Baja California Jesuit Missions

[lvcabbie]

This is directly related to the founding of the Franciscan Missions in present-day California.

In conducting research for my next historical novel about a Mexican hero named Fernando Rivera y Moncada, I was directed to a non-fiction tome about Baja California titled Antigua California.

I luckily found a pristine copy in the library of the local community college and was the first to check it out.

What I've discovered is amazing. Priests from a couple of hundred years ago came up with some simply astonishing stuff.

I'm sharing it with those of you interested in my blog - linked in my signature below. All are welcome to comment.

[lvcabbie]

Well, after delving deeper into Antigua California, that I had to write another essay about this. The first half, Jesuit Missionaries - How did they do that? is available at the link in my signature below.

As always, comments on the blog are welcome.

Enjoy and perhaps pray for their souls.

[skippercollector]

I read the top two posts of your blog. Thank you for doing all this research! Am I too understand that Antigua California was published in 1994, and you were the first to take it out of the library years later?

[lvcabbie]

Originally Posted by skippercollector

I read the top two posts of your blog. Thank you for doing all this research! Am I too understand that Antigua California was published in 1994, and you were the first to take it out of the library years later?

Absolutely the first on the sign-out panel.

I'm continuing to pour through it - scanned it into my PC and every page contains invaluable and enthralling information.

Most posts to come.

[lvcabbie]

If you're waiting for the second part of Father Mayorga's journey in Jesuit California, there will be a brief pause while I get hard to work on the Proof Copy of my third historical novel in Father Serra's Legacy.

For those that are unfamiliar with this, it's the last stage prior to actual publication.

And then, after posting the next part about Father Mayorga, I have to get to work to finish the fourth – and final – novel in the series.

Stay tuned.

[lvcabbie]

Part III of California Jesuits - How did they do it?

Father Mayorga is horrified when he first sees the savage Indians in their nudity - whipping himself for his venal weakness.

Read @ http://msgdaleday.blogspot.com

[lvcabbie]

My latest post is Antigua California Raped to Support Nueva California

Portolá took almost everything to support his expedition north and found the mission at San Diego and the other at Monterey.

It's amazing that any of the converts in Old California survived.

[lvcabbie]

Just posted Part II of how Antigua California was Raped for Nueva California.

Already poor to the point where any period without rain or, even worse, after rain when the crops grew and drew hordes of locusts, the Baja missions were stripped of supplies, livestock and even converts.

230+ years later, one still sees the results.

[lvcabbie]

Part IV of Jesuit California

Poor Father Mayorga gets his first real taste of the difficult terrain of California as he goes with a mule train taking supplies to Mission San Javier.

[lvcabbie]

You might want to check out Part VII of Father Mayorga's sojourn in the interior of Baja California in the very early 1700s. He's reached the mission site and faces the difficult task of turning wilderness into something productive.

At the link in my signature.