HISTORY AND LEGEND COMBINE TO STRENGTHEN OUR DEVOTION TO ST. JOSEPH
Spanish governor Joseph de Quiroga established Inalahan as a village parish in 1680. That year marked 30 years of sporadic battles between groups of Chamorros and the Spanish garrison, which had greatly reduced the population and demoralized the people. There was a typhoon in November 1680 that destroyed most of the homes in Guam. He reorganized the island into six centers: Inapsan, Pago, Hagat, Malesso, Umatac, and Inalahan. Governor Quiroga laid out the 5-block grid of streets in Inalahan as they exist today. Also a church was begun at Narajan (Inarajan), in which village many were assembled from the southern part of the island, as well as people from the settlements in the hills and on the beaches. This church was dedicated to Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Virgin Mary.” ( Garcia, F., S. J. ([1683] 1994). Life and martyrdom of the venerable Father Diego Luis De SanVitores. MARC Mono...