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The Lima Pastors, 1750-1820: Their Origins and Studies as Taken from Their Autobiographies*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2015

Antonine S. Tibesar
Antonine S. Tibesar*
Affiliation:
Academy of American Franciscan History
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Extract

Within recent years, Spanish American historical studies have gained in depth and understanding. One area which has witnessed relatively little progress, however, is the clergy. While European scholars have been busy in the investigation of many aspects of the life and work of the clergy, Latin Americanists have done little or nothing. It is a pleasure to be able to present a study on the pastors of the Lima archdiocese in an effort to help fill an evident need.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Americas , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , July 1971 , pp. 39 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © Academy of American Franciscan History 1971

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Footnotes

*

This study was read at the Joint Meeting of the Catholic Historical Association and the Latin American Conference held at Boston on December 28, 1970. Much of the research was made possible by a grant from the Organization of American States. Special recognition must be made to Fr. Valentín Trujillo, the archivist of the Archdiocesan Archive of Lima, for his valuable assistance.

References

1 Figuera, Guillermo, La Formación del Clero Indigena en la Historia Eclesiástica de América, 1500–1810 (Caracas, 1965).Google Scholar José Cornejo Franco is publishing some relaciones de méritos of Mexican priests without notes or commentary in Anuario de la Comisión Diocesana de Historia del Arzobispado de Guadalajara (México, 1968), pp. 223–249. A contemporary discussion of the training and customs of the Peruvian clergy is found in the Plan del Perú of Manuel Lorenzo de Vidaurre. It was written in Spain in 1810 and published in Philadelphia in 1823. I have never been able to locate a copy. See, Arrili, B. González, “El magistrado Manuel Lorenzo de Vidaurre y su Plan del Perú,” Boletín del Museo Bolivariano, 1 (1928–1929), 139–152.Google Scholar

I am referring in particular to a number of fine studies on the French clergy which have appeared in the Revue d’histoire moderne et contemporaine, such as that by Juhà, Dominique, “Le clergè paroissal dans le diocèse de Rheims à la fin du XVIIIe siècle,” July-Sept. 1966, pp. 195–216.Google Scholar

2 The relación should not be confused with the informaciones clericales. These contain the documents which a candidate for ordination had to present to the ordaining bishop concerning his baptism, confirmation, clerical studies, and good conduct. These would have been a very valuable complementary source but the collection of these informaciones in Lima does not begin until 1815.

3 See the appendix for the translation of one typical relación.

4 Archivo Arzobispal de Lima (AAL), Sección Méritos y Servicios. Legajo 2. Expedientes, años 1670–1809.

5 The certificates of the limpieza de sangre are almost invariably enclosed with the affidavits of studies from San Carlos and very frequently with those from Santo Toribio, even though royal decrees in the second half of the eighteenth-century forbade such discrimination in the seminaries. An interesting letter from Francisco Javier Mariátegui, himself a creole and graduate from San Carlos, to the Rector of that institution, Dr.Pedemonte, Manuel, on the practice of limpieza de sangre is found in El Telégrafo de Lima, February 1, 1828, p. 3.Google Scholar In part, it says: “Esta costumbre bárbara, aún en el tiempo que prevalecía, debe reputarse hoy como ridícula. …”

6 Relación Manuel Tacurí.

7 Such as Marqueses de Corpa, de Villablanca, Casa Calderón.

8 Relación Joseph Pérez Barrios.

9 Relación Fermín de Bernales.

10 Relación Josef Felipe Huydobro y Sicilia and relación Luis del Castillo y Jaúregui.

11 José Lucas Yturri y Taboada.

12 Relaciones of Juan de Zamora y Marín, Domingo José de Peña y Balcázar, Francisco José de Guarda, and José de Erdoyza y Taboada.

13 Relaciones of Joseph Amancio Alcayde Monge, Juan Bernabé Zenzano y Camborda, and José Tafur.

14 Relaciones of Tomas de Querejazu y Concha and Pedro Manuel de Villalta.

15 Relación of Joseph Velaochaga y Villalobos, grandson of D. Joseph de Velaochaga.

16 Relación Carlos Orbea.

17 Relación Thomas de Leuro y Carpfanger.

18 Relaciones Esteban Josef de Arescurenaga and Pedro José de la Torre.

19 Relación Francisco José de Morales y Ugalde.

20 Relación Joseph Julián Carrión y Tagle. His uncle was D. Fray Diego Morcillo Rubio y Auñon, archbishop of Lima, 1723–1730, and viceroy in 1716 and in 1720–1724. Joseph Julián was ordained in 1761.

21 Relación Josef Felipe Huydobro y Sicilia. His great grand uncle was Archbishop Antonio Soloaga (1715–1722).

22 Mariano Orue was a nephew of D. Gerónimo Antonio de Obregón y Mena, bishop of Popayán and Josef Mariano Jacinto de Alzedo was a grand nephew of D. Juan de Otalora, bishop of Arequipa.

23 Pedro Gutiérrez de Cós (He signs himself Gutierres). Born in Piura where he made his elementary studies, Cós became a priest in Trujillo, and then came to Lima to study and practice law. He was named bishop of Ayacucho but died as bishop of Puerto Rico on April 2, 1833.

24 Relación Andres Portocarrero.

25 Relaciones José Matienzo and José de Erdoyza y Taboada.

26 Relación Josef Anselmo Sanz.

27 Relación Carlos Pedemonte y Tineo. He was born in Piura where he completed his studies of latinidad y retórica. Thereupon he went to Quito to gain the doctorate in theology. Thereafter he came to Lima to study law and to teach at Santo Toribio. While thus engaged, he married Ignacia Talavera and moved to Pisco. There he showed himself particularly devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. Archbishop Reguera ordained him a priest in 1784, presumably after the death of his wife. In 1793, he reminded that prelate that in the concurso of 1789 he had received no benefice. Now he reminded Reguera of “el peso de una familia numerosa … dos hijas doncellas … un hijo tierno, quien la escasés de mis proporciones no me permite dedicar al estudio y lo que es más dos jovenes [Carlos y Manuel] expuestos ya por mi indigencia a dexar la carrera brillante de sus estudios en … San Carlos.”

28 Josef Felipe Huydobro y Sicilia.

29 Schroeder, H.J., Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent: Original Text with English Translation (St. Louis, 1941), p. 171.Google Scholar

30 Ibid., p. 169.

31 Perhaps the most complete description of these examinations is given in the relación of Faustino Joseph Farfán de los Godos or in that of Rafael Pagador.

32 Camilo Ventura Cabero says that he was ordained after having failed the examinations four times.

33 Some are said to have failed six times. Thus Caspar González.

34 Thus Manuel Antonio Olavide. There is no indication in his relación that he was a relative of the famous Pablo Antonio José de Olavide y Jáuregui (1725’1802).

35 Manuel Casanova y Hemandes.

36 García, Pedro y Sanz, , Apuntes para la Historia Eclesiástica del Perú. Segunda Parte (Lima, 1876), p. 204 Google Scholar says that Archbishop Parada (1762–1779) sometimes made candidates for ordination wait twelve years.

37 Schroeder, op. cit., p. 171 f.

38 Joseph Amando Alcayde Monge. His uncles were Dr. D. Domingo Alcayde Monge and Dr. D. Miguel Francisco Alcayde Monge.

39 Thus, Ignacio Fernández de Córdova.

40 Dr. José de Hijar y Figueroa says in his relación for the concurso of 1793 that as a student he had transferred from San Ildefonso to Santo Toribio “por ser de mayor lustre para los ascensos.”

41 The same Hijar y Figueroa says that at the time of his transfer his studies in Artes, which he had completed at San Ildefonso, were not accepted at Santo Toribio. He had to repeat these courses.

42 According to the relaciones only the Convento de Santo Domingo conducted classes in French and Italian.

43 Matraya, Juan Joseph y Ricci, , El Moralista Filalethico Americano, o El Confesor Imparcial instruido en las Obligaciones de su Ministerio segun los Preceptos de la mas Solida Theologia Moral, conforme a las Limitaciones Indispensables en la America Española (Lima, 1819), p. 371.Google Scholar

44 Forty-one of our 100 had majored in jurisprudencia civil. If we add those who had majored in derecho natural, romano, patrio, and the Decretals, the total is 78. We do not include those who studied canon law nor those who majored in ambos derechos.

45 Thus Thadeo Valverde.

46 José Tafur. This course of studies seems to have the usual one for the sons of prominent families before 1750.

47 Dr. D. Joseph Julián Carrión y Tagle.

48 Relación Enrique Lope y Concha.

49 Relación Gregorio Torres.

50 Thus Alexandre Montiel Davalos and José Noriega y Velasco.

51 García y Sanz, op. cit., p. 153.

52 Juan José de la Herreria was born in Spain near Burgos in 1718. His grandfather was Pagador General de los Reales Exercitos. As he says, “he had abandoned home and family” to become a priest. His school was open by at least 1767. Later he became a canon of the Lima cathedral.

53 García y Sanz, op. cit., p. 87.

54 Loc. cit.

55 Thus the relación of José Joaquín de Mendoza. His mother, Doña Ysabel de Azcuè García Ybañez, widow of Melchor Mendoza, did not try to hide anything in the relación which she wrote and signed … “mi hijo legítimo … a influxo mío y solo por obedecerme. …” Her style, as one would expect, is vigorous.

56 Juan José Melendez de la Fuente says that “in 1750 when he was eight-years old y estabamos en la plaza teniendo un rancho por cathedral the canons named him a seize and later procured for him a beca in Santo Toribio.” “Es maestro en canto llano, profesor de música, perito en canto figurado con fuerte voz.”

57 Relación Lorenzo Rubén de Celis.

58 José Antonio de la Via Orcasitas from the diocese of Santander. His uncle, Joaquín Gutiérrez Barón, was Brigadier de la Real Armada.

59 Juan de Zamora y Marín was born near Toledo of a father who had been captain in the War of the Spanish Succession. His uncle was Josef Marín, captain of the Guardias Marinas and Lt. General de la Real Armada.

60 Thus Juan Baptista Cardona y Romero.

61 Although I have gathered quite a bit of material on this popular Lima devotion, it is impossible at this time to describe it fully. It is said to have been begun by Archbishop Palafox in Puebla, Mexico. Archbishop Soloaga (1715–1722) began it in Lima. It continued well into the nineteenth century. In the parish churches there were similar devotions such as Las Caidas del Cristo, Las Alabanzas de María, etc.

62 These tours frequently lasted as long as three months. During this time, the padrón was brought up to date, children instructed and baptized, the adults were given an opportunity to confess and receive communion, and marriages were performed. See the relaciones of Gabriel Colquipuma, Juan Mestas, and Rafael Pagador.