Guam Roman Catholics - Diego Luis de San Vitores, Madeleine Bordallo, Felix Perez Camacho, Randolph Roque Calvo, Chief Kepuha (Paperback)

Chapters: Diego Luis de San Vitores, Madeleine Bordallo, Felix Perez Camacho, Randolph Roque Calvo, Chief Kepuha, Anthony Sablan Apuron. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 24. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores (16271672) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary who founded the first Catholic church on the island of Guam. He is responsible for establishing the Spanish presence in the Mariana Islands. A son of a nobleman, he was baptized Diego Jeronimo de San Vitores y Alonso de Maluendo. His parents attempted to persuade him to pursue a military career, but San Vitores instead chose to follow his religious interests. In 1640, he became a Jesuit novitiate and was ordained a priest in 1651. Believing his calling was to serve as a missionary to non-Christians, San Vitores was granted his request and assigned to a mission in Manila, Philippines. In 1662, San Vitores, stopped in Guam on the way to the Philippines and vowed to return. Three years later, through his close ties to the royal court, he persuaded King Philip IV of Spain and Queen Maria Ana of Austria to order a mission in Guam be established. While in Mexico en route to Guam, San Vitores had difficulty encouraging the Spanish Viceroy to fund his mission. However, in 1668, Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores set sail from Acapulco to Guam. San Vitores named the Chamorro archipelago, "Islas Marianas" (Mariana Islands) in honor of the Queen Regent of Spain, Maria Ana of Austria, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The missionary landed on Guam in the village of Hagatna and was greeted by Chief Kepuha. Kepuha's family donated land to establish the first Catholic mission on Guam. On February 2, 1669 Padre San Vitores established the first Catholic Church in Hagatna and dedicated it to the sweet name of Mary, "Dulce Nomb...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=272337