Chimes of Mission Bells; an historical sketch of California and her missionsField, Maria Antonia
Religion
Chimes of Mission Bells; an historical sketch of California and her missions
Field, Maria Antonia
Missions -- California; Spanish mission buildings -- California
"And that I may give your reverence some news of my destination, I
beg your reverence to look on the maps of America. You will see in the
shores of the South Sea, most improperly called Pacific, the Peninsula
of California [Lower California]. I was there for a year in the capacity
of President of the Missions already founded by the exiled Jesuit
Fathers. Then followed north along the same coast and just a little
before what is called Cabo Mendosino, you will find in some maps, the
title or name the Port of Monte Rey.
"There your uncle lives, among those poor people. There I went with the
first Christians in 1770. There I sang the first Mass and there I have
been in company with Fr. Juan Crespi until the latter part of August.
Then I left for this college in order to transact some very important
business with the Most Excellent Lord Viceroy concerning the maintenance
and increase of those Christian settlements and the establishment of
those already proposed and planned, or that may be planned.
"Thanks to God, I have been kindly received and given close attention by
His Excellency and he has granted me whatever I have asked of him;
so, God helping, I hope for a quick and very extensive expansion and
spreading of our Holy Faith and of the domains of our Catholic King.
"In addition to one Mission where we spread Christianity in California
[Lower California] which I called San Fernando de Vellixata, there are
five already founded in that far off land; Monterey which said Padre
Crespi and I administer, San Antonio de Padua, twenty-five leagues
distant, with Padre President, Fr. Miguel Pieras and Fr. Buenaventura
Sitjar; that of San Luis Obispo, twenty-five leagues farther away,
where I placed two religious members of the Province of Catalonia,
Padre Juncosa and Padre Cavallier, that of San Gabriel, seventy
leagues farther away towards California [Lower California], for which I
appointed one father from the Province of Los Angeles and another from
that of Andalucia; and finally that of San Diego, which is the nearest
to California [Lower California] though over one hundred leagues
distant, and I appointed as ministers Padre Fr. Francisco Dumetz and
Padre Fr. Luis Jaume. They are all working with earnestness and abundant
fruit in their respective fields of labor.
"When in 1769 I left California [Lower California], I appointed Padre
Palou President of the Missions there and I have not seen him since; but
now these missions, formerly in charge of the Fathers of the Society
of Jesus, are being turned over to the Dominican Fathers. So said Padre
Palou with others, will come to us in order to found the Missions of San
Buenaventura, Santa Clara and San Francisco for which missions I have
already there the ornaments, the sacred vessels, utensils and other
necessary things.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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