MARGIL OF JESUS, Anthony, clergyman, born in Valencia, Spain, 18 August. 1655; died in the city of Mexico, 6 August, 1726. At the age of sixteen he entered a Franciscan convent of the strictest kind, where he was noted for his piety and cheerful disposition. He finished his theological studies at the convent of Denia, and began his missionary career at Onda, where he became celebrated as a pulpit orator.

With the consent of his superiors, he offered his services for the American mission, and after a long voyage landed at Vera Cruz, which had just been destroyed by French pirates. He then set out on foot for the convent of the Holy Cross, in Queretaro, which he reached in August, 1683.

He was employed in missionary work in Mexico, Yucatan, and Central America, and converted large numbers of Indians. He established a missionary college in the city of Guatemala, became its guardian, and then went to Zacatecas, where he founded an apostolic college. He afterward established missions in Nayarit, and then went to Texas at the head of a band of Franciscans.

He established various missionary stations there and within what is now the state of Louisiana, and traveled fifty miles on foot to minister to the French of Natchi-toches, who were without a priest, and then returned to Nacogdoches, where he labored four years, refusing the office of guardian of the College of Zacatecas, to which he had been elected.

His missions were attacked by the French from New Orleans, and Father Margil was obliged to abandon them for a time, but he returned in March, 1721, restored some of the stations, and rebuilt the church of Guadeloupe, which had been destroyed. He sent one of his monks to found the mission of San Jose, on San Antonio River, which became the most prosperous of all.

In 1722 he was appointed prefect of the missions de propaganda fide, and during the same year, by his directions, a chapel and convent were built on the site of La Salle's fort on Espiritu Santo Bay. Shortly afterward he was elected guardian of the College of Guadeloupe at Zacatecas. On completing his term, he resumed his missionary labors in Mexico and continued them until he was stricken down with the illness of which he died.

The Spaniards and Indians believed that he had worked miracles, and the city of Mexico petitioned the Roman See for his canonization. The cause was examined into some years after his death, and he was declared venerable by Pope Gregory XVI in 1836, but has not yet been declared beatified. Numerous biographies of Father Margil have been written in Spanish and Italian, including "Vida Portentosa del Americano Septentrional Apostol, El V. P. F. Anto. Margil" (Madrid, 1775), and "Notizie della vita del ven. servo di Dio, Fr. Antonio Margil de Jesus" (Rome, 1836).
 

Edited Appletons Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001 StanKlos.com^TM

MARGIL OF JESUS, Anthony, clergyman, born in Valencia, Spain, 18 August. 1655; died in the city of Mexico, 6 August, 1726. At the age of sixteen he entered a Franciscan convent of the strictest kind, where he was noted for his piety and cheerful disposition. He finished his theological studies at the convent of Denia, and began his missionary career at Onda, where he became celebrated as a pulpit orator. With the consent of his superiors, he offered his services for the American mission, and after a long voyage landed at Vera Cruz, which had just been destroyed by French pirates. He then set out on foot for the convent of the Holy Cross, in Queretaro, which he reached in August, 1683. He was employed in missionary work in Mexico, Yucatan, and Central America, and converted large numbers of Indians. He established a missionary college in the city of Guatemala, became its guardian, and then went to Zacatecas, where he founded an apostolic college. He afterward established missions in Nayarit, and then went to Texas at the head of a band of Franciscans. He established various missionary stations there and within what is now the state of Louisiana, and travelled fifty miles on foot to minister to the French of Natchi-toches, who were without a priest, and then returned to Nacogdoches, where he labored four years, refusing the office of guardian of the College of Zacatecas, to which he had been elected. His missions were attacked by the French from New Of leans, and Father Margil was obliged to abandon them for a time, but he returned in March, 1721, restored some of the stations, and rebuilt the church of Guadeloupe, which had been destroyed. He sent one of his monks to found the mission of San Jose, on San Antonio river, which became the most prosperous of all. In 1722 he was appointed prefect of the missions de propaganda fide, and during the same year, by his directions, a chapel and convent were built on the site of La Salle's fort on Espiritu Santo bay. Shortly afterward he was elected guardian of the College of Guadeloupe at Zacatecas. On completing his term, he resumed his missionary labors in Mexico and continued them until he was stricken down with the illness of which he died. The Spaniards and Indians believed that he had worked miracles, and the city of Mexico petitioned the Roman see for his canonization. The cause was examined into some years after his death, and he was declared venerable by Pope Gregory XVI. in 1836, but has not yet been declared beatified. Numerous biographies of Father Margil have been written in Spanish and Italian, including " Vida Portentosa del Americano Septen-trional Apostol, El V. P. F. Anto. Margil" (Madrid, 1775), and "Notizie della vita del ven. servo di Dio, Fr. Antonio Margil de Jesus" (Rome, 1836).

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Samuel Huntington
First President of the United States of America
in Congress Assembled
March 1, 1781 to July 6, 1781

President Who? Forgotten Founders Part II

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