Mariano Gagnon

Mariano Gagnon (born Joseph Theodore Gagnon; October 7, 1929 – April 28, 2017) was an American Franciscan friar and Catholic priest, who served as a missionary in Peru. Gagnon founded the Cutivereni mission in Peru's Ene River valley to assist the indigenous Asháninka people who were being forced out of their homes in the jungle by settlers. He would later become known for his work helping arm the Asháninka and eventually helping some Asháninka flee Cutivereni when it was facing attack from Shining Path guerrillas during the internal conflict in Peru. He later wrote about his experiences during the conflict in the book Warriors in Eden.

Early life and priesthood

Joseph Theodore Gagnon was born on October 7, 1929, to a Métis father and a French-Canadian mother. He grew up in New Hampshire and was raised Catholic. He completed his high school education and then studied at St. Joseph's Seraphic Seminary, a Franciscan minor seminary in Callicoon, New York. He said of the people that he served, "They are the most virtuous people I have ever met. They never lie and have great respect for personal property. Their language is very sharp. There is no word for 'maybe' in Campa."

Cutivereni mission

In 1969, he founded a mission to work with the Asháninka due to deforestation caused by settlers. He maintained the Cutivereni (alternate spelling Cutivireni) mission of the Ene River parish in the Peruvian Amazon, southeast of Satipo. Cutivereni was a hub for 5,000 Asháninkas who lived in the area. The mission, located at the confluence of three rivers, had 91 buildings and housed 700 people. The mission was equipped with a plaza, a chapel, a generator building, an infirmary, a bilingual school, workshops, and a landing strip. The Asháninka hunted, and farmed manioc other foods. They also grew cocao, a cash-crop. The Franciscans who were working with the Asháninka did not have a coordinated strategy to provide for their defense, but Gagnon was able to secure weapons from the Peruvian army, and approached the United States military for support as well.

Gagnon began rebuilding the mission and it was complete in 1988. In June 1989 members of the Shining Path arrived at the mission and demanded supplies. Gagnon's mission paid a tax to them of writing supplies during this period. In November 1989, the Shining Path once again assaulted the mission and burned the buildings.

In September 1990, the village that they had built of houses in the remote location was surrounded and attacked by guerillas of the Shining Path while Gagnon was in Lima strategizing with others on ways to protect the indigenous people from being killed, enslaved, or indoctrinated. The Asháninka escaped, but the Shining Path captured their village.

Author Gagnon documented his experiences with co-authors Marilyn and William Hoffer. He lived in Bowling Green, Virginia, outside of Richmond, when he wrote the book and into 1995.

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Later years Gagnon celebrated his 50th year as a priest in 2007. He shared his time at the Mateo Pumacahua Friary in south Lima and in the jungle near Satipo by 2008. He served at San Ramón, Peru, when he received an award on May 8, 2014, from the government of Peru, which he had been nominated for by Father Eduardo Arens. Gagnon celebrated his 60th year as a friar in 2011 and 60th year ordained in 2017. Gagnon died on April 28, 2017, at 87 years old.