Friar or Padre Mariano Gagnon, born Joseph Theodore Gagnon, was a missionary friar in Peru. He maintained the Cutivereni ( alternate spelling Cutivireni ) mission in the Peruvian Amazon south of Satipo. That mission was burned down by Sindero Luminoso ( The Shinning Path guerilla) in 1982 and 1987. This is documented in his book Warriors in Eden [1]. That book was translated into Spanish, Guerreros en el Paraiso[2], and French, Les Guerriers de Paradis[3]. It was subsequently optioned for a movie in France that was not produced.
He was notable for having armed the Ashninka natives with rifles in order to repel the Shinning Path guerillas that were rampaging through the Amazon attempting to create a maoist state in Peru.
Milestones
Born Joseph Theodore Gagnon in Manchester New Hampshire on October 7, 1929. Arrived in Peru October of 1949 Mario Jan 1067 Ordained January 6, 1957 in the Monastery Convento de Ocopa after 7 years of Seminary Study Assigned to Flor de Punga for 10 years in the Viccariato de Raquena, north of Pucalpa in the Amazon. 5 years with Santa Elena Friar Pio began visiting Cutivireni to baptise natives. Padre Mariano was at first not convinced to dedicate his efforts to this mission. Virgin Jungle. Official founded as a mission in June 27, 1970. This was adnaved by the Arrival of Wayman Luy who arrive in May of 1971 and brought a tractor. 1966 Champlain of the Sinchis. 1972 30 Sinchis came at his request and increased Landing strip 450 meteres, went to 1000 meters long in only 30 days finish. Which allowed a Buffalo aircraft to Land. Built schools, medical posts (nuns 1976), cafeteria to feed the growing community
Died in Lima, Peru March 28, 2017
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- ^ Gagnon, Mariano (1993). Warriors in Eden. William Morrow & Co. ISBN 0688117961.
- ^ Gagnon, Mariano (2000). Guerreros en el Paraiso. Liam, Peru: Coleccion del Sol Blanco. ISBN 9972729238.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help) - ^ Gagnon, Mariano (1994). Les Guerriers du Paradis. Fixot. ISBN 2876451891.