St Francis Xavier: The Maverick Missionary

The posthumous nickname given to St Francis Xavier - 'the Inspired Hustler' (El Divino Impaciente) casts a light on both the disposition and modus operandi of the most ardent Jesuit missionary of the sixteenth century. We know him as an inspirational figure who travelled through India and Indonesia and was the first Christian missionary to reach Japan. It has been said that no one converted more people to Christianity since St Paul. Who was this remarkable individual who followed his evangelising passion across great distances in challenging circumstances and how did he bring the Word of God to strange new cultures?

A new biography of this most courageous and adventurous of saints paints a picture of a restless, charming, persuasive, intense, yet cheerful and affable man, 'constantly moving from village to village' in his missionary endeavours. Brendan Comerford SJ's, The Great Dreamer describes a man of great courage, whose ceaseless apostolic journeying and evangelising, combined with his abstemious lifestyle and regular self-sacrificing eventually exhausted his strength, and he died before he achieved his goal of reaching China.

One of Ignatius of Loyola's original companions, St Francis was central to the formation of the Society of Jesus. This accessible and entertaining biography draws extensively from his letters to tell the story of his extraordinary journey while firmly placing his life and work in the context of the early years of the Society of Jesus. It captures the tempestuous times and paints a lively picture of life as a missionary in the sixteenth century.

Brendan Comerford is an experienced spiritual director. He served as Jesuit novice master and lectures in the history of Christian spirituality. Previous publications include Disciples of Courage: Ten Christian Lives that Inspire (2022) and The Pilgrim's Story - the Life and Spirituality of St Ignatius Loyola (2017).

The Great Dreamer: The Life and Mission of St Francis Xavier by Brendan Comerford SJ is published in Ireland and the UK by Messenger Publications. Priced at €12.95/£11.95

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