Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-06-14
Bishop Shaw Plans the Rehab-
ilitation of Splendid
Edifices.
Missions That Were Founded
Early i'm Seventeenth
Century.
HONORING The HEROIC DEAD

The ancient franciscan missions
OF the Southwest, prototypes of an
architecture which has spread all
over the world, famous in history,
are being reopened for active service
in the field of religion. The Right
Rev. j. w. Shaw, Bishop of the
San Antonio diocese, presided re-
Gently at the formal inaugural of the
head of one of the restored mis-
! sions. 81 want it distinctly under
Stood" said the Bishop, that in this
work of rehabilitation | shall not
modernize these splendid edifices.
the exteriors will not be changed at
all and the interiors will only be
made suitable for use, Just as they
were when first built. Thus in hon.
oring the heroic dead we shall also
preserve the monuments to their
faith in God, which they erected
with so much toll and sacrifice"
The first ancient structure to re-
ceive the touches of rehabilitation is
the Mission Purissima Conception,
two miles south of San Antonio. The
Very Rev. James M. Kirwin, of Cal
weston, who delivered sermon on
the subject of this mission, brought
to public notice an interesting
legend concerning the edifice. 1t re-
lates to the immaculate conception
and is to the effect that the church
was built with mortar mixed with
milk in order to make an impression
upon the simple minds of the Indian
laborers.
Just when this mission of
PnriCCiOno Cnnnnnffnn
Father Kirwin said, sis a matter of
doubt. We find the record of 1716
and the conflicting statement Of
1881. A full century and more be-
fore the Church Catholic formally
proclaimed the dogma of the immac-
ulate conception here on the Texas
they had taught 7 e dogma and -
Icy ox fajklsrinxth he -erec,,.
ton or This nlagnfficent chapel.
Their simple peon descendants know
Of the passing of the venerable An
tonic Margil, o. l. F., who just two
centuries ago exercised his benefit
cent and heroic labors from the bor-
der to Natchitoches in Louisiana
and from Nacogdoches to San
Antonio, and who, miraculously
transported by the arms of God
across a great river, has left the
memory of the special favor in the
name that another stream bears
even to this day, Brazos de Dios."
It is expected the work of restor-
ing the dilapiadted building will be
finished in a few months. AS soon
as it is completed regular services
will be held in the ancient edifice.
Adjoining the mission is a small
community of Mexicans who will
chiefly compose its congregation.
The other missions to be re-
habilitated under this general plan
which Bishop Shaw has adopted are
the San Antonio Valero, founded in
1716, and situated adjoining the
little Mexican community of San
Francisco, first settled by Indians
belonging to the Vance and other
tribes; San Jose de Aguayo, founded
in 1920. adjoining which there is
also a small Mexican village; San
Juan Capistran, founded in 1716,
and San Francisco de la Estada,
founded in 1716.
All these missions are situated on
the San Antonio river and are two
or three miles apart. They are of
picturesque architecture, much of
the exterior and interior decorative
work being still in a splendid state
OF preservation. According to tradi-
tion, the best artists and sculptors
OF Spain were brought here to work
on these buildings.