Celebrating St. Francis Xavier

San Francisco Xavier by Miguel Cabrera

Tomorrow, December 3, is the feast of the great Jesuit saint, Francis Xavier, a companion of St. Ignatius of Loyola and then a fearless missionary to India and Japan. This feast is a great opportunity for catechists to teach about our missionary call to bring the Gospel of Jesus “ad gentes” (to the nations). In particular, Francis Xavier stands as a monumental example of learning and encounter. Some Jesuit schools observe “Xavier Day” by arranging opportunities for students to stretch themselves and learn about and encounter people in the wider community.

Here is a cute idea from Catholic Icing for younger students to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis Xavier; another idea is from Catholic Inspired; and this third is from Nurture Store.

Finally, for older students and adults, here is a very good and informative documentary from Loyola Productions about St. Francis Xavier.

Image: San Francisco Xavier by Miguel Cabrera [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


Coming next week: Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Catechist’s Journey with a special series of posts and chances to win prize packs from Loyola Press. Come back each weekday between December 5 and December 12 for new articles and giveaways!

About Joe Paprocki 2758 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

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