Buenaventura Sitjar | |
|---|---|
| Church | Mission San Antonio de Padua |
| Other post(s) | Mission San Miguel Arcángel |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | Franciscan. April, 1758, joined theCollege of San Fernando de Mexico |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1739-12-09)9 December 1739 |
| Died | 3 September 1808(1808-09-03) (aged 68) |
| Buried | Mission San Antonio de Padua |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Occupation | Franciscanmissionary |
Buenaventura Sitjar (born 9 December 1739 inPorreres,Majorca – died 3 September 1808 atSan Antonio, California) was aFranciscanmissionary who served in California until his death.
He became afriar in theOrder of Friars Minor in April, 1758, joining theCollege of San Fernando de Mexico. In 1770 he received orders to go to California, and he reached San Diego on 21 May 1771.
He helped foundMission San Antonio de Padua and served there until his death on 3 September 1808. During his tenure, 3400Indians were baptized. He became fluent in their language, aSalinan language called Antoniaño, Telamé, orSextapay (after its location).[1] With the assistance of Father Miguel Pieras, he wrote a dictionary translating the language into Spanish. Although the list of words is not as long asFelipe Arroyo de la Cuesta's dictionary of 2884 words and sentences in theMutsun idiom ofMission San Juan Bautista, Sitjar's gives the pronunciation and fuller explanations. This work forms the seventh volume of John G. Shea'sLibrary of American Linguistics (New York, 1861), and was published separately under the title ofVocabulary of the Language of the San Antonio Missions (1863).
He also left a journal of an exploring expedition which he accompanied in 1795. In 1797, he participated in the founding ofMission San Miguel Arcángel. His body was buried in the Mission San Antonio sanctuary.
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