The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 37, 1669-1676 / Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century

by Unknown

CHAPTER XXXII

Of the intermediary junta; and of the life of the father commissary, Fray Domingo Gonçalez.

The intermediary junta was held May 25, 1647, in the convent of Santo Domingo in Manila. In that junta were passed some special declarations, although only three, and the rules were only repetitions of the past ones. As ever, this holy province has proceeded with great caution in imposing laws, for it is careful lest many new laws confuse the memory of the old ones; and lest one embarrass the other, if there are a multitude of laws. Laws are the walls of the order; but there may be so many of them that they bind the order too much, and smother it, or make a labyrinth—especially since the religious are few in number and ready to obey to the letter, without its being necessary to talk with the community, so that one single individual considers himself as comprehended by it, even though the law appears unjust to him. But if there are many laws, the order becomes afflicted. In that junta it was declared that the obeisance need not be given to vicars-general as a right but that it can be given as a sign of reverence if the provincial is absent. That has always been the custom and appears to be an excellent one. It was also declared that the rules which are not general, only bind rigorously in the chapter in which they are instituted, and not in the following ones in which they are confirmed; for the declaration that they are confirmed is only that they may be observed, and that they may not be regarded as obsolete so soon. The venerable and ancient provincial, Fray Domingo Gonçalez, commissary of the Holy Office, was present at the junta, and he left that second station, which is one of great anxiety, with soul greatly refreshed for the prosecution of his duty. But although he did not leave his office imperfect he did not finish it; for the Lord, having been satisfied with his pious desire, took the burden from his shoulders in the month of November following the said junta, in order to let him pass to the better life, regarding as good his seventy and more years (of labors from his youth up). He died on the fifth of the said month, leaving great sorrow, not only to the religious, who lost an excellent father—one of the most loving that this province has had, and one who has most illumined it—but also to outsiders, both religious and laymen, by whom the father was greatly revered.

[He was born in Madrid, and took the habit in the convent at Guadalajara, being afterward sent to study in the convents at Salamanca and Valladolid. After serving in various posts in Spain he went to the Philippines in 1602, where he almost immediately attained renown. Being sent to Nueva Segovia to learn the native language, he applied himself so well that he became most fluent in it, and used it with the natives for five years. Finally returning to Manila, he became an active and efficient worker there. He was the first regent of the College of Santo Tomas, and lecturer therein, also acting as rector various times. He became provincial for the first time in 1633, and during his term was most careful in the visitation, going even to the island Hermosa.]

[The following chapter continues the same matter. The great fervor and devotion of the father gave him the commissaryship of the Holy Office. During his second provincialate he was also assiduous in the visitation, and died shortly after the intermediary junta of 1647 at the age of seventy-three. He left many writings in scholastic and moral theology, which were widely used after his death.]