OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - St Francis Xavier Jubilee: Australian Jesuits promote initiatives to mark 500th anniversary of the birth of the great missionary of Asia

Canberra (Fides Service) - April 7th 2006 is the 500th anniversary of the birth of St Francis of Xavier whom Australian Jesuits adopted as their special “patron”. In Australia as in many other parts of the world initiatives have been organised to mark the Jubilee of this great 16th century missionary Saint.
On 7 April a Mass will be said in Adelaide’s St Francis Xavier Cathedral presided by the Archbishop Philip Wilson. The Mass will be preceded by a concert and prayer vigil. Other dioceses have organised special masses and prayers, exhibitions, conferences. In Melbourne Jesuit Father Peter Henriot will give a conference on 10 May; in Adelaide 270 young musicians from Jesuit Schools all over Australia will take part in a Jesfestival 11 to 14 May.
Another initiative will be a St Francis Xavier pilgrimage 17 to 19 May to the Shrine of Healesville, in the Aborigine district of Wurundjeri which will help participants appreciate the profound spirituality of their culture.
The Society of Jesus is also promoting an “Xavier Year” to increase missionary spirit among the clergy, religious, laity, families, young people and children. The year will mark three important dates for the Jesuits: 500 years since the birth of St Francis Xavier and Blessed Pedro Fabro (1506) and 450 years since the death of St Ignatius of Loyola (1556). (Agenzia Fides 6/4/2006, righe 26, parole 273)