Conversion to communication: the history of the missionary who was Saint Francis Xavier (1542-1552)

Author(s)

André Junqueira Prevatto

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD)
• Defense date: 2010-09-17

Examining board members

Carlos Alberto de Moura Ribeiro Zeron; Rafael Ruiz Gonzalez; Janice Theodoro da Silva

• Advisor: Carlos Alberto de Moura Ribeiro Zeron

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to study some letters written by the first Jesuit missionary, Francis Xavier. Focus was given to 39 out of a 139-page missive, which corresponds to the total set of letters written to Ignatius of Loyola and to the Jesuit Prior of the Portuguese Empire, Simão Rodrigues, added to a third group of eleven uplifting letters sent to his Jesuit companions in general. Its objective is to study Francis Xaviers course in the east, analysing his staying in four regions, namely: the Indian Ocean; the southern part of India; the southeast Asia; and, finally, the far east lands of Japan. And the concern lies not in the analysis of Francis posture in each region isolatedly, but in the dialogic study among the stances he adopted in the places where he passed by. In the south of India, Francis Xavier performs mass baptism; in Japan, he makes use of dialectical disputes similarly to those used by european universities as a cornerstone to his evangelization method. In the Indian Ocean he presents himself as a mendicant preecher whilst in the Far East, an intellectualized ambassador. Besides his action, Francis Xavier adapts also his thought and in this regard focus will be given to the implementation of theories connected with natural right; especially, the concepts of natural law and natural ratio, with the aim of reflecting on the natural communication system among peoples. Summarizing, the attention is drawn, mainly, to the change of action and thought of the first missionary in connection with the project of conversion and the entails arisen during the meetings with people in Asia. (AU)