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This is a difficult question to answer, because accurate figures from hundreds of years ago are hard to locate; while there were some missionaries who kept a ledger of how many people were converted, others did not keep a numerical record, and some even exaggerated the numbers to make their efforts look successful to their superiors. Most explorers to the "new world" were not just missionaries. They saw themselves as having a dual purpose: to discover new land and to convert the natives to Christianity (in most cases, to Catholicism). This was Christopher Columbus's goal in 1492-- to win land in the new world for his patrons, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, and to win souls to the Catholic faith. In Canada, Jean Brébeuf lived amongst the Iroquois in the 1600s, trying to persuade them to accept Catholicism, which many ultimately did (but others resisted or were not interested).
Many missionary explorers made similar attempts: in California, Franciscans and Jesuits set up missions and taught the natives (who were then called Indians) about the Catholic religion-- a leading evangelist was Father Junipero Serra (today a saint in the Catholic church), who spread Catholicism on the west coast in the late 1700s. It should also be noted that at no time did the missionaries seem to consider that maybe the natives had a right to their own religion and might not want to convert to Christianity; further, some missionaries did not make conversion optional-- they imposed their religion, whether the natives wanted to convert or not.
What else can I help you with?
What church was responsible of presenting the Gospel to the Indians?
It depends on the region. Many were converted to Catholicism or Protestantanism...
What was part of Henry IV's solution to bring peace and unity to France?
He convented back to Catholicism
What was the part of Henry IV's solution to bring peace and unity to France?
He Converted back to Catholicism
Why are some Indians Catholic?
American Indians or sub-Asian Indian? Some of the American Indians were forcefully converted by Spanish missionaries. The people of the country of India were exposed to Catholicism during the English imperial colonization of the area.
Which emperor ruled over the Ottoman Empire and converted to catholicism?
No Ottoman Emperor ever converted to Catholicism. They were all Muslims.
What was Vlad the Impaler's religion?
He converted to Roman Catholicism.
Was mick jagger's mother Jewish?
No. She was Protestant but converted to Catholicism .
What was the unifying force in past - roman Europe?
In western Europe it was Catholicism. When the whole of this area was converted to Catholicism it was itself as Christendom.
Use the word Protestant in a sentence?
He converted from Catholicism and became a Protestant.
What events led up to the founding of Catholicism?
When Constantine converted Christian, he merged the Christian church with the Roman Empire. Thus, Roman Catholicism.
Who converted the Irish from paganism to Catholicism?
St. Patrick is credited with converting Ireland.
Who converted to Catholicism to help bring peace and unity to France?
Henri IV
