Not Counting the Cost: Jesuit Missionaries in Colonial Mexico, a Story of Struggle, Commitment and Sacrifice

At a time when the history of European involvement with indigenous peoples has come under increased scrutiny, Not Counting the Cost presents a balanced and objective study of the full scope of Jesuit involvement in colonial Mexico from 1540 through the Jesuit Expulsion in 1768. Against the backdrop of the dramatic stories of Jesuit evangelists, missionaries, educators, and martyrs, Martinez explores the complex and controversial issues of exploration and cross-cultural relations.

The experience of loneliness, disease, famine, miracles, faith, and prayer profoundly shaped the lives of Jesuit missionaries and the people they lived to serve. This book brings their stories to life, allowing us to better understand this formative period in Jesuit service to colonial Mexico and the Americas.

Since the inception of the Society of Jesus in 1540, missionary work has played a significant role in Jesuit identity. From Paraguay to Mexico City and Baja California, the work of Jesuit missionaries has in turn had a lasting effect on the history, faith, identity, and culture of much of the New World. Basing his study on more than two hundred years of original military, civil, and Jesuit documents, Martinez presents a comprehensive account of Jesuit missionary efforts in colonial Mexico (New Spain). Not Counting the Cost faithfully chronicles an important period of religious and cultural history, including some elements that are available to English-speaking readers for the first time.

About the Author:
John J. Martinez is a graduate of Fordham University. He dedicated ten years of his life to working on Not Counting the Cost. Martinez has lived a thoughtful life as a teacher, researcher, pastor, and writer. Currently, he is the pastor of a rural parish near Petersburg, Virginia. He has been a member of the Society of Jesus for over fifty years.