Chimes of Mission Bells; an historical sketch of California and her missions by Maria Antonia Field
page 79 of 83 (95%)
page 79 of 83 (95%)
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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. "The number of Christians in those places, where the name of Jesus had never been spoken, though there are some in all the Missions, still up to the present, is not very great; because while we have been very busy building our poor houses, little churches, teaching some children to be interpreters, and providing other necessary things, our efforts could not equal our ardent desires. "Now that things are going, and His Excellency has given, upon my |
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