Students at Birmingham’s St. Francis Xavier Catholic School recently designed Christmas cards for the elderly and homebound. The cards were delivered to a variety of organizations, including nursing homes and the VA Hospital. 

The students took on this service project to fulfill the words of the school’s patron saint, which is also the motto for the school’s 2024-2025 school year: “Let us bring Christ to all we meet!” 

On St. Francis Xavier’s feast day, Dec. 3, the students attended Mass to commemorate the 16th-century saint, missionary, and co-founder of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. 

This year’s feast day was especially significant due to the school marking the 70th anniversary of the its founding in 1954. Since October, St. Francis Xavier has been conducting its 70th Year Annual Fund Campaign Drive so it can continue to provide an affordable, classical, Catholic education to students for years to come. Applications for the ’25-‘26 school year open on Tuesday, Jan. 21. 

“It was important to us to incorporate a missionary aspect into our observance of St. Francis Xavier’s feast day this year,” said the school’s principal, Mary Paige Griffin. “While St. Francis himself brought the Good News of Christ to faraway lands during his life, we thought it would be special for our students to bring a touch of Christ’s love to those in need in our community. The letters were a small gesture, but they were made with love by our students. It was a nice complement to the feast day.” 

For more information about St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, please visit sfxcatholic.com, e-mail office@sfxcatholic.com, or call 205-871-1687.