St Francis Xavier

Francis was born in a castle, to a very rich and important family that lived in the Kingdom of Navarre.  This Kingdom was attacked by Spain when Francis was a child. Once the war ended 18 years later, Francis left to go study in France; he was a good student and he became a teacher.  While teaching there, he met Ignatius of Loyola, and this friendship changed the direction of Francis’ life.  Francis and Ignatius, along with 5 other men, started the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits).  This Society was approved by the Pope and the 7 men became priests.  They wanted to be missionaries, to spread the Gospel to people in other lands who did not know Jesus.  With the Society of Jesus, Francis was asked by the King of Portugal to go to the new lands that Portugal had conquered in Africa and India.  The original people of these lands did not know Jesus and the Portuguese people that were settling the lands had stopped following Jesus.  Francis worked hard to bring thousands of people to God in these countries and in many more countries that he travelled to (Moluccas, Japan, Tuticorin, Malacca, and Morotai).   He died on his way to China, never stopping his mission to spread the Gospel to the far ends of the earth!