Pope Francis

Thank God! I thought I was the only one who thought this way. I can understand St. Francis of Assisi, but this makes more sense to me. I still haven't heard any statement form the Pope.

From the National Review's Helen Hull Hitchcock:

When I heard this word, I immediately thought of St. Francis Xavier — the college friend and co-worker of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. More than 450 years ago, Francis Xavier — like his namesake, the new pope, a Spanish-speaking Jesuit — undertook an unprecedented journey that would consume his entire life. A journey of obedience to a call to evangelize: to bring the message of love and truth of Jesus Christ to the far reaches of the world. To India. To Japan. To China, where he died. Francis Xavier pledged his life to this “journey of brotherhood.” In our time, this evangelization of the world — and re-evangelization of many parts of it — is equally urgent. For this reason the Catholic Church is now in the midst of a Year of Faith, and has undertaken the “new evangelization,” in accordance with the Synod of Bishops last fall that was devoted to this profound need.

And Father Z:


“Francis”, I thought.

I suspected that he was invoking Francis of Assisi for his simplicity and evangelical witness. But there is also Francis Xavier, the mighty Jesuit missionary.

Either way, neither saint was a pastel picture or statue. They were both as hard as nails and willing to die in their service of the Church. Think of Francis Xavier and the conversions and baptisms in Asia. Think of Francis of Assisi, who went for a face off with the Sultan during the Crusades and so impressed him that he survived with praises.