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The establishment of Spain's colonies and Christian missions was carried out not only by the Spaniards themselves but by people from other lands and nationalities. These included "Filipinos" and natives from the Philippines. The Mariana Islands in the western Pacific was one of the areas of colonization and Christianization of the Spaniards. The establishment of the colony and mission in the islands was carried out by the Jesuits. The missionaries from this order wholeheartedly joined the enterprise and were responsible for setting up the colony as well as the present towns and villages in Guam, Saipan, Rota and Tinian. They lived a life of self-denial, humility and charity which they offered for the greater glory of God. They did not fear death but actually wished for it seeing it as a way to attain divine reward. A number of the missionaries gave up their lives as martyrs and others because of poor health. They lived giving service to others and accommodated others first before themselves. The rewards they sought were not of this earth. These could only be given by God in the afterlife. Their lives and strong faith serve as examples for present-day Christians. On the other hand, the missionaries were placed at the crossroads of civilization. In their desire to convert the natives, they had to eradicate native customs deemed as contrary to Christianity. This caused antagonism among the inhabitants they swore to serve. At the same time, the missionaries were part of Spain's colonizing force which ended the freedom of the natives which was a legacy from their forefathers. Like the members of the garrison the missionaries were given the same label of guirragos or barbarians by the inhabitants. Many of the missionaries were slain or injured in the armed Chamorro movements which were actually attempts to regain their lost freedom and the preservation of their ancestral practices. As missionaries the Jesuit priests and brothers took care of the people, taught them the ways of western civilization and recorded history. Such was their role in contributing to the present society of the Mariana Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Belgians comprised some of the E uropean missionaries who helped administer the nascent Spanish colony in the Mariana islands. The Christian mission there was founded by Fr. Diego L uis de Sanvitores in 1668 and the task of conversion of the natives to the new faith was entrusted to the Jesuits. Missionaries from Belgium added to those from other nations such as Italy, Germany and Moravia. They were chosen because of their ability to endure harsh conditions. The first decades of the Marianas mission was fraught with extreme difficulties most especially the resistance of the natives to the changes brought by Christianity. Two missionaries, Fr. Peter Coomans and Fr. Balthazar Dubois, paid with their lives while serving as missionaries in the Marianas. Despite the difficulties, they sowed the seeds of the Christian mission in the island and ensured the continued existence of the colony. Fr. Coomans and Fr. Gerard Bouwens played an important part in the islands as superiors in the Mariana Mission. Fr. Bouwens later made recommendations for good governance in the islands. An important role played by these two missionaries was that they recorded the history of the colony and recorded some important aspects of the culture of the native Chamorro people and the challenges faced by the mission including the serious challenges such as the martyrdom of fellow missionaries and the native rebellions which lasted until 1695. For his important role in serving the mission, Fr. Bouwens was hailed as its second founder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]