missionary Society
Saint Francis Xavier (1506 - 1552) is the universal Patron Saint of the missions, known as the apostle of the East. Guido Maria Conforti was inspired by him and chose him to be the model, the inspirer and the protector of his Missionary Society. Later, the Society came to be popularly known as the Xaverian Fathers. Saint Francis Xavier was a front line Jesuit missionary to Asia, where he died eventually.
He was a Spanish, first companion of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in the founding of the Society of Jesus. At the earnest solicitation of the John III, King of Portugal, He was appointed to evangelize the people of the East Indies, and left Rome on March 16, 1540, and on April 7, 1541, he embarked from Lisbon in a sailing vessel for India where he landed, at Goa, on May 6, 1542. For ten years, he preached in India, the East Indies, Malaysia, and Japan, and died with the dream of evangelizing China, on the Island of Sancian near the coast of China, on December 2, 1552.
The smiling Christ
"During his early years, Francis was often quite late coming home from classes. When that happened, his mother would begin to worry. Soon she would be searching for him in the squares and alleys of the castle town. Usually she would find her son alone in Church, kneeling before the main altar, apparently absorbed in prayer."
Saint Francis Xavier is considered as a great active missionary; he traveled a lot of miles by boat, preached the gospel, baptized a lot of people, etc. However he was not only active but also contemplative. Indeed, Xavier found his strength in the prayer at night; Xavier was an apostle of active contemplation, it’s to say, he combined his ministry with his personal prayer of life. Conforti defined this characteristic of Xavier: “St. Francis Xavier is a sublime example of outstanding love of God coupled with an ever growing love of neighbour of a very intense activity combined with an amazing union with God, nourished by ceaseless prayers.”