OVIEDO, Juan Antonio (o-ve-ay'-do), South
American clergyman, born in New Granada, 25 June, 1670; died in the city of
Mexico, 2 April, 1757. He studied in the University of Guatemala, where he was
graduated with the degree of doctor in theology, and shortly afterward appointed
professor of philosophy. He became a member of the Society of Jesus in
Tepozatlan on 7 January, 1690. He taught philosophy in Mexico and theology in
Guatemala, was procurator at Rome and Madrid, visitor of Manila, rector of
Mexico, and twice provincial of the Jesuits of Mexico.
Oviedo was a very voluminous writer on religious and
theological subjects both in Spanish and Latin, and he left a great number of
unpublished manuscripts, which are in the library of the University of Mexico.
His principal works bearing on the ecclesiastical history of
Mexico and California are "Vida y virtudes heróicas del Apostólico y Ven. P.
Antonio Nuñez" (Mexico, 1702); "Menologio de los Varones ilustres en
Santidad de la Provincia de la Compañía de Jesus de la Nueva España "
(1727); "Vida admirable del Ven. P. Jose Vidal" (1753), "Vida y afanes
Apostólicos del Ven. P. Juan de Ugarte, Misionero Apostólico de las Californias"
(1753); "El Apóstol Mariano : Vida del Ven. P. Juan Maria Salvatierra de la
Compañía de Jesus, Conquistador espiritual de las Californias" (1754);
"Elogios de muchos Hermanos Coadjutores de la Compañía de Jesus, que han
florecido en las cuatro partes del Mundo" (2 vols., 1755); and "Vida y
virtudes del P. Pedro Speciali, Jesuita de la Provincia de Mexico" (1727).
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia
by John Looby, Copyright © 2001 StanKlos.comTM
