St Benedict Parish St Francis Xavier Catholic Church San Francisco 12 Stock Image

Francis Xavier, for whom this church is named, was a Spanish missionary to Japan who first introduced Catholicism to the country. Benedictine Monks, those who follow the teaching of St Benedict, which include a vow of silence, used one of the first known forms of sign language for communication. To this end, the St Benedict Parish is the church for the deaf community not just of San Francisco but also San Mateo and Marin Counties, now located at the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church. As seen 14 December 2022.