Essay on The Mission (1986)

The dilemma of the papal delegate, Altamirano, is one of tragedy because no matter what decision he makes it will end up being one that causes pain and suffering for someone. In his decision to give the mission territory to the Portuguese, Altamirano hopes that he can save the Jesuit order, an order he once belonged to and has compassion for, from total removal from Europe. Altamarino’s decision must be made in compassion of the Guarani and their faith in God or in compassion for the Jesuit order which he once belonged to. Ultimately Altamirano makes his decision in the hope that he is doing the greater good. He gives up the missions to the Portuguese and hopes that no violence may come out of the surrender of the mission territories. However, in capturing the missions the European leaders call their soldiers to do much more than they needed. The soldiers slaughter the villagers and burn down the mission. This display of violence was the unfortunate culmination of Altamirano’s decision to cede the mission territories. He had hoped that no violence would come of the surrender and that the Jesuits would not get involved, but they do and Roderigo and the other Jesuits, aside from Father Gabriel who’s faith in peace and love prevent him from taking part, lead the Guarani tribe into battle against the Europeans. Altamirano’s decision doomed the Guarani to slavery and slaughter, and the Jesuits taking part in the resistance in response to his decision to cede the missions has ultimately doomed the Jesuit order in Europe. However, if Altamirano had chosen to not cede the mission territories to the Portuguese, the Jesuits would likely have been dispelled from Europe or maybe even resulted in the slaughter of Jesuits in Europe. Altamirano makes his decision in compassion to the Jesuit order instead of the Guarani because he hopes that his decision will cause less violence and the Jesuits will not be punished in Europe due to the greed and paranoia of European leaders who see the Jesuit order as a threat. However, in the end both happened. The Jesuits were suppressed by European leaders after a 1773 decree against the Jesuits by Clement XIV. Altamirano’s dilemma is such a tragic one because he cannot possibly make the right decision that prevents violence or slavery or the suppression of the Jesuits.

When Altamirano says that “your priests are dead, and I am left alive. But in truth it is I who am dead and they who live,” he means that the priests died for their faith in the Guarani. The Jesuit priests will live on, in the memory of those who remain behind as martyrs who died defending their faith. They will go up to Heaven to live an eternal life because they died defending their faith just as Jesus did. The Jesuits live on in the Spirit of those who are left behind like Altamirano. Altamirano says that he has died because on the inside he is suffering because of the decision he made. He believes that his decision has condemned him to a terrible life and only made the memories of the Jesuits and how they defended their faith that much greater. Altamirano believes that his decision was ultimately one that only caused suffering and he was the one who caused the priests death. Because of this, Altamirano suffers and he cannot be helped because of his tragic position in the middle of all of these events.