A Spanish Augustinian friar assigned in Pasig, Rizal, Manila, Philippines, was transferred to Culasi, Antique in the year 1770. He became an active and well-loved Parish priest of Culasi, Antique, his greatest legacy of which was the construction of the original St. Michaels Cathedral that was completed sometime in 1788. In recognition of his great achievements, a giant bell was made in his honor and on it was engraved the name of the curate, FRAY GREGORIO XAVIER. The same bell was later converted to three small ones when an Italian priest took over the parish.

          Fray Gregorio Xavier was a dedicated missionary. He was not only handsome and debonair-looking, but also a good singer. Women became attracted to him wherever he went. Human as he was, he fathered several offspring born to several women, in several places. He had children from women whose identity could never be ascertained because some of his children who lived with him in the convent were presented and introduced as his nieces, nephews and acolytes. However, available facts can show that DAMASO, LOPE, JUAN, MATEO, SANTIAGO, MAXIMA and RESTITUTA, were among his 13 children. Others remain unidentified up to this day. Because he lived most of his life in Culasi, Antique, most of his identified children were from women of Antique descent. If the Xaviers-Javiers, who are spreading throughout the Philippine archipelago could not trace their roots, perhaps, they are among those that Fray Gregorio Xavier had sown out of his human frailty in the midst of achieving his religious mission.

          In this Xavier-Javier genealogy, some families opted to stay with the original spelling, Xavier, while some opted to change it to Javier. These new Javiers are unrelated to the original Javier group which was started in the Southern part of Antique. This genealogical list may serve to sort out the confusion caused by the intermarriage and the intermingling of the two JAVIERS.

          We dedicate this project to our late mother, Felicitas Torres-Xavier-Magdaug-Panaguiton, and to our late uncle, Alberto Javier Jr., whose stories have inspired us to write this genealogy. Great attempts have been made to update this information as accurately as possible. We would appreciate you sending us more updated information, pictures and corrections. While browsing through these pages, let us not forget to greet the people of Culasi, the town that has come to symbolize our common beginnings.

          Thanks a lot to members of the Xavier clan who furnished the needed data. Of great help was the Xavier-Javier lists of lineage that the late Alberto Javier, Jr. had left with me. One of his biggest dreams, when he was still alive, was to compile these lists into a book form. With everyone's help, we were not only able to compile them into a book form but also to publish the book's content to the internet where it is more likely to reach more clan members spread throughout the Philippines and the world.

          Lastly, thanks a lot to my niece, Catherine Panaguiton, who helped us make this possible.

December 24, 2001.

  VIKKI-TORRES-XAVIER-MAGDAUG PANAGUITON STRONG