Tag: Missionaries

St. Francis Xavier (1505-1552) was born into nobility, the youngest child in a family of wealth and honor. While at university in Paris, he roomed with future saint Peter Faber, and the two were later joined by another roommate about a generation later — future saint Ignatius of Loyola.

Loyola convinced Faber to become a priest, but a similar success with Xavier would require more work on Loyola’s part. The athletic young Xavier wanted a career that promised the allurements of worldly success. Of course, over time Loyola prevailed upon Xavier, and the three roommates were among the seven original members of the Society of Jesus founded by Loyola. All seven took first vows in Paris in 1534.

From that time the Jesuits have taken a special fourth vow — in addition to the tradition evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience — of obedience to the pope. Like the other founding members of the Jesuit order, Xavier originally intended to serve in the Holy Land and bring conversion to “the infidels” who were sabotaging the biblical lands.

This was the Age of Exploration, when European powers were laying claim to foreign lands. The Portuguese government asked the pope to send Jesuits to their new territories in the Near East. Although Loyola had not picked Xavier at first, he became the first Jesuit missionary by happenstance, because one of Loyola’s first choices took ill at the last minute. Xavier began the voyage east in 1541, following a private audience with Portugal’s king and queen.

Destined to die by the age of 46, St. Francis Xavier devoted his remaining years planting the seeds of the Gospel throughout India and Asia. To support Xavier in his work, the pope had named him his own representative in the new mission field, appointing him apostolic nuncio to the East.

Xavier first came to Goa, initially settled by the Portuguese a few decades earlier. These first European settlers in southern India lived scandalously, and so the king’s primary orders to Xavier was to restore them to the Faith. Xavier’s initial approach was to focus his ministry on the peripheries, beginning with outreach to those on the margins, especially the sick and children.

For over three years, Xavier’s preaching preaching in southern India resulted in a large number of conversions and the establishment of many churches. He continued this work in modern-day Sri Lanka and a variety of Portuguese-controlled islands as well.

In 1547, Xavier met an exiled Japanese criminal named Anjirō, from whom he learned about Japan and its cultural prohibition on outsiders. Xavier desired to bring the Gospel there. Anjirō became the first Japanese Christian and accompanied Xavier on his mission there, serving as an interpreter and guide.

In Japan, Xavier found it difficult to meet with local rulers. To present himself as important, he dressed up and had his attendants present him with gifts. Subsequently, he presented himself as a diplomat representing the Portuguese king, presenting a ruler with gifts. This opened the door for his evangelization in Japan, the first to spread the Gospel on the island.

It took great effort for Xavier to learn the language, and the Japanese were not easily converted. But the “Apostle of Japan”
baptized around 2,000 souls there. He opined that “among all unbelievers, no finer people will be found than the Japanese.”

After returning to India briefly to tend to a variety of issues that needed his attention, Xavier desired to set out for China, which was harder to enter than Japan. But he died en route on Dec. 3, 1552.

His feast day is Dec. 3.

Michael R. Heinlein is editor of Simply Catholic. Follow him on Twitter at @HeinleinMichael.

Young Anna Boscardin (1888-1922) overcame a variety of obstacles through the grace of God and went on to serve those who struggled with their own. Her father admitted in the investigations that led up to his daughter’s beatification that he was violent, abusive and struggled with bouts of alcoholism, which forced the young girl and her mother to seek safety often by fleeing the family home.

Attendance at school was a rare privilege for young Annette, as she was called most commonly. She had to leave classes frequently to assist her family at home and in harvesting the fields. During the times she could attend school, she was frequently distracted by working as a servant for a nearby family.

Annette was not regarded well by her peers. Few thought her attractive and many spoke of her mediocre intelligence. And she was frequently picked on for what many saw as mediocrity. She was slapped with the nickname of “goose” by a local priest in reference to her slowness.

The spirit of the world that rejected her was no competitor for the spirit of adoption for this beloved daughter of the Father. Annette had a deep and abiding faith that defined her. Because of that, she was allowed to receive first holy Communion early and made early entrance into the “children of Mary” association in the parish. A catechism the priest gifted her with became a symbol of her relentless faith and was found in her pocket when she died.

In spite of a lack of support from her pastor — who thought she was unable to amount to much in life — Annette desired to give herself completely to God as a nun. But her slowness was cited as the cause for rejection when she applied to a religious order. The priest indicated that she was at least able to peel the community’s potatoes. The Sisters of St. Dorothy in Vicenza, Italy, accepted her in 1904, bestowing her the name Sister Maria Bertilla. As she told the mother superior, her only desire was “to become a saint.”

Sister Maria Bertilla had a willingness to go wherever God wanted her. But it seemed that simple tasks would be in store for her. The first year in the convent was spent in menial tasks no one else wanted, although she embraced them willingly. The next year, she was moved to a hospital, first confined to work in the kitchen but then assigned to work with the patients.

As a missionary to the sick and marginalized, Sister Maria Bertilla found her calling. She was particularly drawn to assist those who were littlest and without much hope for survival. Her gifts to minister among those who suffered and were on the brink of death were readily acknowledged by the hospital’s medical staff.

By 1915, the hospital was filled with military injured during World War I. Within a few years the hospital was on the front lines of battle. Sister Maria Bertilla wrote in her diary: “Here I am, Lord, to do your will whatever comes — be it life, death or terror.”

As the heaviest bombs were dropped in her city, Sister Maria Bertilla willingly chose to stay at the wounded’s bedside, particularly with those who could not move. She was a comforting presence, bringing snacks and praying with them. Some of the injured to whom she ministered were present for her beatification and canonization.

Her life was marked by a willingness to go out in love and service to others, giving what she received little of, resigning her will in favor of God’s. She died of a painful tumor at age 34 on Oct. 20, 1922.

Her feast day is Oct. 20.

Michael R. Heinlein is editor of Simply Catholic. Follow him on Twitter at @HeinleinMichael.

Agnes Bojaxhiu left home at 18, never to see her family again. She desired to be a missionary, joining the Loreto Sisters in Ireland in 1928. There she learned English, used to teach in the Indian missions where she arrived the following year.

Agnes desired a religious name after Therese of Lisieux — the patroness of the missions. The name was taken by another nun, so she opted for the Spanish spelling: Teresa.

An educator in Calcutta for nearly 20 years, eventually St. Teresa became headmistress of an affluent girls’ school. But her heart grew discontent with the poverty surrounding the convent. In 1946, she experienced what she described as a “call within a call” — that she was to leave behind her way of life and dedicate herself to the poorest of the poor.

“I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. To fail would have been to break the faith,” she said. By 1948, she set out from the Loreto convent — adopting a new white sari habit with blue stripes — caring for those in the slums.

Within a year, other women asked to join her work. This laid the foundation a new religious congregation she called the Missionaries of Charity. Their ministry, in St. Teresa’s words, would consist of caring for “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.”

Eventually, known as “Mother Teresa,” she established institutions through the world, serving the world’s poor, sick and vulnerable. She would go on to establish a men’s community, a contemplative branch of the order, in addition to providing opportunities for lay collaboration.

St. Teresa was never comfortable with attention or notoriety on account of her work. She thought it would detract from Jesus, the one she credited with all her work. But media throughout the world still reported her story.

“By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus,” she said.

She traveled the world defending human rights and dignity. A tireless defender of life at all stages, she noted that “any country that accepts abortion is the poorest of the poor.”

St. Teresa became a household name the world over, the recipient of numerous honors in recognition of her tireless and devoted service to the poor. In 1979, she won the Nobel Peace Prize, and she received American accolades such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and honorary U.S. citizenship — one of only eight individuals so honored throughout history.

Mother Teresa died in Calcutta on Sept. 5, 1997. Pope St. John Paul II waived the mandatory five-year waiting period to open her cause of canonization. During that process, it was revealed that Mother Teresa had an extraordinary interior life, in which she experienced great spiritual suffering and desolation.

Surviving correspondence with Mother Teresa’s archbishop and others indicate she doubted God’s presence in her life. “The place of God in my soul is blank,” she wrote. “Sometimes — I just hear my own heart cry out ‘My God’ and nothing else comes — The torture and pain I can’t explain.” In caring for those who were crucified with Christ, she mystically shared in the agony of Calvary.

Her feast day is Sept. 5.

Michael R. Heinlein is editor of Simply Catholic. Follow him on Twitter at @HeinleinMichael

Unbounded charity and unfettered zeal for the Faith define St. Francis Solanus’ missionary work to South America. A Franciscan known as the “Wonderworker of the New World,” who healed the sick and tamed wild animals, St. Francis Solanus was a passionate preacher who desired nothing more than to win souls for Christ.

Setting aside a life of comfort and prestige as the son of wealthy parents, St. Francis Solanus took the Franciscan habit and pledged himself to their strict observance of poverty. Ordained a priest in 1576, he proved to be a man of many talents and served as novice master before he became renowned for his phenomenal preaching abilities. A few years later, he took ill from the plague after spending a good portion of his ministry caring for and ministering to victims of the disease.

Around age 40, he intended to be sent to Africa as a missionary; however, plans soon changed. In response to Spanish King Philip II’s request to send missionaries to Peru, he was sent to South America.

St. Francis Solanus is often depicted holding a violin, which he used when ministering to the indigenous peoples, and he would often play it before the Blessed Sacrament.

En route, the boat on which the saint was traveling was shipwrecked. They decided to save the passengers and crew but to abandon a host of African slaves in the wrecked boat. St. Francis Solanus, who had been instructing them in the Faith during the journey, refused to leave their side, knowing full well that the boat was sinking. Staying with the slaves, he offered them baptism. Some were lost when the boat split apart, but he remained with the rest until they were rescued.

For over two decades in South America, St. Francis Solanus labored tirelessly to spread the Gospel throughout the continent. His travels throughout parts of Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina were not easy, given the dangers in store in such an undeveloped and rugged terrain.

As with any missionary, it was vital to learn the native languages to be most successful, and St. Francis Solanus was competent in that regard. It is reported that he had the gift of tongues — an outpouring of the Holy Spirit first given to the Apostles at Pentecost.

While in Argentina, St. Francis Solanus performed mass baptisms and worked for the acceptance of Christianity by the people. He toiled to advance the rights and dignity of the natives, speaking out against their poor treatment by the Spaniards who profited greatly by exploiting them.

St. Francis Solanus was truly a pastor to the native peoples, engaging and accompanying them through life. He would spend time with the tribes, bringing his violin and joining them in dance. For this reason he is often depicted carrying the stringed instrument in his hands.

Moving back to Lima, Peru around the turn of the century, St. Francis Solanus entered a new phase of ministry to the Spaniards who settled in Peru. His sermons were marked by fire and brimstone, preaching about the end of the world and judgment. The viceroy had to intervene, asking him to moderate his preaching. He relented little, marching down the streets of Lima with a crucifix in hand, entering places of ill-repute and calling the people to a better way of life.

St. Francis Solanus also was known for his sense of humor, and he would raise eyebrows when, on his way to a Marian shrine, the celibate priest would remark that he was on his way to serenade a most beautiful lady.

Confined to an infirmary for his last two years, St. Francis Solanus died on July 14, 1610, and is revered throughout the continent he evangelized.

His feast day is July 14.

Michael R. Heinlein is editor of Simply Catholic. Follow him on Twitter at @HeinleinMichael.

Though born in Ireland, St. Columba (521-597) is mostly remembered for sowing the seeds of God’s word in Scotland.

His early years were spent in monasteries, learning the life of prayer and study under the tutelage of St. Finnian — one of the fathers of Irish monasticism. In fact, St. Columba is included in a list of 11 other students of St. Finnian, who are collectively referred to as the “Twelve Apostles of Ireland.” Additionally, St. Columba went on to apprentice under another of those 12, St. Mobhi.

St. Columba’s work as a priest and abbot were aided and enhanced by the characteristic of a great, imposing personality. A man of large stature, St. Columba was known to have a booming voice that could be heard distinctly, even a mile away.

An interesting dispute arose between St. Columba and his mentor St. Finnian, even causing a war that resulted in over 3,000 deaths. The issue was over a copyright, involving a copy of St. Jerome’s translation of the psalter. St. Columba had produced a copy of it at St. Finnian’s monastery, but they both laid claim to it as their property. St. Columba regarded the copy to be his since he produced it. And St. Finnian believed it was his since he owned the original.

Recourse was made to the king, who sided with St. Finnian. But St. Columba rejected the decision, and he enlisted the help of a clan to rebel against the king around 561. The Battle of Cúl Dreimhne is notable for its status as one of history’s first conflicts over a copyright.

Other subsequent disagreements with the king made it difficult for St. Columba to continue in his native land. Later in life, internal Church politics brought sanctions levied upon him, which seem to have been proven false when St. Brendan saw a vision of angels surrounding St. Columba. But it is not uncommon for saints to have difficulties with authorities, either ecclesial or civil.

Within a few years, St. Columba left Ireland for Scotland, setting out with 12 companions in a wicker canoe. Although the reason is not entirely certain, it is likely there was an invitation for St. Columba from another kingdom in western Scotland. In some ways, he was not leaving his native people, since the Gaels had been in that region for a couple centuries.

Landing first in a place where his native isle could still be seen, legend has it that St. Columba directed his party to go farther, eventually settling in Iona, on land given to him by the local king.

In Scotland, St. Columba’s establishment of a monastery at Iona brought a renaissance of monasticism in the country. Additionally, the erection of churches and schools were an essential part of his mission.

The monastery he founded grew in reputation as a school for missionaries. And his reputation for holiness and prophesy made him a neutral party to help negotiate between clans and other factions. His influence is seen in a variety of political decisions.

There are legends that St. Columba was also a miracle worker, one of which involved him banishing to the River Ness a giant water beast that killed a man and threatened the life of one of the saint’s followers. Many believe this could be related to the myth of the Loch Ness monster.

St. Columba’s abbey also has been regarded as a center for literacy in the region. He himself was a poet and hymnographer, and he transcribed several hundred texts.

He died, predicting the date of his own death, in the sanctuary of his abbey’s church in 597.

His feast day is June 9.

Michael R. Heinlein is editor of Simply Catholic. Follow him on Twitter at @HeinleinMichael.

When St. Peter Chanel (1803-1841) first applied for his bishop’s permission for missionary work, not long after his 1827 ordination, he was denied and sent to work in a French country parish. For a priest with his gifts and talents, it was no surprise that he revitalized it in a short amount of time. The people came to love him for his charity and care for them, particularly the marginalized and sick.

St. Peter Chanel did not let his desire for the missions die out, however. He had long been drawn to foreign evangelization since he was a young boy, after reading accounts of American missionaries written by the French missionary Bishop Louis Dubourg, who had authority over much of America’s southern states and territories.

A bright and gifted student, St. Peter won a variety of awards that proved his theological and linguistic prowess, making him an ideal candidate for the missions.

In 1831, St. Peter again sought permission to join the Society of Mary (called the Marists), a missionary congregation founded a few decades earlier in his native France focused on evangelical work in local and foreign missions. Despite joining the congregation, however, St. Peter was unable to fulfill his missionary desires for at least five years, assigned instead to teach in a minor seminary.

In 1836, after the Marists obtained papal approval, the order was asked to send missionaries to various regions of Oceania. St. Peter was assigned as superior of a group who set sail the same year.

A desire to share the Gospel with those who never heard of Christ brought St. Peter to the French controlled island of Futuna. He and his companion, a French lay brother, were in store for a difficult and arduous task in the mission field there. Although St. Peter struggled to learn the language, he went on to master it. And there were the difficulties with a new culture and isolation on a remote island. St. Peter wrote how he believed the local religion was Satan’s work, but he was patient and willing to work slowly for their conversion.

At first, the king of Futuna favorably received St. Peter and his companion. However, there was a miscommunication that the missionaries were only visitors learning the natives’ language and customs. Once their intentions were made clear, combined with the successes of Christian missionaries on nearby islands, the king turned on the missionaries. He perceived and feared the threats they posed to his power. But, for good reason, the Europeans were also feared for their exploitation of Futuna women and general mistreatment of the natives.

The king’s tension with the missionaries reached a boiling point when the king’s own son expressed his desire for baptism. In response, the king sent his brute son-in-law to kill the missionaries.

St. Peter knew well that his life was threatened, writing: “It does not matter whether or not I am killed; the religion has taken root on the island; it will not be destroyed by my death, since it comes not from men but from God.”

While others rushed the saint’s house and vandalized it, the king’s son-in-law clubbed St. Peter to the ground, killing him with an axe. He died, only 37, on April 28, 1841, the protomartyr of Oceania and of his congregation.

Within a year of St. Peter Chanel’s death, the local bishop assigned several other missionaries to Futuna, and most of the island converted to the Faith — including St. Peter’s murderer.

His feast day is April 28.

Michael R. Heinlein is editor of Simply Catholic. Follow him on Twitter at @HeinleinMichael