Francisco Antonio Barbastro

Francisco Antonio Barbastro (1735–1800) was a Franciscan missionary in New Spain.

Biography

Barbastro was born in 1735 in Cariñena, Aragon, and arrived in the College of Santa Cruz de Querétaro in 1770. He was assigned to Mission San Miguel de Ures in 1773,

Barbastro opposed the efforts of Bishop Antonio de los Reyes to subordinate the missions to the newly created Diocese of Sonora. The conflict escalated, with complaints, appeals, and litigation on both sides; on March 13, 1785, de los Reyes imprisoned and questioned Barbastro. Barbastro was released soon after, but the animosity continued until de los Reyes's death in 1787.

In letters to his fellow missionaries, Barbastro defended Franciscan management of mission property, arguing that barter or payments through an intermediary did not violate the Franciscan vow of poverty. He also instructed that the church should be the first to benefit from native labor, with native widows, orphans, and invalids receiving aid only if surplus remained thereafter.