Course 3, Chapter 46

Christianity preserved and propagated. — Founding of the Brothers of St. John of God and of the Jesuits. — St. Francis Xavier. — Sixteenth Century, continued.

1. How did God justify the church from the reproaches made against her by the Protestants V

God justified the church by causing her to perform the most striking works of charity and holiness. which proved that she was always the true spouse of Jesus Christ.

2. Can you name some of these works?

The principal were, the founding of many religious orders for the relief of the sick, and for the missions which gave to heaven a great many martyrs.

3. Who was St. John of God?

St. John of God was born in Portugal in 1495; he became a soldier, and lost the fear of God, but being soon converted he gave himself up to the bervice of the poor.

4. What order did he found?

lie founded a religious order which bears his name, and which devotes itself to the care of the in sane.

5. AVTio was St. Ignatius?

St. Ignatius was a Spanish officer, who wa» wounded at the siege of Pampeluna the same year Luther commenced preaching his heresy; he was converted by the reading of some pious books, consecrated himself to God and went to Paris, where he laid the

330 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

foundation of a new religious order called the society of Jesus.

6. What is the design of this society?

The design of the Society of Jesus is to instruct youth and to convert heretics and infidels. Its members make the vow of obedience to the sovereign pontiff, to go on the missions whithersoever he may think proper to send them.

7. Who was St. Francis Xavier?

St. Francis Xavier was a young Spanish noble man, very distinguished for his talents. He w-is professor of philosophy at Paris when St. Ignatius arrived there, who converted him by repeating to him those words of the Saviour: What doth it profit a man if lie gain the whole wnrtd and lose his own soul.

8. What did Xavier do?

Xavier became the disciple of St. Ignatius, and went to preach the faith in the Indies at the moment; when Germany, England, and a part of Franve were losing the light of the gospel.

9. What was the success of St. Francis Xa vier?

St. Francis Xavier converted a countless multitude of infidels in the Indies and Japan, and died just as he was entering China in 1552, at the age of fortysix. His body was carried to the city of Goa, it remains untainted by corruption.