Born in Buenos Aires in 1776, at the age of 17 Francisco de Paula Castañeda joined the Franciscan order Two years later, in 1798, he was ordained a priest in Córdoba. He obtained the chair of philosophy at the University of the province, run by the Franciscans. During his stay in Córdoba he published the books The soul of the brutes y Life of Bishop Azamor.
Back in Buenos Aires, He held the chair of theology and served as a military chaplain during the English invasions of the Río de la Plata. On both occasions he was in charge of delivering the homilies of the occasion during the masses celebrating the triumph over the invaders.
Excited about the strong impression that his homilies caused among the people of Buenos Airesextended them and turned them into two books: Panegyric of the Reconquestthat of 1806, and Defense Panegyricthat of 1807.
Without abandoning his duties as a priest, He dedicated much of his time to promoting popular education setting an example by teaching, in his Recoleta del Pilar Convent, free first letters classes to local children.
In 1814 he opened a Drawing Academy there.to which the French painter and sculptor José Guth joined as director. Little by little it incorporated other disciplines, giving rise to a pragmatic and comprehensive conception of education.
“It is not enough for children to learn the rudiments of the Catholic religion -Castañeda said-, it is not enough that they know how to read, write and count (…) drawing or graphics, geography, history, geometry, nautical, civil, military and naval architecture, artifacts of all kinds, must enter also in the plan of his good and beautiful education;
fencing, dancing, music, swimming and horseback riding, pronouncing the native language correctly, and a thousand other particularities that, although they do not prove wisdom in those who possess them, but argue a lot of ignorance and very bad breeding in those who ignore them.”
In 1815 he founded the Philanthropic Society of Lovers of Education, to promote education as an essential support for prosperity public.
Passion for journalism
In 1820 he founded the newspaper The theophilanthropic alarm clockwho was the only one who reported the death of Manuel Belgrano, and published the following poem: “Because it is a dishonor to our soil, / it is an ingratitude that cries out to heaven, / the sad funeral, poor and gloomy, / that was done in a church next to the river / in this Capital to the citizen / Brigadier General Manuel Belgrano…”
The ecclesiastical reforms promoted by Rivadavia, in 1822 – suppression of certain congregations, passing their assets to the State; fixation of 30 years as the maximum age to take the habits and the abolition of the tithe and ecclesiastical jurisdiction – were strongly resisted, in a calm manner by Brother Cayetano Rodríguez and violently by Castañeda, who promoted a strong opposition campaign.
He continued his campaign from other short-lived newspapers such as Doña María Retazos, The Gauchipolitical Disappointer y The Friend of God and Men.
The consequence was the exile of Castañeda from the province of Buenos Aires. for four years. He continued his preaching from Montevideo and, later, from Santa Fe, where he was able to continue with his educational work, counting on the support of Governor Estanislao López.
In December 1828 he denounced the coup d’état of Juan Lavalle and the execution of Governor Manuel Dorrego. He edited the newspapers Buenos Aires Captive y The Argentine Nation Beheaded by the New Catilina Juan Lavalle.
In the full exercise of his religious and teaching activity, He died in Entre Ríos at the age of 56, in March 1832.
At the request of Juan Manuel de Rosas, his remains were transferred to Buenos Aires, to the pantheon of the Convent of San Francisco.
