Check out the complete #JesuitMadness Bracket.
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Editors Note: Peter Canisius has forced us to check the server logs yet again. He beat Xavier by 11 votes.
| St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) Update: Xavier destroyed Kostka in the first round. He hasn’t faced a real challenge until this game. Will Xavier and his supporters be ready for the more seasoned opponents of the second round? A close friend of Ignatius and a founding member of the Society of Jesus, Francis is best known for his zealous missionary spirit which sent him from his native Spain to Goa, the East Indies, and Japan. Along the way, Francis is known to have baptized thousands and overseen the instruction of hundreds of catechists. As the saying goes, ‘the best defense is a good offense,” and for Xavier, his aggressive evangelization tactics won the Church many converts and sowed the seeds of Christianity in Asia.Xavier must be considered a favorite. His never say die attitude, coupled with untapped supply of energy (and abundant grace) should make him ‘a shoe in’ for the finals. Who could doubt a man who said the following: “Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do? Send me anywhere you like — even to India.” |
St. Peter Canisius, SJ (1521–1597) Update: “Dutch is Clutch” indeed! Canisius squeaked past Miki by just 3 votes in the first round. Can the Canisius crowd make a habit of last second miracles? Peter has been proving that there’s “no land like the Lowlands” since 1521. He was born in the Netherlands but took his “A-game” all over Germany, Austria, and Bohemia. In fact, he was the first Dutchman ever to enter the newly minted Society of Jesus in 1543. He is a Cinderella story for the ages. When the Protestant reformation was in full-court press, Canisius battled back with renowned preaching, several Catechisms, and care for plague victims… talk about a triple threat! This humble approach won the “Apostle to Germany” not only big-time street cred but many converts as well. He was canonized in 1925 for his efforts.Here’s a guy who never gives up. When Reformation theological debates were at their hottest, Canisius urged those around him to remember that argumentation would not win any admirers. When the pressure was on he helped launch the first Catholic printing press… talk about ice cold! As if that wasn’t enough, the slipper was proven to fit this Cinderella’s foot when death came knocking at his door. He survived a near-death stroke in 1591 and lived for six more years devoted to writing and takin’ care of bidniss. He might not seem like a favorite at first glance…but Canisius has proven time and time again that “Dutch is Clutch.” |
