He was a Geographer, an Astronomer, an Explorer, and a Jesuit Missionary—His final Title will be Saint

Eusebio Kino was born and baptized on Augst 10, 1645. His parents, Franz Kuhn and Margherita Luchi, members of the local nobility. Their position enabled them to send their son to the more exceptional schools where it was quite evident that he was a brilliant child.  Since he demonstrated such an excellent learning ability, his parents sent him to the Jesuit College at Trent, where he studied science and mathematics. From there, he traveled to the Jesuit College at Hall, near Innsbruck, Austria. While there, he contracted an unidentified illness that almost took his life.

Eusebio dreamed often, and when he was ill, he had a deep-seated dream that frightened him greatly. He vowed that if his patron, St. Francis Xavier, would intercede with God to help him get better, he would join the Society of Jesus. His health did return, and for the rest of his life, Eusebio thanked God and Francis Xavier for his recovery. He even took the name Francisco and added it to his own. From then on, he was known as Eusebio Francisco Kino. He joined the Society of Jesus on November 20, 1665, when he was twenty years old.

He received his religious training at such places as Freiburg, Ingolstadt, and Landsburg in Bavaria. He finished his journey to ordination on June 12, 1677, when he received the Sacrament of Holy Orders and became a priest. For years Father Kino had hoped to go to China, and he received word that he and a fellow Austrian were being sent. But it was not to be. Only one was destined for the Phillippines and the other for Mexico. The two men drew a slip of paper from a box. Father Kino drew Mexico. His dreams of going to China would not come true.

Being assigned to go the New Spain was one thing, getting there another. Delays due to weather and sickness and various other conditions while crossing from Europe caused Father Kino to miss the ship that was to take him to New Spain. Unlike today if a person misses an air flight or a train stop, they may need up to a day to recover; Father Eusebio would have to wait a year for another ship. He did not waste his time. During the time he waited, he studied the comet known as Kirch's Comet. His findings were published as  Exposición astronómica de el cometa.^[1] (Astronomical exhibition of the comet).

It was not until 1683 that Father Kino's first assignment was reached and undertaken. The expedition he was directing arrived at the Baja California peninsula of Las Californias province.  He established the Mission of San Bruno, but a severe drought forced them to leave the mission and return to the capital of Mexico City.

Finally, on March 14, 1687, Father Eusebio Kino began his work in Pimeria Alta (upper Pima land---named after indigenous natives). He started the first mission in the area (this is now southern California, Arizona, and Northern Mexico). Father Kino followed ancient trade routes, which were later expanded into roads. He covered over 50,000 square miles on horseback while mapping an area 200 miles (329 km) long and 250 miles (400km) wide. Father Kino's maps proved to be the most precise maps of the area for more than 150 years after his death. Kino is the first person to identify and name the Colorado River.

Father Kino introduced European seeds to the natives enabling them to grow fruits, herbs and grains. He taught them how to raise livestock, including sheep, goats, and cattle. Amazingly. Father Kino's first herd of twenty cattle brought into Pimeria Alta grew to over 70,000 head during the time he was there. Historians refer to Father Kino as Arizona's first rancher.

Father Kino is honored both in Mexico and in the United States. He established close to thirty missions during his time in the southwest. Today there are towns, schools, monuments, streets, while statues of him are in many places, including the United States Capital's Statuary Hall. The largest statue of Father Kino stands along the US-Mexican border in Tijuana, Baja, California.

There is much more, including the Kino Border Initiative, The Kino Heritage Society, Fundacion Kino, and the Kino Catechetical Institute.

On July 11, 2020, Pope Francis declared Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, a person of "heroic virtue" elevating him to the title of Venerable. Next stop--Beatification.

 copyright©Larry Peterson2020