They were successful for numerous reasons. One is that there were already a lot of Europeans there who were willing to help in the spread of Catholicism. Another is that they were mostly experienced in military conquest so if anyone actually tried to oppose the spread of Catholicism from the natives, they would be punished severely since no one could oppose the missionaries.
The answer is the first option "John Knox." John Knox was born in 1513, died in November 24, 1572 and was known for starting the Church of Scotland during the Reformation.
