Soy de Duval

TOPICS:  Catholic Church San Diego Catholic Church St. Francis De Paula POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   FEBRUARY 6, 2016 St. Francis de Paula School ,  Photo by Kevin Smithwick. In a Facebook post in support of National Catholic Schools Week this week I wrote that I learned to write at St. Francis de Paula Catholic School in San Diego. Indeed, many of my contemporaries and older natives of San Diego probably went to the school. But that brought up a question that I’ve had on and off for years; just who was St. Francis de Paula? Generations have been dutifully meeting their Sunday Mass obligations at that beautiful church in San Diego, but are they familiar with the parish’s patron saint? I’m not. So let’s remedy that now. St. Frans de Paula Before reviewing his early life, it is important to take a look at why he was chosen as the patron saint of the church in San Diego. The first pastor at San Diego was Claude Jaillet, a Frenchman. Although St. Francis...

POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   AUGUST 19, 2020 In 1768, Spanish authorities sent Fray Gaspar José de Solís to Texas to inspect the Spanish missions. After arriving at Laredo, he took the well-traveled road to Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo in Goliad. On his trek, he spent four days in northern Duval County. He arrived at the San Casimiro Creek northwest of present-day Freer on February 18, 1768, “where there were neither woods nor slopes.” But there was “fairly good water.” On the way, the priest had seen many “rare snakes,” no doubt the predecessors to the rattlers that gave birth to the Freer Rattlesnake Roundup. While at San Casimiro, a strong norther blew in with rain and snow. Since there was nowhere to take cover at that place, Father Solís and his party moved on through the bad weather. He soon passed La Retamita and finally came to the place called Señor San Joseph. While uninhabited, a grove of  mesquite, huisache , and  nopal  provided adequate...

TOPICS: Brush Country Catholic Church Oblates Roma POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   APRIL 24, 2017 It is always encouraging to receive feedback on a blog, but it is doubly encouraging when you can use the information you received from your readers. Such was the case with a photo I received from my friend and fellow historian R.J. Molina from Austin, by way of Hebbronville. R.J. sent me a photo of his granduncle Manuel Molina on horseback talking with a priest who was standing in front of him and his horse. R.J. did not know the name of the priest. I did not know whether or not the photo was significant to my research, but I felt it deserved further investigation because, depending on the timeframe, the priest could be an Oblate, who were the pioneer priests in the Rio Grande Valley, who occasionally made forays into Duval County.    The Oblates The new bishop of the new diocese of Galveston, Jean Marie Odin, sent the The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immacu...

TOPICS: Christmas Duval County Texas St. Francis de Paula Church in San Diego in late 1876. Photo by Louis de Planque POSTED BY:  CARDENAS.AE@GMAIL.COM   DECEMBER 24, 2015 Christmas in Duval County in the 1880s held many of the same elements of today, although is some respects it was more lively.As Christmas approached stores decorated with holiday displays. Most merchants  closed on Christmas day. Father Peter Bard celebrated Midnight Mass. In San Diego, the day started with with Father Peter Bard celebrating midnight Mass or misa de gallo  at St. Francis de Paula in San Diego. More than half of San Diego’s residents usually attended the liturgical celebration.  Many worshipers had to stand outside the church, which was packed. After Mass, eggnog was served and rockets, Roman candles and fire crackers were lit. Not unlike today, drinking was part of the celebration. Fortunately, usually no problems arose from the use of a...