Roque González y de Santa Cruz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintRoque González de Santa Cruz SJ |
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| Martyr | |
| Born | 17 November 1576 Asunción, Governorate of the Río de la Plata, Viceroyalty of Peru, Spanish Empire |
| Died | 15 November 1628 (aged 51) Mission of Todos los Santos de Caaró, Captaincy of Rio Grande do Sul, State of Brazil, Portuguese Empire |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 28 January , 1934 by Pope Pius XI |
| Canonized | 16 May, 1988 by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | 16 November |
Roque González de Santa Cruz (born November 17, 1576 – died November 15, 1628) was a special kind of priest called a Jesuit. He was the very first missionary to work with the Guarani people in Paraguay. The Catholic Church honors him as a martyr and a saint.
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Who Was Roque González?
Roque González was born in Asunción, a city that is now part of Paraguay. His birthday was November 17, 1576. His parents, Bartolomé González and María de Santa Cruz, were Spanish colonists. They came from important families.
Because many native people lived in the area, Roque learned to speak the Guaraní language very well. He spoke it from a young age, along with his native Spanish.
Becoming a Priest and Missionary
In 1598, when Roque was 23 years old, he became a priest. He was ordained by the Bishop of Córdoba. In 1609, he joined the Society of Jesus, a group of priests known as Jesuits.
After joining the Jesuits, he started his work as a missionary. He began in what is now Brazil. He was the first European to enter the area now called the State of Rio Grande do Sul. He helped to set up special communities there, like the ones already in Paraguay. These communities were called Jesuit reductions.
Building Trust with Local Leaders
Roque González arrived in new areas only after building trust with the local leaders. These leaders were from the native groups. Some of them worried that the priests were helping Spanish colonists take over their land. Roque worked hard to show them that his intentions were good.
Founding New Communities
In 1613, Roque González helped start a community called San Ignacio Miní. In 1615, he founded Itapúa. This place is now the city of Posadas in Argentina. He later had to move this community to the other side of the river. That new spot is now the city of Encarnación.
He also started other communities, including:
- Concepción de la Sierra Candelaria (1619)
- Candelaria (1627)
- San Javier
- Yapeyú (now in Argentina)
- San Nicolás
- Asunción del Ijuí
- Caaró (now in Brazil)
In the Iyuí region, he faced challenges. A local chief and spiritual leader named Nheçu (also called Ñezú) did not like the missions.
How Did Roque González Die?
On November 15, 1628, Roque González was preparing to put a new bell in a church. This was at the Mission of Todos los Santos de Caaró. Suddenly, he was attacked and killed with a tomahawk. His fellow Jesuit, Juan del Castillo, was also killed. These attacks happened because Chief Nheçu ordered them.
After they died, their bodies were taken into the church. Then, the church was set on fire. Two days later, another friend, Alonso Rodríguez y Olmedo, was also murdered by Nheçu's followers.
Becoming a Saint
Roque González was honored by the Church on January 28, 1934. This process is called beatification. Pope Pius XI made this happen.
Later, he and his friends were declared saints by Pope John Paul II. This happened in Asunción on May 16, 1988. Roque González became the first person from Paraguay to be named a saint by the Catholic Church.
Roque González is now the patron saint of the cities of Posadas, Argentina, and Encarnación, Paraguay. The Catholic Church remembers him and the other "Martyrs of the Rio de la Plata" on November 16 each year.
Images for kids
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A picture of Saint Roque González de Santa Cruz.
