Cataldino, José
CATALDINO, JOSÉ
Jesuit missionary; b. Fabriano, Italy, April 1571; d. Reduction of San Ignacio Min', Paraguay, June 10, 1653. He was already a priest when he entered the Society of Jesus on March 1, 1602. On April 30, 1604, he left Spain for Peru in the expedition of Father Diego de Torres; they arrived in Lima on Nov. 22, 1604. Cataldino was immediately appointed to the mission of Tucumán and Paraguay, arriving in Asunci—n for the first time on Dec. 13, 1605. In 1609, he and Father Mascetta, also an Italian, began their evangelical work in the large area of Guairá. Cataldino's years among these tribes were long and painful. After he founded the Reductions of San Ignacio Min' and Loreto, Cataldino was named superior of all the Paraguayan missions. This appointment induced him to work harder, and he created the new Reductions of San Pablo, San José, and Encarnaci—n. After 11 years in this position, he was in charge of the Indians at Villarica, and subsequently worked for the conversion of the natives of Uruguay (see reductions of paraguay).
Bibliography: f. xarque, Vida apostólica del ven. p. Josef Cataldino (Zaragoza 1664). p. pastells, ed., Historia de la Compañia de Jesús en la provincia del Paraguay (Madrid 1912–15).
[h. storni]