St Francis Xavier was very interested in teaching the doctrine to the children, slaves and ignorant people who had not received any education. The way he had to do it was to move with a small bell through the streets and squares calling all to the doctrine.
This new way, which nobody had seen before, attracted a lot of public, and taking them to the church, he used to teach them the doctrine by singing it, as it is done now, so that the children could learn it better.
Thus he introduced in this part of India the good custom which even today lasts, of teaching by singing to the children and slaves in all the houses after playing Ave Maria, thus making the doctrine very easy and convenient for them, with some very devoted prayers, which they say in the beginning and at the end.
It was very useful, because ordinarily all know very well the doctrine, and with it they are helped a lot, as is seen by experience. So that one could understand better, he used to explain on Sundays and holidays, speaking to them in half native tongue as they do when they speak our Portuguese language.
Men and women, children and old people were moving in the streets singing the commandments of law of God, and the fishermen used to sing them in his boat and the farmer in his field and the cobbler in his bench: all used to sing and enjoy.
For all these the opinion of his virtue and of the Society increased so much in that winter that they entrusted him with the task of heading the Colegio of Goa, which had started then in a way which we shall comment later.