The Washington herald., 1909-01-10
VENERABLE PRIEST
REBUILDS MISSION
DeYOting His Life to RestOr-
ing San Luis Rey.
HAS BEEN ANSWERED
Demolished California Sanctuary
Will Resume Its Former SpIendOr
Under the Guidance of Ambitious
Father O'Keefe-In OIden Day San
Luis Covered Six Acres.

san Francisco. Cal. Jan AT the
end OF nearly two decades Of incessant
labor and seIf-sacriice an aged padre in
Southern California is beginning TO see
the fulfIIment Of his lies ambition. The
padre is Father O'Keefe. Of the Fran
iciscan order. and the dream that is COM
ing true for him is the restoration Of san
Luis Rey, perhaps the greatest and rich
est Of the wonderful chain Of missions
established in California more than a
century ago. For the first time In two
decades, since 1t was started, real prog
ress, worthy Of the name. is being made
that Is the kind OF progress you can
see with the naked eye-for all the pre-
lvious work was progress, too, but more
in the way Of preparation for the cul-
mination which is now at hand
/ When Father O'Keefe came to San
Luis Rey at the earnest solicitation Of
the Franciscan Brotherhood. - the early
'9Js, he left a post Of comparative
ease at Santa Barbara and undertook a
/ herculean task Since 1916 the mission
I had been vandaEzed. At that date san
/ Luis Rey was taken out OF the hands Of
/ the land-grabbers by Gen Fremont and
restored TO the church. For more than
| forty years il was without a proper
/ head Between 1850 and 800 the van
dalism. which almost totally destroyed
/ the mission. steadily increased The tiles
I from the roofs were sold. arches were
blown up with dynamite for the bricks
/ they contained even the graveyard was
robbed OF lis headstOnes IN the con
scienceIess crusade for petty gain. When
Father Okeefe came 70 san Luis Rey
il was in a pitiable condition. Rain and
wind had caused havoc in the beautiful
church, which had been UnrOofsd. al
most a third Of the wonderful system OF
archways which once formed a quad
ranEle about the mission. was destroyed.
and the entire structure rendered unit
for human habitation. OF the old padre
as he stood there. Il seemed at first an
almost impossible task. For a long time
he kneit In prayers before the ravaged
altar. seeking courage and assistance
from the Divine Power % which he had
long ago consecrateG his life.
His Prayers Answered.
The uplift that he prayed for came at
last. and he went % work % make a
great thing out Of nothing. for funds
were than very low. and the dweIlers IN
the valley round about half hostile. half
afraid Many OF them had pron-ed. d.
rectly or Indirectly. by The systematic
spoliation Of the mission. but Father
O'Keefe went among them with kind
words and that gift Of leadership which
has Deen given with such amplitude 10
word Of reribgtion. and he offered an
equivalent as generous as might be FOR
their assistance. A few OF them came
and the work began. but very. very
slowly. and thus II progressed until about
a year ago. when added funds were avail
able. Now a force % twenty OF more
skilled workmeu some % whom were
among the first 10 undertake the work.
are raising Up the grand old structure 10
its former strength and beauty.
That portion Of the mission formerly /
used as dormitories for monks, instruc-
tors. and travellers is practically re-
stored The corridor leading from the
church westward through the one that
faces the south has a length OF 10 feet. !
The corridor leading north in the west
wing is OF almost equal length. Open
ing from the corridor on both floors are /
rooms fourteen by fifteen feet. with Il
foot ceilings. all OF which have four-inch I
cement floors. twenty-five Of these /
rooms have been completed
The outer walls are three feet in thick /
ness and the inner walls twelve inches. I
The inner rooms look out upon the great /
open court and the out ones give 10 the 4
south and commanded a view OF the
valley. The two arches and the lattice /
brick work along the front have been 4
restored for a distance Of 1S6 feet. Back
of these arches are the dornitories re- 4
ferred TO- forming the south wing. These /
are practically complete as IS also the .
west wing. Is3 feet III length. In addition
TO the living rooms for students. there are .
many study and lecture rooms. libraries (
and other apartments reserved for uses I
that may be determined upon later.
Make Wonderful Transformation. 4
The open court is 10 be % feet square. /
Its eastern side Is formed by the massive
walls OF the church; its southern side by
the restored wing. with its fourteen
arches and portion Of the western side
by the western wing Of the rehabilitated
structure. The northern wall is in proc
ess OF construction. as well as a portion
Of the western wall. which IS Of adobe.
The inner tier 81 arches on the south
side Of the court has been restored and
the corridor formed by them reroofed.
The arches supporting the dome OF the
church IN the northern end Of the mission
have been restored and have only 10 be
plastsred in order 20 conform with the
other portions Of the building.
In connection with the church some
very remarkable restoration work has
been done on the statuary. altar furnish
lngs. and general woodwork. which once
made II thing or remarkable beauty, by
l. r Neza. an expert Mexican wood
carver. who has fo- many years devoted
his time almost exclusively TO this branch
Of mission rehabilitation. Much. Of the
beautiful statuary which formed a mart
Of the church's original furnishing was
marred IN thu work Of vandalism or as
the result Of H. Many handsomely
carved pieces were made of with en-
tirely. and much that could not be re-
moved injured almost beyond the hope OF
repair !.
Meza has worked Indefatlgably 20 re-
store these ancient treasures. and has ;
succeeded very well. indeed-so well that
The church Of San Luis Rey is now al
most up 20 its old-,ime splendor. the
-avagcs Of time and mans ruthlessness
being nearly. II not entirely. obliterated.
The adobe bricks for the work OF re- /
construction are made near by The ,
lay is dug NJ the rear Of the mission
md dried IN the sun. as well as an i'm
'rovised kiln on the mission grounds.
Vast Building I'm Old Days. Il
In the halcyon days San Luis Rev Gov
red six acres Its southern facade was
20 feet long that to the north being 40
Get The inner court was 90 feet square
Ind contained lightweight big cloister
riches. The church is at the southeast 5
quarter OF this Guadrilateral structure ]
{ is practically intact, except where IN
Cofed and has walls fff,--sf, frcbas IN