Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores: A New Religious Age

Pompeyo Barroga, Ryan Balatbat, Christian Mariano, Ethan Guzman

High School Division

Group Website

March 7, 2021

Process Paper: 512 Words

 Process Paper

Thesis Statement:

Before Blessed Diego Luis De San Vitores was on Guam, the CHamorus practiced a different
culture and religion. When he arrived, he brought forth a new era in Catholic culture and
religion, which is still used to this very day.

1. How did you choose your topic?

We chose to talk about Father Diego Luis de San Vitores because he played a huge role
in Guam History through religion. Religion has a crucial meaning to us as we attend Father
Duenas Memorial School, a Catholic school. Before the Spanish came to Guam, the religious
landscape was different from what we know today. It took him many challenges to arrive on
Guam like first going to Mexico and then Philippines to then needing permission from King
Philip IV and Queen Maria Anna de Austria to do a mission on Guam. He led the conversion
efforts of the CHamorus. Without him, the island we know now to be predominantly Catholic
would not be the same.

2. How did you conduct your research?

First, we did a good amount of online research, especially during the COVID-19
pandemic. Because the COVID-19 pandemic limited our research, we could not find primary
sources that we would usually find in the Mirconesian Area Research Center. Instead, we
focused on finding secondary sources, primarily using Guampedia and our Guam Studies book
as our main sources. Although we were hindered in our sources, we did our best and researched
deeply about almost all aspects of Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores’s life from his early life to
his death. We also looked deeply into where we can see Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores’s
influence on modern day Guam, such as his own namesake Church in Tumon and connections to
what Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores preached and taught that are still relevant today.

3. How did you select your presentation category?

We decided to select the website category because it is a great way to not only present
our findings to the people of Guam but also help others from around the world understand the
true history of Father San Vitores and his life and impact on the island. During the COVID-19
pandemic, we feel that it will be easier to do this project as it involves less face-to-face contact
compared to an exhibit. We as a group have done a website before and had good experience from
our previous class projects. We also feel that this website would be convenient for anyone in the
future who is interested in learning about the life of Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores.

4. How does your topic relate to Guam’s history?

Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores is the reason for the spread of Catholicism on this
island. Religion is a huge topic here on Guam as it is a main part of our lives. This shows that
thanks to this man for spreading the word of God we are able to live the life we have today and
we are able to grow spiritually with God. He influenced some early leaders in the island of Guam
with his conversion efforts. He played a pivotal part in the conversion efforts in the island Guam
even though it ultimately took his life.
 Annotated Bibliography

Secondary Sources

1. Mendiola, Tanya M. “Father Diego Luis De San Vitores .” Guampedia, Guampedia, 19

Nov. 2019,​ www.guampedia.com/father-diego-luis-de-san-vitores/​.
- This website from Guampedia gives short paragraphs about Father Diego’s life,
starting from his early life all the way to his death on Guam.
2. Wiecko, Cynthia Ross. “World History Connected: Vol. 10 No. 3: Cynthia Ross
Wiecko: Jesuit Missionaries as Agents of Empire: The Spanish-Chamorro War and
Ecological Effects of Conversion on Guam, 1668-1769.” World History Connected,
Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, 2013,
worldhistoryconnected.press.uillinois.edu/10.3/forum_wiecko.html​.
- This website gives an in-depth description of the Spanish-Chamorro Wars. It
gives pictures of Guam and the Marianas islands with a description of the events
that happened that led to the war and how Father Diego was a part of it.
3. Hezel, Francis X. S.J. "From Conversion to Conquest: The Early Spanish Mission in the
Marianas." Journal of Pacific History, No. 17, 1982: 115-137.
- This journal outlines the reasons for Father San Vitores’ mission ans what he did
to approve the mission. It also provides details what happened during his mission
and how the CHamorros responded.
4. Repositioning the Missionary: Rewriting the Histories of Colonialism, Native
Catholicism, and Indigeneity in Guam by Vicente M. Diaz. Honolulu: University of
Hawaiʻi Press, 2010.
- This book explains the canonization of Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores and its
implications and effects to Guam.
5. Eustaquio, George C. “Letter: Celebrating Fr. Diego Luis de San Vitores, S.J.” Pacific
Daily News. Pacific Daily News. Published April 1, 2019. Web.
- This letter gave a short summary of Father Diego, describing the battles between
the CHamorus and Spanish, the cause of those battles, and the aftermath of these
events and how it relates to today.
6. Rogers, Robert. "Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam Revised Edition." Honolulu:
University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2011.
- This textbook details the life of San Vitores and the events that took place when
he was present on the island. It also talks about his Evangelization and the effects
of it on Guam.
7. Malabanan, James. Blessed Diego Luis De San Vitores - Missionary, Apostle of Guam,
Martyr, Master and Friend of St. Pedro Calungsod, Blogger, 21 Sept. 2019,
pintakasi1521.blogspot.com/2019/09/blessed-diego-luis-de-san-vitores.html​.
- This website goes in-depth on Blessed Diego's early life, his Jesuit experiences,
and his motivations to go overseas to preach the teachings of Christ. ​