Francis Xavier died with one companion. He contracted a fever while waiting for a ship to rescue him from being abandoned on a small island.
He was 46 years old.
I pray today for the return of such courage and grace to Catholic men.
The Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, Iowa, my home state, has a TLM every Sunday at noon.
Two panoramas of this amazing church may be found here....http://tomato.us/xavier-basilica-1-2011.swf and here, http://tomato.us/xavier-basilica-alter.swf
http://www.xavierbasilica.com/