Pacific Asian Vision

Over the past 500 years, religious diversity has earned our respect

By The Rev. Patrick J. Howell
Special to The Seattle Times
link to article

This year marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Francis Xavier, a renowned Jesuit
and apostle to India and Japan.

The story of his dramatic life provides an opportunity to reflect on the paradigm shift that has
occurred in the last 500 years in Christianity's relationships with other religions. Over the
past 40 years especially, Roman Catholics and other Christians have gained a much greater
appreciation of the religious experience of all people, working hand in hand with them to
alleviate economic and political issues of oppression and poverty. Francis Xavier was born
April 7, 1506, in the Spanish kingdom of Navarre, inheriting the proud and passionate
temperament of his Basque race. As a boy he was ambitious, fond of sport and big of heart,
which in adulthood led to compassionate love and endurance.

At the age of 19 at the University of Paris, he met Ignatius of Loyola, who won him over from
his worldly ways. Reportedly, Ignatius challenged Francis with the saying of Jesus: "What
does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his immortal soul?"

After the founding of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) by Ignatius, Francis and other
dedicated Catholic priests in 1540, Francis received the call to go to India. He had no
particular qualifications for this task and knew none of the languages.

Besides his breviary (the priests' book of prayers) and a book of meditations, he brought
nothing but a consuming love for God and his fellow men. His one desire was to win souls
for Christ.

He was ignorant of the religion of the people to whom he preached the Gospel, and he
regarded all moors and pagans as enemies of God to be rescued at all costs from the
power of the devil. Like most of his contemporaries, he accepted the slave trade without
question.

On his epic journey, he arrived in Goa, on India's west coast, in May 1542 and not long after
founded the first school of the Society of Jesus. From Goa he spent three years in the south
of India working among the pearl fishers, becoming a much beloved figure. From there he
went on to the East Indies, to Malacca, to the Moluccas near New Guinea, and, finally, in
1549, to Japan, where he spent three years.

Because of China's tremendous cultural and religious influence on Japan, Francis vainly
sought entrance into China. Awaiting permission on a lonely island off China, he caught a
fever and died in 1552. Traversing the greater part of the Far East, he left behind him
everywhere a nascent but flourishing church.

His published letters created an international sensation in Europe and inspired many bright,
young men to join the newly founded religious order of Jesuits.

When one considers the conditions of travel, the means of transport, the difficulties which
beset Francis at every stage, it is an astounding achievement. Though he was generally
uncritical of the social and political abuses of both the church and the Portuguese
government, he lived in complete poverty and refused to accept any of the material
conveniences offered to him.

Occupied all day with incessant labors for the poor and sick, Francis spent the greater part of
the night in mystical prayer with God.

The 16th century was a very different age from our own. Today, with more than 6.3 billion
people in the world, of whom "only" 2 billion are Christian, we need to consider how we can
respect each other's diversity and religious beliefs. How do we respond to cultural prejudice,
religious fundamentalism and intolerance?

In a recent document, the Jesuits affirmed that "to be religious today is necessarily to be
interreligious." Dialogue and understanding and working for justice together, the Jesuits
said, help us to recognize that all religions are graced with "authentic experience of the self-
communication of the divine Word and the saving presence of the divine Spirit."

In our age, we need to join hands with all peoples of good will — of whatever variety and
stripe — to work toward peace, liberty, social justice and moral values. Through dialogue and
mutual respect, we pray for a deeper understanding of our loving creator and the divine
mystery beyond any one particular religious expression.

The Rev. Patrick J. Howell is a Jesuit priest and dean of Seattle University's School of
Theology and Ministry. He and four other columnists — Rabbi Mark S. Glickman, the Rev.
Patricia L. Hunter, Aziz Junejo and Pastor Mark Driscoll — take turns writing for the Faith &
Values page.

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company