Jim,Jim Hatt wrote:Mike,
I'm really glad to see you took an interest in this topic. While you are wrestling with the details. Keep in mind that this story originated with a Priest at a Jesuit Parish in Phoenix. A priest that appears to have no problem openly talking about Jesuits being involved in mining!
Fr. Rojas was a Jesuit Priest... wasn't he?
Jim
I'll tell you something. When I started researching the subject of Jesuit Mining. I had Father Polzer SJ on one side (NO MINING). Father Polzer was the most renorned historian of the Jesuits in the New World with Bolton, Treutline, and Father EJ Burrus SJ. None of them mention mining by Jesuits.
I had several treasure hunting acquaintances on the other side of the fence. I needed some more scholarly input. I contacted the two most renowned living scholars of Jesuits in the New World. One teaches at Loyola Marymount University and the other at Georgetown University. These are the two premiere Jesuit Universities in the United States.
Funny thing was, neither of the two of them had any issues with Jesuit Mining. HAHAHA I was astounded. When I bounced my theory of Jesuit Temporal Coadjutors doing all the mining stuff to keep the actual Fathers at arms length, this was his reply:
"Coadjutors are laymen (not clerics) who are members of the Society, just as novices and scholastics (not ordained members who are studying for the priesthood). The "temporal coadjutors" at times made up as much as 1/3 of the membership of the Society.....they were often men with highly developmed professional training---architects, goldsmiths, carpenters, etc.--who did not have the "book learning" required for priesthood in the Society. They ran the Jesuit farms,oversaw building projects...and could very well have overseen mining projects.............."
There was more, but it didn't have anything to do with the subject. Notice the part that states coadjutors made up (at times) one third of the Society's Membership. Maybe someone can recall the names of some of the Jesuit Temporal Coadjutors that were arrested with the Fathers in 1767?
I have the lists and already know the answer. If you don't know, make a guess! HAHAHA
Best-Mike