Tag: Missionaries

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.

It was said that the young Blessed Joseph Gérard (1831-1914) was so filled with missionary zeal that no pastoral commitment close to home would satisfy the Lord’s calling heard deep within his soul.

He belonged to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a religious congregation of men founded in France by St. Eugene de Mazenod to bring the Gospel to the poor throughout the world. Ordained a deacon by the founder, the young Gérard immediately set out for his assignment in southern Africa.

Gérard was well-respected by his superiors and colleagues. Known for his piety and holiness, he was not thought to be an academic — although he had a facility for learning new languages.

A brief time after arriving for ministry among the Zulu people in 1854, Gérard was ordained a priest. Because several missions established by the Oblates became too difficult, they moved on to begin other opportunities. Their saintly founder wrote to encourage Gérard, “Victory is promised only to perseverance.”

Interestingly, in addition to the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, the Oblates take a fourth vow of perseverance. The grace of wholehearted perseverance is exactly what defined Gérard’s missionary heart, and it was what he needed to endure the difficulties that lay ahead. Evangelization among the tribes to which he was assigned brought many challenges. For instance, the people felt they had no need for conversion, and they were not going to readily set aside practices they believed sustained their economy and society, like polygamy.

The first years of Gérard’s work with the Basotho people appeared to bear little fruit. He did not have many catechumens to prepare for entrance to the Christian faith. And others who were friendly with him did not seriously entertain such a prospect. It was two years before he could attract his first catechumen there.

It is said that priestly celibacy gave the missionaries more credibility among the natives, as opposed to Calvinist missionaries. Celibacy showed authenticity in living the Gospel and made Gospel living something tangible and credible.

One of the chief tasks of a missionary is to become accepted and respected. It is only then that the faith they preach can begin to take root in the hearts of the people. Pope St. John Paul II indicated Gérard’s success in this regard at his beatification in 1988: “People wanted to be near to Father Gérard because he always seemed near to God.”

The Roma Valley in Lesotho. Public domain

Ever since his arrival in Africa, Gérard made it a point to live among his people, like his people. Emulating the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom he consecrated himself early in his priesthood, Father Gérard spent his life for his people. As he put it, he and his confreres were called to emulate Jesus through their work: “We are ambassadors for Christ, and like him, we have come for you, to live and die for you.”

Gérard did not care about the obstacles put before him, only desiring to bring Jesus to the people in his charge. In the face of many hardships, he would bring the Eucharist to people on foot or by horseback. He also planted the seeds among his people of his intense Marian devotion.

Caring for those in need until just before his death, his last years were spent at the original mission at which he served. He aptly described his own ethos when describing his spiritual ambition in some retreat notes: “We must love them, love them in spite of everything, love them always.” The apostle of Lesotho died May 29, 1914.

His feast day is May 29.

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.

Saints Cyril and Methodius were born in modern-day Greece and believed to be the oldest and youngest boys in a family of seven children. Promising careers awaited both of them, as well as comfortable lives of privilege given their nobility. Methodius, originally named Michael, climbed the ranks of civil service through political and administrative service — for a time he served as a governor on behalf of the emperor. Cyril, originally named Constantine, was on track to obtain a prestigious, lifelong academic post.

Both were destined by God’s providence for another path, however. Unsatisfied with what they had and yearning for more, which they knew was only to be found in God, they gave up the positions and career paths that awaited them, opting for lives of deeper devotion to God. Serving God more directly in their new vocations, Cyril and Methodius found that the Lord used their gifts and talents in a way more profitable to advancing the kingdom.

Having obtained theological mastery in his scholarship, Cyril’s skills were useful in delicate negotiations on behalf of the emperor. He was ordained a priest after completing his education and became a monk not long before his death. Methodius became a monk earlier in life and served as a deacon and abbot for many years, before being ordained a priest and later a bishop after Cyril’s death.

In 862, through the Byzantine emperor, God called the holy brothers to the important evangelical work that would define their lives and ministry — and eventually earn them the title of co-patrons of Europe. It was likely, just as much for political reasons as religious, that the prince of the Great Moravian Empire called upon the Byzantine emperor’s assistance in spreading Christianity among his realm. But through this, God allowed Saints Cyril and Methodius to build up a civilization and culture that made Moravia shine as a model of Christian society.

While Christianity already had been present in Moravia, it was widely rejected. So the prince desired a fresh approach to spreading the Gospel among his people. Cyril and Methodius took an inventive approach to bringing the Good News to the people of Moravia. Their efforts were rooted in translating the Bible into a language that would be intelligible to the Moravian people.

This required standardizing and codifying a language from among the disparate parts of Moravia. St. Cyril is credited with devising the Glagolitic alphabet — the oldest Slavic alphabet and the foundation for the modern Cyrillic alphabets — named after the saintly linguist and still used throughout Eastern Europe and northern and central Asia. Cyril and Methodius also sought papal approval for a translation of the liturgical rites into the same language in which they translated Scripture. Several Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches still use Church Slavonic as their liturgical language.

Not everyone appreciated the efforts of Cyril and Methodius, particularly the Germanic bishops who complained about them to the pope. They were summoned to Rome in 867, and they arrived the following year — where they greeted a new pope, Adrian II. They brought along the relics of St. Clement, the fourth pope. It was then that the pope gave permission for the liturgical translation they produced, and he ordained Methodius and several of their followers to the priesthood.

St. Cyril died in Rome in 869 and St. Methodius returned to labor another two decades in Moravia — most of those years as an archbishop, an office he had been appointed to by the pope for his loyalty to Rome and which cost him much, including imprisonment. He died in 885.

Their feast day is Feb. 14.

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

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.