Dr. Cajetan Coelho, Goa, India

Historical accounts state that Francis Xavier toiled hard serving the old, sick, disabled, poor, downtrodden, stigmatized, ostracised, exploited and the abandoned. Education of children and promotion of justice in society, he realized were the need of the hour. He would say ‘let us educate the poor. In this way the injustices and oppression of the poor would cease and people would be free to live in dignity and solidarity with the rest of Creation’.

For the greater part of his stay in South India, Francis Xavier went about conscientizing the oppressed people of the littoral communities of the Fishery Coast. Passing through coastal hamlets of the time like Colachel, Kanyakumari, Tuticorin, Kulashekarpattinam, Manapad, Vembar, Uvari, Rameshwaram, Virapandyapattinam, Sippikulam, Punnakayal, Periathalai, Pazhiakayal, Killavaipar, Alanthalai, Adaikalpuram, Mandappam and Pondicherry, he did touch the hearts and minds of very many members of the maritime communities. His simplicity, humility, fraternal charity and love of prayer won him admirers during his life time and many more thereafter.

The name of Francis Xavier continues to bring people together. Year after year pious pilgrims, disciplined devotees, curious admirers, friends and well wishers love to celebrate the gift of life in the historic city of Old Goa. Bringing together people of different communities, faiths, cultures and countries is indeed the need of the hour. The name and fame of St. Francis Xavier is doing that and much more.

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