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Our Catholic Heritage m Texas
No excuse was to be admitted in making the transfer. Fray Anda, in his recent trip to Mexico, had incurred excessive expenses, having drawn ninety-nine pesos at Saltillo over his allowance of three hundred. It would be well to get an itemized account of his expenditures to justify these amounts. It seems that the good friar had purchased books with · a part of the money. With Father Fray Jose Pinilla, brother of Fray Miguel, they were sending Father Felix Gutierrez Varaona, "a religious who, besides the many talents that adorn him, has a disposition most lovable, very docile, and tolerant in everything, for which reason he is being assigned to Mission San Xavier in company with Fray Jose Lopez, a combination that we judge will be agreeable to both, and under the present circumstance very advantageous." The San Antonio missions being the only recourse open to those of San Xavier, Fray Giraldo was enjoined to be liberal in sending such supplies, food, tools, and other things as they could spare, as well as neophytes, to help the missions. 46 Excommunication of Captain Felipe Rabago and !tis garrison. Had conditions permitted putting into effect the wise and prudent policy outlined in the instructions of Fray Alonso Giraldo de Terreros, the ultimate tragedy of the San Xavier missions might have been avoided. But two days before they were drawn by the Discretorio as a result of the heart-rending appeal of the missionaries of January 12, conditions in San Xavier reached an impasse and Father Ganzabal, soon to die an innocent martyr to the perfidy of human passion, delivered to the astounded garrison the decree of excommunication by order of Fray Miguel Pinilla. What prompted this drastic measure on the part of the patient and suffering sons of Saint Francis? The strained relations between Captain Rabago and the missionaries at San Xavier up to January 12, 1752, have already been graphically portrayed. Since that date conditions had steadily grown worse. "Lust, selfishness, cruelty, and unbearable pride were the dominating passions which these men set as examples to the Indians they were charged to defend," says Morfi. "Girls, whether single or married, without distinction of caste, were made to serve the Captain in his pleasures. Modesty was banished from the missions. The most lascivious soldiers were the most successful; there were no other merits for promotion than to secure new subjects for the satisfaction of the Captain. In short, scandal found its way to the walls of the temple. ~tructions of the Discretorio to Fray Alonso Giraldo de Terreros, February 21, A I, . d l Colegio de /a Santa Cruz, 1750-1767; see also Bolton, Texas 1752. re wo e ' 255-258.
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