Francisco Pareja

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Francisco Pareja (probably born at Auñon in the Diocese of Toledo, Spain, date unknown; died in Mexico, 25 January 1628) was a Spanish Franciscan missionary in Florida, known for his work on the Timucua language.

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[edit] Life

He was sent to Florida with eleven other Franciscans, and arrived at St. Augustine, Florida in 1593 or early in 1594. He worked as a missionary on the peninsula, notably at San Juan, Florida on the coast, and then became guardian of the monastery of the Immaculate Conception, at St. Augustine. He is also styled "custos", and must have held the office before 1613, when the custody was elevated to the rank of a province under the patronage of St. Helena. Subsequently, he joined the province of the Holy Gospel in Mexico.

[edit] Works

Father Pareja is noted for having published the first books in the language of a tribe within the present-day United States, the Timucua Indians, and may for that purpose have gone to Mexico. His various works are:

  • "Catecismo en lengua castellana y timuquana" (Mexico, 1612);
  • "Catecismo y breve exposición de la doctrina cristiana" (Mexico, 1612);
  • "Confesionario en lengua castellana y timuquana" (Mexico, 1613);
  • "Gramatica de la lengua timuquana de Florida" (Mexico, 1614);
  • "Catecismo de la doctrina cristiana en lengua timuquana" (Mexico, 1617);
  • "Catecismo y examen para los que comulgan, en lengua castellana y timuquana" (Mexico, 1627).

[edit] References

  • Barcia, Ensayo Cronológico (Madrid, 1723);
  • Vetancurt, Menologia (Mexico, 1697);
  • Torquemada, Monarquia Indiana (Madrid, 1723);
  • Shea, Catholic Church in Colonial Days (New York, 1886);
  • ____, Catholic Missions (New York, 1854);
  • Pilling, North American Linguistics (Washington, 1884);
  • Sabin, Dictionary of Books Relating to America, V (New York, 1884).

[edit] External link

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.