Saint Francis Xavier, Destroyer of Pagan Idols

Gloria Romanorum ^ | December 3, 2019 | Florentius

[Antoninus]

On this feast day of Saint Francis Xavier, let us recall in particular his missionary zeal.

In our own age, we too often hear that the Gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be adapted to appeal to the modern world. We are told that traditional Christian practices are out of step with reality, and that Christian morality practiced for millennia now impose an impossible burden upon both sophisticated city-dwellers and the simple painted people of the jungle alike.

Saint Francis Xavier, perhaps the greatest Jesuit missionary of them all, had no such qualms. He preached the authentic Gospel of Jesus Christ to all men without prejudice. He understood that it wasn’t the Gospel that needed adaptation, but the world that needed to be transformed by the Gospel. He believed that all were entitled to the truth of the Catholic Church without varnish, dumbing-down, or odd pastoral approaches that result in confusion and disunity.

Above all, he certainly did not countenance any sort of idolatry under the pretense of cultural diversity. This is how classical Jesuits behaved and brought millions to Christ—exactly the opposite of how too many of the heirs of this heroic patrimony tend to act in our own time.

Following is an excerpt from one of St. Francis Xavier’s letters explaining his method for bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the villages of 16th century India:

When I have done my instruction, I ask one by one all those who desire baptism if they believe without hesitation in each of the articles of the faith. All immediately, holding their arms in the form of the Cross, declare with one voice that they believe all entirely.

Then at last I baptize them in due form, and I give to each his name written on a ticket. After their baptism the new Christians go back to their houses and bring me their wives and families for baptism. When all are baptized I order all the temples of their false gods to be destroyed and all the idols to be broken in pieces.

I can give you no idea of the joy I feel in seeing this done, witnessing the destruction of the idols by the very people who but lately adored them. In all the towns and villages I leave the Christian doctrine in writing in the language of the country, and I prescribe at the same time the manner in which it is to be taught in the morning and evening schools. When I have done all this in one place, I pass to another, and so on successively to the rest.

In this way I go all round the country, bringing the natives into the fold of Jesus Christ, and the joy that I feel in this is far too great to be expressed in a letter, or even by word of mouth.

The above is taken from the book entitled The Life and Letters of St. Francis Xavier, Volume 1 by Henry James Coleridge. Click the link above to read more.

In this same book, we read how Francis preached primarily to the lower classes in India, and how in consequence, he was despised by the wealthy Brahmins. But despite the opposition of the wealthy...

He never made any compromise with them, and one of the first steps which he took after baptizing the inhabitants of a village was to destroy the idols and their pagodas. It is natural enough that frequent attempts should have been made on his life. The cottages in which he rested were burnt down, sometimes three or four in one day. Once he was saved, like Charles II, in the thick branches of a tree, around which his enemies were seeking to slay him. He always had a desire for martyrdom, and was almost reckless in exposing himself to danger.” [The Life and Letters of St. Francis Xavier, Volume 1]

One wonders what our present-day Church would make of the missionary zeal of Saint Francis Xavier. Would he be denounced as a “proselytizer”? Would he be urged by his bishop to use a softer pastoral approach which enculturates the idols of his converts into their Christian worship? Would he be condemned as one who imposes impossible moral burdens upon his simple converts that not even the wealthy elites of New York, Madrid, and Rome can live up to?

Probably.

Yet, it is hard to argue with success. Men like Saint Francis Xavier expounded a clear, strong and authentic Christianity to the world and thereby brought millions into the Church of Jesus Christ in lands which had never heard of the Gospel. By contrast, our modern leaders seem intent on creating a confusing, soft, muddy Christianity which is intended to offer easy salvation to all, calling none to conversion, repentance or sacrifice.

Those of us who have been alive since the 1970s have seen the bitter fruit of that latter approach. May the Holy Spirit inspire more souls to imitate the counter-cultural boldness, love, and zeal for Christ of Saint Francis Xavier.

[Antoninus]

For the feast of Saint Francis Xavier, December 3.

[Antoninus]

Catholic ping!

[Mrs. Don-o]

Thx for posting this. I'm thinking Xavier would have been a

PACHAMAMAPHOBE.

[Antoninus]

I'm thinking Xavier would have been a PACHAMAMAPHOBE.

Maybe a small one...

[xkaydet65]

I said when he chose his Papal Name that the Church far more was in need of Xavier and not Bernadone, even though my admiration for Bernadone knows few bounds the Church was and is in neede of a Xavier.

[Antoninus]

I said when he chose his Papal Name that the Church far more was in need of Xavier and not Bernadone

A de Sales or two couldn't hurt, either. ;-)

[Antoninus]

I said when he chose his Papal Name that the Church far more was in need of Xavier and not Bernadone

A de Sales or two couldn't hurt, either. ;-)

[Bigg Red]

::May the Holy Spirit inspire more souls to imitate the counter-cultural boldness, love, and zeal for Christ of Saint Francis Xavier.::

~~~~~~
Amen to that.

[Bigg Red]

:)

[barney10]

Yes, he destroyed idols, used by Hindus in their worship and instigated the Goa Inquisition
http://indiafacts.org/the-portuguese-inquisition-in-goa-a-brief-history/

“The setting up of the Goa Inquisition was requested by Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier from his headquarters Malacca in a letter dated 16 May 1546 to King John III of Portugal.[7][10][11] Between the Inquisition’s beginning in 1561 and its temporary abolition in 1774, at least 16,202 persons were brought to trial by the Inquisition. Almost all of the Goa Inquisition’s records were burnt by the Portuguese when the inquisition was abolished in 1820.[5] It is impossible to know the exact number of those put on trial and the punishments they were prescribed.[4] The few records that have survived suggest that at least 57 were executed for their religious crime, and another 64 were burned in effigy because they had already died in jail before sentencing.[12][13] Other records such as those left by the French physician Charles Dellon, who was also a victim of the Goan Inquisition, and others, suggest that nearly 70% of those found guilty of Crypto-Hinduism were executed, many prisoners starved to death and racial discrimination against Indians was rampant during the Goa Inquisition proceedings.[1][5][14]”. Wiki

AMDG

[infool7]

He believed that all were entitled to the truth of the Catholic Church without varnish, dumbing-down, or odd pastoral approaches that result in confusion and disunity.

The One True Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Christ Jesus
                                                                                                                            , that built Christendom(western civilization.)

          The Nicene Creed
          I believe in one God,
          the Father almighty,
          maker of heaven and earth,
          of all things visible and invisible.
+10 One God
          I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
          the Only Begotten Son of God,
          born of the Father before all ages.
+15 Christ Jesus
          God from God, Light from Light,
          true God from true God,
          begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
          through him all things were made.
+ 1 Consubstantial with the Father
          For us men and for our salvation
          he came down from heaven,
+ 1 For our salvation
           and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
          and became man.
+ 1 Virgin Birth
          For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
          he suffered death and was buried,
          and rose again on the third day
          in accordance with the Scriptures.
+10 Suffered, Died and Rose
          He ascended into heaven
          and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
+ 1 Ascended, Seated
          He will come again in glory
          to judge the living and the dead
          and his kingdom will have no end.
+10 Come Again in Glory to Judge
          I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
          who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
          who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
          who has spoken through the prophets.
+10 Holy Trinity
          I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
+10 One Visible Church
          I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
+ 1 One Baptism
          and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
          and the life of the world to come.
+10 Resurrection of the Dead

          The Ten Commandments:
          1. I am the LORD your God. You shall worship the Lord your God
              and Him only shall you serve.
          2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
          3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
          4. Honor your father and your mother.
          5. You shall not murder.
          6. You shall not commit adultery.
          7. You shall not steal.
          8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
          9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
          10.You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
+10 The Ten Commandments

          The Greatest Commandment
          1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy
               whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength
          2. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
+ 2 The Greatest Commnadments

          The Seven Sacraments Catholic Church:
          1. Baptism.
          2. Eucharist.
          3. Confirmation.
          4. Reconciliation.
          5. Anointing of the sick.
          6. Marriage.(XY+XX, Till death do us part)
          7. Holy orders.
+ 7 The Seven Sacraments

          The Precepts of the Catholic Church:
          1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation
               and rest from servile labor.
          2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
          3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the
              Easter season.
          4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by
               the Church.
          5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.
+ 5 The Precepts

          The seven chief corporal works of mercy:
          1. To feed the hungry.
          2. To give drink to the thirsty.
          3. To clothe the naked.
          4. To visit the imprisoned.
          5. To shelter the homeless.
          6. To visit the sick.
          7. To bury the dead.
+ 7 Corporal Works

          The seven chief spiritual works of mercy:
          1. To admonish the sinner.
          2. To instruct the ignorant.
          3. To counsel the doubtful.
          4. To comfort the sorrowful.
          5. To bear wrongs patiently.
          6. To forgive all injuries.
          7. To pray for the living and the dead.
+ 7 Spiritual Works

          Pro-Life - From Conception Until Natural Death
+10 Pro-Life

          _____ How Catholic am I?
                                   >15 Praise God!
                                   16-87 Good Candidate for RCIA
                                   88-100 Impressive
                                   > 100 You are on the Way.

There are not a hundred people in America who hate
the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate
what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church
— which is, of course, quite a different thing. - Fulton J. Sheen

Lord, keep us strong. Keep us bold and filled with love for our
enemies and for all those who are troubled and in need of healing.
Never allow us to hide or to be concerned for our own safety, but
rather concerned only that your glorious and Holy Name
bring healing and grace, conviction for our sins, repentance, and
therefore mercy.
Help us, Lord, to stay faithful, courageous, and bold no matter the threats,
the hardships, the persecution, and even the ruthless attempts at suppression.
May no one who looks at us conclude anything less than
that we “have been with Jesus."
           -Dr. Mary Healy

Amen

                                                            * Click the pic to learn how to say it in Latin
Please note that this image is merely an artistic depiction of Saint Michael the Archangel
and Satan in human like form and may or may not be an accurate resemblance to their actual
forms or all accounts of forms in which they may or may not have actually appeared either
separately or together.

Sáncte Míchael Archángele,
Saint Michael the Archangel,
Sahn tay Me kale ark ann ja lay

defénde nos in proélio,
defend us in battle.
de fen day nos en pro leo

cóntra nequítiam et insídias diáboli ésto præsídium.
Be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil.
contra neh-queet ee um et in cid e ah s dee ob lay esto pray sid ee um

Ímperet ílli Déus,súpplices deprecámur:
May God rebuke him we humbly pray;
Im pair et ee lay Day-ews soup-lay-chase day-pray-che-more

tuque, prínceps milítiæ cæléstis,
O Prince of the Heavenly host
too quay pren-cheps may-lee-tea-a che-lace-tees

Sátanam aliósque spíritus malígnos,
Satan and all evil spirits
Say tan um ah lee o squeece spear ee toose mah ling nos

qui ad perditiónem animárum pervagántur in múndo,
who wander through the world for the ruin of souls
quee ard per dits ee own um ani mon um prev a gon tour en mundo

divína virtúte,
by the divine power of God,
day vee nay ver-toot-tay

in inférnum detrúde.
thrust into hell
en in fair num day-too-tay

Ámen.

                                                                                                            * Click the pic

7

[chajin]

As a Nihonophile, I am grateful to Xavier for all he did to bring the gospel to 16th century Japan.

I am also grateful to someone Catholics are rarely grateful for, Martin Luther: it was because of his spiritual desire (and I avoid any discussion of that here), Ignatius of Loyola was prodded to get the gospel to all the world as soon as possible, and Francis Xavier took it to the other side of the globe, to India where Thomas had been 15 centuries earlier, then to China and Japan. Soli Deo Gloria!

[Cincinnatus.45-70]

Well, you know how it goes. Virtues and values are relative to their times and context. Who are we to say that burning heretics was always a bad thing?

[NorthMountain]

He wouldn’t have thrown the pack-yo-mama idols in the Tiber.

He’d have hacked them to pieces with an axe.

[Antoninus]

Ignatius of Loyola was prodded to get the gospel to all the world as soon as possible, and Francis Xavier took it to the other side of the globe.

Just goes to show that God uses even scoundrels like Luther for His own ends.

[Antoninus]

Yes, he destroyed idols, used by Hindus in their worship and instigated the Goa Inquisition

If your source is a Hindu nationalist apologist website...well, of course they hate Francis Xavier.

[chajin]

Just goes to show that God uses even scoundrels like Luther for His own ends.

All are scoundrels, including and especially me, your Lutheran brother in Christ.

[Salvation]

[Mrs. Don-o]

Rather awful "if true," but I add "if true" not out of a pro-Catholic bias --- I do try to correct for that --- but because historians of the Roman Inquisition say that the rate of application of the death penalty from Inquisition courts was very low, especially as compared to either civil justice (kings and nobles and their sheriffs and magistrates) or the other alternative, mob justice.

In Europe, the Dominicans were known for their adhering to procedural due process, which is the main reason we know anything about it all: they kept records; strove for fair rules of evidence, equal justice under law; and they were interested in recantations, not executions.

The Jesuits went even further toward elasticity with regards conscience and their famous "jesuitical" casuistry, meaning they were not averse to granting that you were sincere and making "gradual progress" toward the truth, and tended to find reasons to get you off the hook.

(The Dominicans didn't like that about the Jesuits. Said it tended toward moral laxness.)

Now all that may have absolutely nothing to do with the situation in Goa, but it does make me wonder why the Jesuits in particular would be thought bloody-minded.

My guess (and this is only a guess) is that, as in many places in the world then and now, you religion generally lined up with your political affiliation. There may have been Hindutva vs Euro-Catholic religious/political troubles, in which a person may have been arrested under religious auspices, but actually executed for spying, rebellion or sedition.

I don't know. I would like to learn more.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I dreamed I had two axes.

They had names: "Dignum" and "Justum."

(Or would that be Dignus and Justus?)