November 5, 2023 - "Father Eusebio Kino"

Eusebio Kino was born in the principality of Trent in 1645.  When he was twenty, he entered the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) hoping to become a missionary in Asia.  Instead, he was sent to New Spain where he was assigned to what was considered “the outskirts of Christendom”—an area comprising present day Sonoma in Mexico and southern Arizona.  During the next twenty-four years he covered on horseback or on foot this very large territory, which was approximately twenty thousand square miles.
 
Father Kino was an able mapmaker and an astronomer who drew detailed and accurate maps. He was able to prove that Baja California was not an enormous island—something that had been commonly accepted before his time.
 
Father Kino’s missionary efforts were very successful.  Among the Puma Indians he would sit and converse with them—building friendly relations with the Native Americans—before he would preach to them.  In the end he established twenty-four missions and performed thousands of baptisms.  He was a staunch opponent of compelling the Indians to work in the silver mines.  His speaking up on their behalf resulted in complaints from those who wanted to enslave the Native Americans.  Attempts were made to have him reassigned elsewhere.  Fortunately, these efforts were not successful, and he was able to continue his work. 
 
Father Kino introduced cattle ranching into the territory.  The success of his own ranch covered the costs of his mission work. Even with all his labors, he was able to write twenty books on cartography, astronomy, cartography, and religion.  He died on March 15, 1711.  In 1965 a statue of Father Kino was donated to the United States Capitol’s National Statuary Hall as one of the two statues from the State of Arizona. On July 11, 2020, Pope Francis declared Father Eusebio Kino Venerable—a step along the way toward his possible canonization.
 
Until next week,
Fr. John