New Missionary Efforts
Download
Report
Transcript New Missionary Efforts
From Declaration of the Synod Fathers, 3rd General Assembly of the Synod
of Bishops; quoted by Pope Paul VI in Evangelii Nuntiandi (Apostolic
Exhortation on Evangelization)
Most trade went through the
Mediterranean sea
Taxes were high in Muslim
countries, so European traders
sought different routes
1488 – Bartholomew Dias is the first
known European to travel around
southernmost tip of Africa
1497, Vasco de Gama made it all the
way to India by this route.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
Inspired by Ptolemy, an ancient
Roman geographer, Columbus
believed one could reach Asia by
sailing west
Isabella of Spain accepted his
proposal and funded the voyage.
He underestimated the size of the
world by about 7000 miles
BTW: why would Columbus be
reading Ptolemy???
He died believing he had found
the passage to Asia
Columbus’ discovery set of a frenzy of exploration
Spain, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, and England
Pope Alexander VI drew up the “Line of Demarcation”,
Spain given all new lands 100 leagues west of the Azores,
and Portugal all new lands to the East
France, the Netherlands, and England also joined in
the exploration
We’re in the 1500’s; what events have recently taken
place in the Church?
Avignon Papacy, Great Western Schism, Renaissance,
and Reformation
With renewed zeal for the Gospel, a number of men
felt called – like the first Apostles – to “make disciples
of all nations”
Following the wake of discovery and exploration, a
relatively small number of holy missionaries felt the
call to bring the Gospel to these new worlds
Which of the 4 Marks does this exhibit?
Great distances to travel
Climate was also a great barrier
Languages were difficult to learn and often lacked the
complexity to explain Christian doctrine
Native medicine men, witch doctors, and pagan priests
were very opposed to missionaries.
GREATEST OBSTACLE: the bad example of the
Christian, European settlers
ASIA
One of the founding members of the Society
of Jesus (the Jesuits)
Worked first to improve the moral character of
the Portuguese settlers in India
Always tried to learn the native language
Said to have baptized thousands
Did much to evangelize the natives of India
Remember, he’s the patron saint of Goa, India
Eventually he traveled to Japan
He wanted to go to China, but he died on the
way
Tradition says that St. Thomas the
Apostle came to India to preach the
Gospel
Why does a nation already evangelized
need to be “re-evangelized”?
Missionaries in this area dedicated a
large part of efforts to learning the
particular cultural traditions of the
people
Missionary efforts directed by St.
Francis Xavier
By learning language and culture, the
missionaries could teach about Jesus in a
more convincing way.
Christianity was presented in different ways
to the different castes.
Bore great fruit because of the effective
preaching and well-ordered communities
established
What does this work of the Jesuits remind
you of?
After the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773,
the Christian population in India shrank
By 1580’s – 160,000 Catholics in
Japan, numerous native priests as
well as Jesuit missionaries
1587 – concerned by this “new
religion” & its connection w/ “quiet
takeover” by Europeans, the
Japanese begin to persecute the
Church in Japan
1614 – over 200,000 Catholics
martyred
From 1638-1825 no outsiders
allowed in and no connection to
the Universal Church
When French missionaries return,
they find an underground Church
20,000 strong
No priests, but they’ve continued
Baptisms for 200 years
Taught by the Jesuits before they
were expelled
China resisted foreign visitors for many years –
unimpressed with European “sophistication”
because China was so advanced culturally and
technologically
1583, Fr. Matteo Ricci SJ was able to set up a
permanent residence in China
He embraced the Chinese culture
Through his good example and charity, he was able to
introduce the Chinese to the fruits of Western culture
He developed a liturgy in Chinese, and wrote a
treatise on the faith in Chinese
By 1724 the number of Chinese Catholics grew to
800,000.
Catholicism was encouraged by the Emperor
BUT success was short-lived
Ricci allowed for a blending of Catholicism with
some anti-Catholic beliefs (ex. Ancestor worship)
Known as the ACCOMMODATION METHOD
Church which is largely European, wants Church in
China to look more like Church in Europe
Wary of Western expansion, the Emperor began a
persecution of the Church and numbers declined
Situation today: “Patriotic Church” & “underground”
Church
AFRICA
Because of the Line of Demarcation, Africa is in the
hands of which European nation? _____________
This region of the world showed the least results from
missionary activity
Historically, at least north Africa was Catholic
Why was that not the case by the 1600’s?
In addition, disease destroyed nearly all missionary
efforts
Other obstacles included reprisals over the slave trade,
jealous pagan priests, and persecutions
No real fruit born until late 19th & early 20th centuries
THE “NEW WORLD”
a.k.a. THE “WEST INDIES”
After realizing they were not in
India, Spanish discoverers and
missionaries found a wealth of
opportunity
…BUT Spanish missionaries had
many difficulties converting natives
(Apocalypto – sacrifice)
The natives distrusted the Spanish
after their pagan temples were
destroyed and their human
sacrifices were stopped
Apocalytpo – arrival of Spaniards
After the apparitions of Our Lady of
Guadalupe, conversions abounded
(see video)
Within 10 years of the apparition, 9
million natives would be baptized.
Motivated by 3 things: GOD, GOLD, &
GLORY
Arrived in Florida in April, 1513
Juan Ponce de Leon landed at Bay of
the Mother of God
BUT not exactly successful; natives are
VERY hostile
Lots of martyrs among the Jesuits and
Franciscans
1565 – 1st parish established in St.
Augustine
1600’s – 1,000’s of Indian converts
All comes to a halt in 1700’s with
English influence in area
1763 – Treaty of Paris – Florida becomes
a British colony
MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL!!
Stretched from Texas to Kansas to California
Once Mexico was conquered by Spanish, discoverers
turned northward (bringing missionaries with them)
Typically no widespread martyrdom, but isolated
incidents: Fr. Juan Padilla was martyred in Kansas
around 1540
Problems between the native Americans and the
Spanish government
Because the missionaries were apparently associated
with the Spanish, the natives often rejected or even
attacked the missionaries.
Missionaries establish Indian communities
The Indians were given control over their own
affairs
The missionaries taught the Faith,
established schools, and transcribed the
native language into a written language
They also taught them modern farming
techniques and industrial crafts
Between 1610 and 1767, 700,000 natives
converted
Much of the Spanish mission influence
remains…
Notice the saints
& which order
they belong to…
Spanish born Franciscan, taught
theology at University of Padua
After hearing of the need for
missionaries in the New World, Fr.
Serra left without telling his parents
where he was going
He would never see them again
A powerful preacher with a unique
approach
First start by trading with Spanish
goods, then preach the Gospel to
them
Fought for the rights of the natives
against the evils of the Spanish
soldiers
Even walked to Mexico City to speak
with governor
Founded 9 of the 21 California
missions; traveled 24,000 miles
while making 1,000’s of converts in
his lifetime
Not as strong as the Spanish because
France is not as Catholic…
Jesuit missionaries accompanied French
traders and settlers
Martyrdom a strong theme in French
missions
Native Americans of this region were
violent men
North American Martyrs
St. Issac Jogues, John de Brebeuf, and
companions violently executed by the
Iroquois between 1642 and 1649
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, virgin
Native American, converted by the
Jesuits
Rejected by her family for converting
Dies of smallpox in early 20’s
Going west…
Fr. Jacques Marquette and Joliet explore
the Great Lakes into Mississippi River
area
Lots of French Jesuits evangelizing the
natives
Eventually reaching down to New
Orleans