Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 15.djvu/795

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XENAIAS


729


xnvUiNEZ


chool, Institut St. Fran^ois-Xavier, which has at ■resent (1911) over seven hundred students. Other ousos were founded at Thourout, Huthoulst, leyst, and Zedclghem.

In the United States the congregation has made its reatest gains. The membership in the American irovince (1911) numbers 127 professed, 19 scholastics, 1 novices, and 20 aspirants. The Xaverian missions a the United States comprise 5 colleges, 6 academies, .5 parochial schools, 5 industrial schools, and 4 homes ar boys. At Baltimore, Maryland, is Mt. St. Joseph's 'oUege, adjoining the novitiate. In the Archdiocese f Boston, which the congregation entered in 1882, it onducts schools at Lowell, LawTence, Somerville, >ast Boston, Danvers, and Newton Highlands. )ther schools in Massacausetts are at Worcester, and rlilbury. At Manchester, New Hampshire, and at Jeep River, Connecticut, are Xaverian missions also, 'he Diocese of Richmond has a number of in.stitutions ndcr the care of the brothers — two schools at Rich- ttond, a college at Old Point Comfort, and academies ,t Norfolk, Portsmouth, and NewTiort News. In the )iocese of Whcehng there are two schools: the Cathe- Iral High School, and Kim Grove Training School. 5esides St. Xavier's College, the city of Louisville has hree smaller establishments managed by the insti- ute. In Detroit, Michigan, they conduct a boy's ome. To as great an extent as possible the brothers ngage in secondary school work, regarding this as heir particular sphere; though it is found advanta- eous to undertake parochial and industrial schools Iso. A notable secondary school conducted by the Caverians is St. John's Preparatory College, Dan- ers, Massachu.setts, estabhshed in 1906.

Since its foundation the institute has had three uperiors-general : the founder, Brother Francis, who t'signed in ISfiO; Brother Vincent dSGO-OG); and from 896, Brother John Chrysostom. The American prov- ]ce has had three provincials: Brother Alexius, from 875 to 1900; Brother Dominic, from 1900 to 1907; and irother Isidore, chosen in 1907. The entire congre- ation is under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of iruges; and it is governed by its constitution and by rule similar to that practised by other reUgious socie- ies of la^Tnen, having simple vows. The constitu- ion of the society provides that all its members shall •e laymen; no priests are admitted to membership, rhe brothers are to bind themselves by the three ows of religion, and are to dedicate themselves to he instruction of youth, in any country to which hey may be sent, and in which they may live accord- ag to the spirit of their congregation. Its members re not restricted to teacliing elementary branches, "andidates for membership are admitted as postu- ints for three months if they have attaine<l their ixteenth yearj younger applicants are rated as aspi- ants, and their education and training are provided or until they are old enough to become postulants, ifter the postulant completes his term he begins, [ he is deemed a satisfactory subject, a novitiate of wo years. Then the three vows are taken. These ows are final. After five years as a professed mem- ler the Xaverian brother may make application to ake a fourth vow — the vow of stability — by which le binds himself more closely to the congregation, ,nd becomes eligible for 8uperif)rship, and to act as lelegate to tlie general chapter, which is held every ix years and acquires the right to vote for the elective ffices. The superior-general is elected by delegates hosen by the brothers who have the vow of stability. lis term of office is for six years, and he is ehgible or re-election. The provincials are nominated by he superior-general, assisted by the suffrages of the irothers of the province concerned, without being lound, however, to appoint the one receiving the nost votes. The provincials have the same term if office as the superior-general, and may be reap-


pointed. The superior-general, the provincials, and local superiors are assisted in their administrative work by councils, two or three members to a council. Father Van Kerkhoven, S. J., an early friend of the congregation, framed the Rule of the Xaverian Brothers. Pius IX granted a Brief of encourage- ment to the superior-general, Brother Vincent, on the occasion of the latter's visit to Rome in 1865. According to the terms of the Apostohc Constitution "ConditEB a Christo", such recognition ranks the institute with the approved congregations.

Cttlholic World, XLVII (New York), 402; A Course of Study Given in the Schools of the Xaverian Brothers in the U. S. (Balti- more, 1900): Bulletin rfes anciens Heves (Bruges, 1900): The Xaverian (London, 1902) : Brother Francis Xavier, A Life Sketch (Baltimore, 1904): A Knock at the Door (Baltimore, 1908): Brother Dominic (Baltimore, 1907).

Brother Isidore. Xenaias. See Philgxenus of Mabbogh.

Ximenes, Didacus, a Spanish Dominican of the sixteenth century, noted as a theologian, philosopher, and astronomer; d. 1560. He took his hcentiate in law at Salamanca, and there, before Christmas, 1543, received the habit of the Friars Preachers from the hands of Dominic Soto, then prior of the Dominican convent at Salamanca. The vocation of Ximenes to the religious state seemed miraculous; for, while rector of the College of Cuenca at Salamanca, the king came to esteem him so highly that he was about to honour him with judicial dignity when, all unex- pectedly, Ximenes was summoned to the Dominican convent by an unknown priest of the same order, who predicted that in a short time he would give up the practice of law for the religious life in the Order of Preachers. Although this prediction was received with laughter, it was soon verified. Ximenes ob- tained the degree of Bachelor (in the Dominican sense) in his province, and on 11 April, 15.59, was chosen sochi^ to Bartholomew Carranza, Archbishop of Toledo, and by him sent to Segobia with special letters to the vicar and definitors of the provincial chapter gathered there, to dissuade the members of the chapter from re-electing Melchior Cano as provincial. His efforts, however, were fruitless. Chief among Ximene.s's works are: "Calendarium perpetuum, sive Ordo recitandi divini officii juxta ritum Ordinis Pra;dicatonim" (Salamanca, 1563; Antwerp, 1566): "De eruditione rehgiosorum", in Spanish.

QiiTir-EcHARD, Scrivt. Ord. Pra-d., II {Paris, 1721). 169.

Chas. J. Callan.

Ximenez de Cisneros, Francisco (sometimes spelled Jimenez), Franciscan, cardinal, and Primate of Spain, b. at Torrelaguna in New Castile, 1436; d. at Roa, near Valladolid, 1517. He was educated at Alcald and Salamanca and, having graduated in canon and civil law, went to Rome in 1459 where he practised for some years as a consistorial advocate. Having attracted the notice of Sixtus IV, that pope promi.sed him the first vacant benefice in his native province. This proved to be that of Uzeda, which Carillo, Archbishop of Toledo, wished to bestow upon one of his own followers. Xim6nez asserted his claim to it and for doing so was imprisoned by the archbishop, first at Uzeda and afterwards in the fortress of Santorcaz. He wa-s released in 1480, after six years' confinement, and, transferring to the Diocese of Sigiienza, became grand vicar to Cardinal Oonzdlez, the bishop of that see. In 1484 he re- signed this office to become a PYanciscan of the Ob.scrvant ine Congregation in the Friary of St. John at Toledo. From there, after his profession, he was sent to Salzeda, where he was later elected guardian.

In 1492, on the recommendation of Cardinal Mendoza, Archbishop of Toledo, he was appointed confessor to (Jueen Isabella, which post he accepted on condition that he might still Uve in his monastery