A Jesuit Missionary in Eighteenth-Century Sonora: The Family Correspondence of Philipp Segesser

Letters from Genoa (21–22)

• 43 Letters from Genoa (21–22) genoa, in northwestern italy, has been a major Mediterranean port and trading center since Roman times. It served as the port of departure for the Jesuits from central Europe heading for the Indies. Less than three weeks after arriving in Genoa, Father Segesser sailed for Spain, suffering from seasickness all the way, and arrived at Cádiz in early August. Letter 21 letter to his brother from genoa, 9 june 1729 Most noble and honorable brother, Yesterday, one day after I had arrived in Genoa, I received in good condition the two most valued brotherly letters written on the twenty-first and the twenty-fourth. Both demonstrated all the generous care and concern directed toward me, which revitalized me because, in part, I am now assured that even in the future I will never be forgotten, and in part, I can now hope that the honorable mother, the noble brother, and all other siblings will submit themselves completely to the will of God, just as I do. Once the Father Provincial received the orders from Rome that requested my departure, these were carried out so quickly, that we were already on the road when a different set of orders arrived, also from Rome. According to the latter, we were supposed to wait for new orders in Germany, but we had already started our journey and only learned about it in Genoa. The reason given by Father Procurator [Pietro Francesco] Tambini, the Father Minister in the professed house of Saint Ambrose, who is also the procurator of the mission to the Indies, was that no ship 44 Letters from Genoa (21–22) will depart for America soon. The cargo of the few that did arrive in Seville will not be unloaded for a while, hence cannot be reloaded, until the conflict between the great powers comes to a decision or is suspended. It still might happen that I, together with Father Carl, could gain some time and leisure to visit my most beloved honorable mother, the noble brother, and all beloved relatives. I really do not know what might happen if I had to wait here or in Seville for any length of time. For many years my superiors politely refused me, although I never reproached them. I conclude that this is God’s will that has been fulfilled. I hope that honorable mother has received the letter1 that I posted in Trent. The money order was paid out to me yesterday in Spanish doubloons . I have signed for the first time in Italian. I do not know how to compensate the honorable mother and the honorable noble brother, and all the other beloved siblings, sister-in-law,2 and honorable canons in the cathedral for all their favors and generosity. They have all demonstrated their infinite generosity to me. I believe that they do this so that they may participate in the merits that the benevolent Lord, in whose honor they contribute so generously to this, I hope, God-pleasing enterprise, may allot them and me as recognition of my good intentions. Certainly God, in the furtherance of whose honor these generous contributions are lovingly made, will repay these efforts with both earthly and heavenly rewards, toward which I will do whatever I can. If I were to die beforehand , I hope to demonstrate my thankfulness all the more in heaven. I have not yet heard anything of the travel trunk, so it will be necessary for the noble brother to remind the shipper immediately and inquire to which merchant this trunk might have been addressed inasmuch as hundreds arrive here in a single month. Even the transfers can barely be inspected. Father Tambini says that the entire city is a customhouse , so it would be impossible to make such inquiries without knowing the name of the specific merchant. I hope to be able to send another report as we might not depart from Genoa very soon because, apart from us Germans, there is only one missionary here. The others are still expected. It will be good for me if many of us travel together. 1 Not preserved in the family archive. 2 Younger brother’s wife, Maria Catharina Amrhyn. 45 Letters from Genoa (21–22) I should probably not mention the following to avoid causing you even more worries. Although I feel quite well here except for a certain weakness resulting...