St.Rocco Gonzalez

Paraguayan noble.

One of the architects of the Jesuit Reductions in Paraguay.
Realizing the damage of the slave trade, the Jesuits gathered the indigenous Indians and went
inland. In Paraguay, beginning in 1609, they built settlements, taught agriculture, architecture,
construction, metallurgy, farming, ranching and printing. This Utopia was suddenly destroyed by the avarice of the slave traders who were able to influence the Spanish crown.
By the time the Jesuits were expelled in 1767 they had 57 settlements with over 100-thousand
natives.

Rocco served as doctor, engineer, architect, farmer and pastor, supervised the construction of churches, schools and homes, and introduced care for cattle and sheep to the natives.

To convert the natives to Christianity he adapted his tactics to their love of ornament, dancing, and noise. On the great feasts of the church, Rocco gathered natives outside their small, straw-thatched church. He celebrated Mass with all solemnity, and for the rest of the day the Indians were treated to extraordinary entertainment. Decorated with gay tapestries, coloured silks, and long, graceful feathers, there were games, bonfires, and religious dances, the shrill music of flutes, and ear-splitting fireworks. Fierce savages, softened by Rocco's gentle kindness, laid aside their hatred for religion and eagerly embraced the faith; vengeful natives heard him speak of peace, stifled their desire for revenge and made friends with former enemies; timid women found refuge in the courage with which Rocco faced every threat and every danger; Indians, dying in horrible agony, were calmed by Rocco's words as he prepared them for the end. In Rocco they found a staunch protector of their freedom.

Greedy Spaniards, with an eye to easy money, lured the natives away from the Reduction, betrayed them, and sold them into slavery; but they ran into a stone wall in Rocco. He pleaded the Indian cause so forcefully with the Spanish Government that the Reduction of Saint Ignatius was finally left in peace.

Because of his success in Christianizing the natives, a local witch-doctor who was losing his
power base, martyred Rocco with his two Jesuit companions one day just as they finished celebrating Mass.

Died  martyred 1628 in Caaro, Brazil

Beatified in 1934

Canonized in 1988 by Pope John Paul II

( from left to right )
St.Rocco Gonzalez, St.Alphonsus Rodriguez and St.John del Castillo