Life of the venerable father Fray Francisco de la Resurreccion;
and other events that happened in the year 1651.
[Section vi is the only part of this chapter referring to the
Philippines.]
§ VI
The eleventh mission goes from España to the Philipinas Islands
328.... Our holy province of Philipinas was burning with the most
ardent desire to enlighten the wretched Indians with the rays of
the faith; but it found itself opposed by contrary winds; these
blowing forcibly against the four corners of the house (as happened
there with Job), God proved it in patience. The church and a great
portion of the convent of the city of Manila had been ruined by
earthquakes, and the religious had no other habitation left than
some wretched cells, or rather huts, that they had set up in the
garden. Governor Don Diego Faxardo had ordered the convent of Tándag
to be demolished. The insurrection of that village (which thus far
has not succeeded) was said to have been caused by our religious. The
village of Lináo had been withdrawn from its subjection to España,
and the venerable father Fray Agustin de Santa Maria had been killed
by lance-thrusts. The triennium of our father Fray Juan de San Antonio
was passing; and during that time some missionaries had been seized
and made captives--among them fathers Fray Martin de San Nicolás,
Fray Miguel de la Concepcion (a native of Guadix, or as others assert,
of Granada), and brother Fray Joseph de la Madre de Dios, a native
of México. The Jolo Moros practiced the greatest cruelties on those
men; they also pillaged and burned the convents of Cúyo, Romblón,
and Marivélez. The Chinese occasioned a great fire in the convent
of San Sebastian de Calumpán, and the Dutch another in the convent
of Cigayán. All those unfortunate events kept that holy province
harassed to the utmost; but their fervor did not cool one whit. On
the contrary, the fire of their zeal always mounted high and blazed
more brightly the more they were oppressed by misfortunes, as it was
a flame that never knew other paths.
329. In the year 1646 was celebrated the intermediary chapter of that
holy province, during the provincialate of our father Fray Juan de San
Antonio. In it the venerable father Fray Jacinto de San Fulgencio was
chosen to come to España and attend, as one of the voting fathers,
the seventh general chapter which was to be celebrated in the city
of Valladolid in the year 48; and especially, so that he might enlist
evangelical soldiers who should go to work in the spiritual conquest
of the Indians--for, since so many religious had been captured, there
was a lack of them. The said father Fray Jacinto could not embark that
same year, because of the great disturbances caused on the sea by the
Dutch, as already remarked. Consequently, he did not reach the city
and court of Madrid until March, 1649, after the chapter had already
been held. In that chapter, our venerable father Fray Pedro Manuel
de San Agustin was elected vicar-general of all the congregation.
330. The said our father vicar-general was outside the court visiting
the provinces, when the father commissary arrived. Accordingly, the
latter wrote to him, petitioning him to advise the convents of his
coming so that the religious might in that way learn of the opportunity
presented to them to go to employ their talents in the new world. Our
father vicar-general attended to that with the so holy zeal that he
was known to possess. His pastoral letter was filled with the flames
of divine love; for he inspired the souls of the religious in such a
manner that, in a few days, he had the signatures of more than fifty of
them. At that same time his Reverence received a paper from the convent
of San Carlos de Turin (which belongs to our Recollect congregation
in Italia) in which father Fray Celestino de San Christoval, lecturer
in theology, father Fray Bruno de San Guillermo, and father Fray
Archangel de Santa Maria petitioned him very urgently to admit them
in that mission, binding themselves to get the permissions of their
prelates. But, praising their good intention, our father vicar-general
refused to admit them on the ground of the royal decree that forbids
the passing [to the Philippines] of foreigners.
331. While all the above was happening, the father-commissary, Fray
Jacinto de San Fulgencio, delivered to his Majesty the letters of
the royal Audiencia, the city, and the most illustrious cabildo of
Manila, which were given above for another purpose. He obtained a royal
decree to take back eighteen religious. The king our sovereign gave
him three hundred and sixty-two thousand three hundred and ninety-two
maravedís for the journey, beside what his Majesty had assigned for the
maintenance and transportation of the missionaries in Cadiz, Vera-Cruz,
Mexico, and Acapulco. His Majesty also continued the alms for the four
ministers of the convent of Manila, and the medicines; ordering also
that four thousand pesos be given them in Mexico for the repair of the
said convent, which had suffered almost total ruin in the earthquake
of the year 45. In addition to that, the father-commissary petitioned
that the father-procurator at Roma urgently request permission to
send evangelical ministers to Japon, China, Siám, and other near-by
kingdoms, showing in all his great zeal for the conversion of souls.
332. The eighteen missionaries whom the king hail conceded to the
father-commissary for that so distant harvest in the Philipinas
Islands gathered to him in a few days. He also took six more religious
at the cost of that holy province, in its name contracting many new
obligations, in order not to fail in the cultivation of the vineyard of
the Lord. Of those who had volunteered, those who appeared to be most
intelligent and zealous were chosen; and the procurator tried to get
them to Sevilla as soon as possible, where they arrived on February
20, 1651. They finally embarked, and celebrated their spiritual
exercises on shipboard just as if they were in the retirement
and quiet of their own convents. They preached many afternoons;
persuaded the sailors to be present at the prayer of the rosary
daily, exhorted them never to let the sun go down on their sins,
since they had the sacrament of penitence so near at hand; and were
very urgent in teaching them all the Christian doctrine. God granted
them the consolation of experiencing considerable fruit by that means;
for morals were considerably reformed, and oaths and blasphemies were
banished, so that the ship was like a religious house. The religious
gave many thanks to God, because at their exhortation He conquered the
obstinacy of a Moro who begged them to wash him with the holy waters
of baptism. The Moro received those waters with great fervor, and died
shortly after, leaving all in the great hope that he attained glory.
333. For twenty days they suffered violent and contrary winds, but God
delivered them from that peril and from other very serious dangers. He
preserved them also from an epidemic that was raging in the port of
Vera-Cruz--a disease called vomito prieto, [30] from whose malignancy
the greater part of those who had embarked died, although only one of
our religious perished. They reached Mexico all worn out, and remained
in that city until March 10, 1652. Finally they reembarked in the port
of Acapulco, whence they had a fortunate passage to the Philipinas
Islands. They arrived there so opportunely that the fathers were
discussing the abandonment of some of the missions because of their
so great need of ministers. Consequently, they gave many thanks to the
divine Majesty for those religious who arrived at so suitable a season.
[Chapter iii consists of accounts of the lives of various Recollect
fathers. Those who labored in the Philippines are the following. Miguel
de Santa Maria was a native of Cadiz and a son of Rodrigo Lopez de
Almansa. He professed in the Manila convent June 26, 1618, at the
age of 28. Later he became prior of the Caraga mission, and founded
the convent of Tándag. In 1624 he was elected procuratol-general
of the Philippine province. He attempted in 1629 and 1630 to go
to Japan; but in the first year the vessel was wrecked, and in the
second the governor forbade the journey. He was sent finally to the
mission at Cuyo, but the troubles with the Moros compelled him to
flee. Reaching Manila, he refused the offer of the secretaryship to the
visitor-general, and the remainder of his life was spent in that city,
his death occurring in the year 1644 or 1651. Gaspar de Santa Monica
was a native of the city of Orihuela, in Valencia, his family name
being Padrós. He took the habit in the convent at Valencia, November 1,
1613. He joined the mission organized by Andrés del Espíritu Santo, and
arrived at Manila in 1622. The following year he was appointed prior
of the convent of Marivelez; and in 1624, when the first provincial
chapter of the order was held in the Philippines, he was elected
prior of the convent of Cuyo, where he suffered many hardships. He
became secretary to Andrés del Espíritu Santo upon the election of
the latter to the provincialate in 1626; but, falling ill, he was
unable to perform the duties of that office and was made prior of
the convent of Calumpán, in 1627. In 1629 he was one of the religious
shipwrecked in the endeavor to reach Japan surreptitiously. He became
definitor of the province in 1632, and in 1638 prior of the convent
at Lináo. On the completion of that office in 1642 it does not appear
that he filled other posts. He died in the city of Manila in 1651.]
[Chapter iv treats in great part of the life of Pedro de la
Madre de Dios. He was born at Salamanca in 1580, and his family
name was Lopez. He took the habit in the convent at Valladolid,
in 1605. Somewhere between the years 1612-1614 he was sent as
vicar-provincial to the Philippines, with the brief for the separation
of the Recollects from the regular Augustinians, conceded by the
pope. After the expiration of that office in 1615 he spent the time
until 1623 in work among the novices and as prior of the convents
of Manila and Cavite. July 1623 to February 1624, he acted again
as vicar-provincial. In the latter year he was chosen procurator
to Spain, and the representative of the Philippines to the general
chapter of the order to be held in 1627. Sailing from Manila in 1625,
the remainder of his life was spent in Spain in various employments and
in retirement. His death occurred between the years 1649-1652. Section
vi of this chapter treats of the Recollect convent of San Juan
de Bagumbaya (for whose early history given in summary here,
see VOL. XXI). In 1642, the governor Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera
ordered all the buildings in the village of Bagumbaya to be torn down
for fear of the Dutch, among them the convent. Despite the endeavor
of the religious to save their convent, it was demolished and a new
fort begun there. The order had refused the 4,000 pesos offered them
by the governor, saying that their possessions were worth more than
50,000. This action of the governor was made part of the charges in
the residencia, and he was condemned to pay the order 25,000 pesos,
and the ground-plots were restored to them. Thereupon the fort was
demolished, and a new convent and church erected. Section vii details
the placing of the holy image of the Christ of Humility and Patience
(Santo Cristo de Humildad y Paciencia) in the Recollect convent at
Manila in the year 1652.]
[Chapter v contains treatises on the lives of the following Recollect
missionaries in the Philippines. Diego de Santa Ana was a native of
Zaragoza (his secular name being Ribas), and was born in 1599. He
professed in the convent of that city, July 26, 1616. Volunteering for
the Philippine missions in 1620, he arrived at Manila in 1622. That
same year he was sent to the islands of Calamianes, in company with
Francisco de San Nicolás, where he labored amid great difficulties for
the conversion of the rude people inhabiting those islands. In 1626
he was sent to the village of Caviscaíl in Paragua, where he labored
for a year; then he was appointed prior of the convent of Linacapán,
the most dangerous mission of the Calamianes, which was infested by
the hostile Moros. He was in the district of Butuan in 1629 when the
insurrection of Caraga broke out, where he was in considerable danger
of losing his life. He remained in Caraga for several years after the
insurrection was put down; but asked leave to return to the Calamianes
missions. In 1652 he suffered extreme hardships while hiding in the
mountains from the Joloans, who had made one of their numerous raids
in the village of Dináy in the island of Paragua. Some assert that
he died in the Manila hospital, while others say that he met his
death in the mountains about Dináy. Lorenzo de San Facundo was born
in Calaceyte in Aragón (his family name being Valls) and professed
in the convent of Zaragoza, July 8, 1618, at the age of 36. He went
to the Philippines in 1621. There he became prior of the convent
of Marivelez, and afterward of Binalgában in the province of Panay,
of Masíngloc in the province of Zambales, and lastly of Bacoág where
he suffered various hardships and captivity. He especially obtained
good results by his preaching in the island of Cuyo, and in Siargáo
in the province of Caraga. He was afterward president of the chapter,
definitor of the province, and procurator to Spain with a vote in the
general chapter (although he was unable to arrive in Spain in time
for the chapter). In company with Juan de San Joseph, he was taken by
Corcuera on his Jolo campaign to look after the Caraga natives in his
army. The two religious penetrated the mountains alone in an endeavor
(partially successful) to reduce the Joloans to peace. He died in 1652,
after a long and deep-seated infirmity. Antonio de la Madre de Dios,
son of Fernando Romero Pizarro of Truxillo, professed in the Madrid
convent, September 24, 1615. He went to the Philippines in 1621. He
was sent to the island Hermosa, where he remained until that island
was abandoned by the Spaniards. On returning to the islands he was
employed in various missions, dying in 1652 from fever contracted while
nursing a secular priest. Juan de San Joseph was a native of Granada,
and took the Recollect habit in Manila. Being sent to the missions of
the Calamianes he proved very successful in the snaring of souls. He
was captured in 1632 by the Joloans, and was a captive among them
for more than two years. After his service in the Jolo campaign he
returned to Manila, and finally died in the mission of the island of
Romblon. Diego de San Juan Evangelista, son of Pedro de Olíte, was
a native of Zaragoza and took the habit in the convent of Manteria
in Zaragoza, April 3, 1606. Shortly after, he deserted the order;
but afterward returned to it. He left for the Philippine mission
in the year 1622, where he became an eloquent preacher. He served
as chaplain in two fleets, missionary in the Calamianes, and prior
of Cavite and Manila. Death came to him in the convent of Bagumbaya
in 1652. Antonio de San Agustin was a native of Manila (being born
about 1592), where he professed. In 1634 he obtained permission to go
to the Japanese mission, but the Chinese who had been hired to take
them failed to fulfil their contract. In the great Chinese revolt
of 1639 he acted as minister to the Zambal archers in the Spanish
army. He served in various capacities, among them being the office
of definitor. His death occurred in 1652.]
[Chapter vii treats of the lives of Onofre de la Madre de Dios and
Augustin de San Pedro, the famous "Padre Capitan." The first was the
son of Joseph Boquét, and was born in Perpiñán in 1584, and professed
in the convent of Zaragoza, March 16, 1606. Joining the Philippine
mission, he reached those islands in 1620, where he was immediately
sent to the new missions in the south of the archipelago, with the
appointment of prior of Cebú. In 1624 he was elected first provincial
of the order in the Philippines, serving in that office for two years,
during which time he visited his province at the risk of capture from
both Dutch and Moros. After the expiration of his term he asked and
obtained permission to go to the Calamianes, and worked faithfully
in the island of Culión, where he mastered the language. In 1627 he
was sent to Spain as procurator, but did not return thence, as he
was elected provincial of the province of Aragón. His death occurred
in the convent of Calatayud in Spain, in 1638 (reported wrongly to
have occurred at Barcelona in 1653, as he was confused with another
religious of the same name). "Padre Capitan," the son of Miguel
Rodriguez, was born in Berganza, Portugal, and professed in Valladolid,
in 1619. Arriving at the Philippines in 1623, he was speedily sent to
the Caraga missions, where he labored for the rest of his life in the
conversion of its natives, and in defending them from the inroads of
the Moros. He was many times prior of Butuán, Cagayáng, Lináo, Tándag,
and Romblón. In Mindanao he personally baptized more than 10,000
adults. His death occurred in 1653, and he left behind a name long
revered among the natives because of his prowess. The seventh section
of this chapter is an answer to Father Combes of the Jesuit Society
(who had tried to belittle the efforts of the Recollects in Mindanao),
in which the good work that the Recollects have accomplished is shown.]
BOOK SECOND OF THE SEVENTH DECADE