Our Catlzolic Heritage in T e:xas
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of the Missions at San Juan Bautista. With him there were five others: Fathers Fray Francisco Vergara, Fray Joseph Hurtado, Fray Benito Sanchez de Santa Anna, Fray Salvador de Anaya, Fray Luis de la Cruz, and Fray Antonio de San Juan. In addition to those here mentioned, two lay brothers were assigned to take the supplies sent to the missions with the aid received from the royal treasury for that purpose. These were Fray Francisco Bustamente and Fray Juan de los Angeles. Out of the fifteen religious enumerated, only twelve received an allowance from the king for their maintenance as missionaries. 53 Fourteen other Padres lived at the College as already stated, but some of these were too old now for active service, and others were too young. Many of the latter were studying to become missionaries. The Guardian went on to explain that, according to the rules of the College of the Holy Cross of Queretaro of Propaganda Fide, no religious could be forced to take charge of Indian missions. They could, furthermore, leave the College under the conditions and stipulations of the Apostolic Brief of Pope Innocent XI, which begins with the words Ecclesiae Catlzolicae, given in Rome, on October 16, 1686. But such religious as were sent expressly for missionary work by the king, those requested now by him, had to serve in the frontier establishments for ten years before they could ask to be transferred from the College, unless they were excused by His Majesty. Being independent of the Provinces, the Colleges of Queretaro and Zacatecas could not get Padres in New Spain to replace those that died and had to depend entirely upon those sent by the king and those who joined the Colleges and made their vows. .w "In virtue of these [circumstances]," the Guardian pleaded, "and because the need of evangelical workers is evident, certain, and clear, I beg Your Majesty with all humility, submission, and reverence, in the name of this holy community, to grant a mission of twelve religious, who are able to preach and hear confessions and are inclined to so sacred and praiseworthy an undertaking for the salvation of souls." To reen- force his petition, he explained that missionaries had labored with exem- plary zeal for thirteen years in Texas, where many of them had died, but that in spite of every effort the Indians had not as yet been congregated or induced to live in pueblos near the missions. This was not the fault S3Representation of Father Fray Miguel Sevillano de Paredes, Guardian of the College of Queretaro, August 28, 1728. A. G. I., A11die11cia de Mexico, 62-2-29 ( Dunn Transcripts). 54 /bid.
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