St. Francis Xavier is the patron saint of our school at Jagdishpur. He was born in Spain in a royal family on April 7, 1506. While he was studying in the University of Paris he fell under the spell of St. Ignatius Loyola who never ceased to admonish him: ‘what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, if he suffers the loss of his own soul?’

He was ordained a priest at the age of 31 on 24 June 1537 along with St. Ignatius and fewer other companions and become one of the founding fathers of Jesuit religious order. He was serving as secretary to St. Ignatius when he was asked to leave for India to be a missionary. The 11,000 mile sea voyage consumed 13 months and on May 6, 1542 St. Francis arrived in Goa. He learned the local language and costumes. He preached the message of love of God among the dissolute European traders and soldiers and the fishermen in the coastal area. From Goa after two years he travelled to Cochin, Ceylon and Japan. He wanted to visit China but before reaching the main land in the Sancian Island, Francis was down with an epidemic fever from which he never recovered. He died on that Island on December 3, 1552 at the age of 46. As his body was not decayed even after two and half months, it was brought to Goa and his remained incorrupt to the present day. He was declared a saint by Pope Gregory XV in 1662.

Ten years of missionary labour had taken St. Francis Xavier into over 50 kingdoms; he preached the Gospel of Christ to millions of people laid a lasting foundation for the six great Asiatic mission fields. How the grace of God changed a worldly young man into a great missionary who spent his life for the poor in far away countries; all because of love of Christ and for the greater glory of God!