San Miguel Mission

As we enter into the new year of 2016, I am still not ready to let go of 2015.  I want to share the journey of our O' Antiphon & Christmas Mission Trip through California.  I thought the best way would be to post about each mission for the next 21 days.  Let me begin by saying, we had the extreme JOY of picking my mother up from the airport on December 15 and then we began this amazing trip of California.  I am so glad we were blessed to have her along for the ride...it is not always easy riding in a full van of wild children and adults but we managed to make it work.  I have no intention of focusing on the bickering that went along with the trip but you can imagine it as I highlight the joys that were experienced.  After all, I do not want anyone to think that we are a perfect family with halos...in fear that it might discourage another family from trying this endeavor.  This trip was an AMAZING journey in spite of our imperfections...much like our entire life journey!

So while everyone else in the world seemed to be in a frenzy to go see the new Star Wars movie, our family started out on a trek with my mom to see the missions.  Our plan was to quickly make our way as far south as we could go (without going into Mexico) and then work our way back up the mission trail.  However, as we began the trip down, we realized there was a mission within feet of the highway and we just felt the urge to stop.  I think that urging was a gift from God.

We were all out of the van and enjoying the various historical articles in the courtyard.  Our first discovery was a life size statue of Fr. Junipero Serra (For those who do not know...he is the mastermind of the missions in California and was recently canonized by the Catholic Church.)  The two youngest of our group were especially drawn to the statue and wanted pictures with him.

We learned that San Miguel was the 16th of the mission built in 1797 under the direction of Fr. Fermin Francisco de Lasuen.  The location of this mission was ideal because it was halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.  It is now a working parish church for the small community that surrounds it.

The original Mission church, along with many of the outbuildings and equipment, burned in a large fire. All of the stored wool, cloth, and hides were also lost; a major blow as by this time there were over a thousand Indians who depended on the supplies.

The present church was built in 1818 with an authentic interior created by the natives.  Although it was built in the era of bell tower, San Miguel never had a traditional tower.  It's bells were hung on a wooden beam under one of its arches.

We then entered the small church and that is when I knew I had made the right choice to stop.  There...behind the altar was the most beautiful artwork and in the center was the symbol for O' Wisdom (the message for the first day of the Antiphons!).  I could not have planned such an event so well.  Since I had brought our little peg dolls for the messages with us for the journey, I quickly determined that I would take a picture of the doll at the altar.  I had also brought our nativity Mary, Joseph and donkey to journey with us, so their picture was taken at the mission as well.

Many of the original decorations and paintings in the mission have survived until today. The painted decorations make the church appear much more ornate than it is.

A severe earthquake in 2003 caused extensive damage but was repaired and reopened in 2009.  The Mission today serves as a Franciscan novitiate.

This stop set the pattern for how we would visit all of the missions.  Looking for symbols significant to the Antipon of the day and learning the history of the mission and the church attached to it.  We would also learn that all of the missions had Jubilee doors open for this Year of Mercy announced by Pope Francis for this year.

Oh...and I thought it fitting to mention...after attending Mass at our cathedral in Monterey and a day of geocaching...we did finally succumb to the frenzy of the Star Wars crowd.  We surprised the children and took them to see the Star Wars movie at a drive in theater (a new experience for them as well) on this first day of 2016.  I fell asleep as I have for all of them...but I now have HUGE brownie points as the "best" Mom ever!