Keeping the missionary spirit alive...

The Chapel in Javier Castle, in the province of Navarre in the Basque region of Spain
about 30km from Pamplona. St. Francis Xavier (one of the founders of the Society of Jesus
or Jesuits) was born here on 7th April 1506

St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of the Missionaries died at a very young age of 46 in on 3 December 1552 in a small island called Shangchuan which is now part of China. He made a tedious apostolic journey to India and Japan before arriving this Chinese Island with an ardent desire to evangelise China. 

Group of pilgrims with Fr. Jojo in St.Lawrence Church, Macau
as they set out for Shangchuan Island 

Shangchuan Island is just a couple of hours by boat away from Macau. Fr. Jojo organises  pilgrimage to this holy place on 3 December to commemorate the death of the Patron of the Missions and to keep the missionary spirit of the Church alive in the hearts of the faithful. A group of faithful from Macau joined him this year in this annual pilgrimage.