Ottr Catholic Heritage in Texas
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Esteves and Fray Francisco Hidalgo refused the generous offer, explaining that the new College of La Santa Cruz did not have enough members yet to be able to sponsor the erection of a new establishment.' 2 Sixteen years later, in 1702, a group of missionaries from Queretaro again visited Zacatecas for the purpose of preaching a mission there. The people this time decided that the evangelical visitors should remain in the city and gave them the sanctuary and church of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe for an hospice, where they could reside until the necessary authorization for t):ie formal establishment of a college of Propaganda Fide could be secured. The city generously offered to donate all the land necessary for the erection of the friary, and the rich miners of the region agreed to make liberal contributions for the construction of an adequate plant for the college, alleging that the fervent missionaries should establish a new institute at this place, because of its proximity to the missions of Coahuila and the lands beyond. At this time Fray Francisco Esteves, who had been in Zacatecas sixteen years before, was Commissary of the Order and Apostolic Prefect of Missions. He had just returned from Europe. Upon learning of the desire of the people of Zacatecas for a college of Propaganda Fide, he immediately repaired in person to that city, where he conducted the required investigation to ascertain the attitude of the various religious organizations and public officials concerning the proposed establishment. He then consulted the Bishop and Audiencia of Guadalajara. Convinced that there were no objections to the plan and that the petition of the city of Zacatecas was sincere, he, as Apostolic Commissary of Missions, by virtue of the faculties granted him by the Brief of Pope Innocent XI, appointed Fray Pedro de la Concepcion y Urtiaga to proceed to Europe to secure the authorization for the new college. Fray Pedro sailed for Spain in 1703, and in the meantime the College of La Santa Cruz de Queretaro temporarily accepted the sanctuary and church of N uestra Senora de Guadalupe in Zacatecas, where a group of three missionaries took their residence with Fray Joseph Guerra, later to be one of the first missionaries in Texas. Upon his arrival in Spain, Fray Pedro de la Concepcion presented the UEspinosa, Chronica, 499-500. In the remainder of the present account of the founding of this college, Espinosa will be the main source. There is a long, detailed history by Fray Angel de los Dolores Tiscareno, entitled El Colegio de G11adalu,Pe desde su origen ltasia nuesiras dias, in four volumes, but for the origin of the college Tiscareno uses Espinosa exclusively.
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