Reverend Raymond M. Mestres of Monterey Writes Historical
Drama--"Fray Junipero"
Beautiful among beautiful historical dramas is the mission play "Fray
Junipero" written by Reverend Raymond Mestres, pastor of San Carlos
Church (Capilla Real de San Carlos) of Monterey. Many men and women have
undertaken to write about mission times, but we may safely assert that
this good priest so unassuming in what he does, is above all qualified
to handle this subject, being first of all a religious, a native of
Barcelona, the Metropolis of the Province of Catalonia, which can claim
Junipero Serra and so many of the early Spanish missionaries, explorers
and settlers, and being too an artist and scholar in every way
acquainted with the history of the missions, having made it a special
study during his twenty-seven years of residence (as a priest) in four
mission towns of California, twenty-one of which have been spent in that
chief of mission towns, Monterey.
Unbiased, careful of detail and true to history, while not wanting in
artistic setting "Fray Junipero" carries the audience in Act I back to
the College of Fernando, when Junipero Serra received his commission to
come to California as Father President of the Missionaries who were to
christianize that "mysterious vineyard." Act II is a typical picture of
California Indian Life. Act III depicts the landing of Serra and Portola
on the shores of Monterey, the taking possession of the land in the name
of King Carlos III and the celebration of Junipero Serra's first Mass in
Monterey; all facts are taken from the archives preserved in San Carlos
Church, consequently historically authentic. Act IV pictures a piquant
fiesta scene with Spanish dancing, the scene being laid in the Carmel
Valley on the occasion of the baptism of the first white child born in
Monterey. This child was born of Spanish parents, Pasqual and Teresa
Segura and in baptism received the name of Carlos. According to the
records this baptism occurred in May 18, 1782, the ceremony being
performed by Fray Junipero Serra just two years before his death.
With very slight changes in the names this incident is taken from the
archives of San Carlos Mission. Act V represents Fray Junipero Serra
receiving the last Sacraments, his death and the grief of the people.
In writing "Fray Junipero" Reverend Raymond Mestres intended it to
commemorate the Bicentenary of our hero's birth, and was presented for
the first time in Monterey on August 28th, 1913 by local talent. This
will be an annual event at Monterey on the same date, August 28th, which
is the anniversary of Fray Junipero Serra's death. In spite of poor
advertisement the first production of this drama was a decided success.
It was intended to be played three nights, but by request a fourth night
was added.
As this sketch goes to press, the rehearsing of the second year of
the production of "Fray Junipero" begins with great improvement in the
staging, and a greater promise of success as it is now much more widely
known.
May an ancient Spanish Nativity Play for Christmastide, which Reverend
Raymond Mestres intends to translate into English, and which contains
glorious music, and a history of mission times, which this scholarly
pastor of San Carlos Church has in store, soon delight Californians and
California's yearly tide of tens of thousand visitors.
Appendix
Letter of Junipero Serra [7].
"Long live Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
"R. P. Fr. Miguel de Petra.
"My dearest nephew, brother and Sir.
"It was not for want of love that I did not answer some of your letters.
For it was not merely bodily that I left my beloved country. I could
have been communicating with many persons by letters and friends, both
in and outside our order, but, if our minds were constantly intent upon
what we once left, what would be the use of leaving it?
"I wrote a long letter to your reverence after your religious
profession. Besides, your reverence heard of me through the Padre Lector
Verger, who is at present our guardian. I received your letter when
I was among the Gentiles over three hundred leagues away from any
Christian settlement. There is my life and there, I hope, God helping,
to die. When this hour comes, some member of our province will take
care to notify our brethren that they may pray for me, and then, your
reverence will know it. What else does your reverence desire? Your
reverence lives among saints, and, therefore I do not deem you in need
of my advice and counsel, which indeed would be the only justifiable
motive for my writing.
"Let us improve and make good use of our time, let us walk worthy of
the vocation in which we were called, let us work out our spiritual
salvation, with fear and trembling, and that of our brethren, with the
most ardent charity and zeal, and let all glory be to our great God.
In connection with this, I took great pleasure in learning that your
reverence was preaching a mission at Ivisa when Padre Commissary Verger
passed through there. The time given to this apostolic ministry with the
blessing of your superiors, preaching in your words and deeds, hearing
confessions with love and patience, I believe, will be the best and most
fruitful you ever spent.
"Though a lukewarm, bad and an unprofitable servant, I remember every
day in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, my only and most dear sister
Juana, your mother, her children, and specially my Capuchin. I hope all
of you do the same for me that the Lord may secure me from all dangers
among these naked and barbarous peoples. Let this be our mutual
correspondence, and let God do the rest.
"And that I may give your reverence some news of my destination, I
beg your reverence to look on the maps of America. You will see in the
shores of the South Sea, most improperly called Pacific, the Peninsula
of California [Lower California]. I was there for a year in the capacity
of President of the Missions already founded by the exiled Jesuit
Fathers. Then followed north along the same coast and just a little
before what is called Cabo Mendosino, you will find in some maps, the
title or name the Port of Monte Rey.
"There your uncle lives, among those poor people. There I went with the
first Christians in 1770. There I sang the first Mass and there I have
been in company with Fr. Juan Crespi until the latter part of August.
Then I left for this college in order to transact some very important
business with the Most Excellent Lord Viceroy concerning the maintenance
and increase of those Christian settlements and the establishment of
those already proposed and planned, or that may be planned.
"Thanks to God, I have been kindly received and given close attention by
His Excellency and he has granted me whatever I have asked of him;
so, God helping, I hope for a quick and very extensive expansion and
spreading of our Holy Faith and of the domains of our Catholic King.
"In addition to one Mission where we spread Christianity in California
[Lower California] which I called San Fernando de Vellixata, there are
five already founded in that far off land; Monterey which said Padre
Crespi and I administer, San Antonio de Padua, twenty-five leagues
distant, with Padre President, Fr. Miguel Pieras and Fr. Buenaventura
Sitjar; that of San Luis Obispo, twenty-five leagues farther away,
where I placed two religious members of the Province of Catalonia,
Padre Juncosa and Padre Cavallier, that of San Gabriel, seventy
leagues farther away towards California [Lower California], for which I
appointed one father from the Province of Los Angeles and another from
that of Andalucia; and finally that of San Diego, which is the nearest
to California [Lower California] though over one hundred leagues
distant, and I appointed as ministers Padre Fr. Francisco Dumetz and
Padre Fr. Luis Jaume. They are all working with earnestness and abundant
fruit in their respective fields of labor.
"When in 1769 I left California [Lower California], I appointed Padre
Palou President of the Missions there and I have not seen him since; but
now these missions, formerly in charge of the Fathers of the Society
of Jesus, are being turned over to the Dominican Fathers. So said Padre
Palou with others, will come to us in order to found the Missions of San
Buenaventura, Santa Clara and San Francisco for which missions I have
already there the ornaments, the sacred vessels, utensils and other
necessary things.
"The number of Christians in those places, where the name of Jesus had
never been spoken, though there are some in all the Missions, still up
to the present, is not very great; because while we have been very busy
building our poor houses, little churches, teaching some children to be
interpreters, and providing other necessary things, our efforts could
not equal our ardent desires.
"Now that things are going, and His Excellency has given, upon my
request, various things of which we stood in the greatest need, I hope
in God, we shall reap abundant fruits from our humble work. And I say
that our work is so-so, such as it is, because, if I told you all we are
doing, it might seem a great thing, when in reality, upon a closer view,
it would seem very insignificant.
"In spite of the cold, which is very intense in California, the lack
of victuals, the poverty of our houses, I have been enjoying very good
health, thanks be to God! But this trip to Mexico has been very hard
on me. From the hardships of the journey, I arrived in the City of
Guadalajara burning with fever. I was so sick and in such danger that
the last Sacraments were administered to me a few days after.
"As soon as the continual fever became intermittent, I continued my
journey, and arrived in the city of Queretaro, again, so weak and sick,
that fearing for my life, they administered to me the last Sacraments
of the Church. Yet soon after I experienced a change for the better
and finally I reached this Holy College on February 6th of this present
year. I remained, however, for a long time exhausted, weak and without
any ambition or appetite.
"But now, blessed be God! I am restored and brought back to health, I am
transacting the business for which I came, and feel ready to set out on
my journey back to that vineyard of the Lord.
"During my sickness in Queretaro, I was nursed with remarkable charity
and diligence, by Padre Procurador Fr. Alexandro Llaneras, and soon
after I arrived here, in this College of San Fernando, we heard of his
death. He died of a serious fever. Death found him well prepared with
all the Sacraments, assisted by Holy Communion, equipped with patience
and entire conformity to the will of God, thus preaching to all with his
example. I beg your reverence to pray for him.
"It is only once a year that we can receive letters from and send them
to, this College. And if we can only once a year receive and write a
letter, is it surprising that we are so slow to write to those living
in another world? However, if with the help of God, I safely arrive
in California, I may drop you a letter telling at least of my arrival,
should there be nothing of more importance to communicate to your
reverence. Meanwhile, I send my best regards to your mother, my dearest
sister, to my niece, and to all our brethren. Remember me to my beloved
Dr. Onofre Verd, and to the other pupils of mine, friends and neighbors
and acquaintances, specially to Fr. Rector de Selva, Dr. Jayme Font, and
finally to all, not without the request that they pray to God, that His
Divine Majesty deign, through His infinite mercy, to make me fit and
worthy minister of His Divine Word, and grant me a holy and happy death.
"From this Apostolic College de Propaganda Fide of San Fernando, Mexico,
August 4, 1773.
"May God keep your reverence for many years;
"Most affectionate uncle, brother and servant.
"Fr. Junipero Serra."
The Meaning of California Missions
By Right Rev. Bishop Conaty, of Los Angeles
In the mission celebrations which occur in California from time to
time, there are two views which men take--the this-world-view and the
other-world-view. In either view the missions stand out gloriously. In
the first, the builders, who were the padres, are beheld as practical
men possessing fine artistic sense and creative genius. From the
memories of old Spain and the elemental materials at hand, the forests,
the soil and sunlight, they made the original picture-building which
artists since have loved to paint, and poets loved to praise. From this
same viewpoint the mission builders are seen as philanthropists who
selected human materials as gross as the mud from which they made
the adobe brick, and from these built up a civilization that was more
wonderful than all the mission-edifices which remain as monuments to
their altruistic efforts.
But there is another view of the missions which must appeal especially
to Catholics. Indeed it is natural to the farther-seeing Catholic eye.
It is the other-world-view. It is the vision of souls. It is seen to
have been the motive of every action of the master-builder padres. It
is the reason for their exile here, the purpose of their sufferings, the
object of their labor, the burden of their prayer, the spirit of their
vocation, the poetry, art, architecture and music of their souls. The
one aim in life was the salvation of souls.
--The Monitor.
Dances of Early California Times.
The Spanish dances of early California times were the Contradanza,
Quadrillas Espanolas, Varsoviana, Jota Aragonesa, Bamba, Jarabe, Son,
Zamacueca, and Fandango.
With the exception of the first three, which are round dances, the
dances are danced by two persons; the steps are very fancy, and for some
castanets are used. It was customary after each change of step for the
gentleman to recite a pretty little stanza complimentary to the lady,
who in turn responded her refined appreciation also in verse, sometimes
merely witty or comical rhymes were used. The music is very pleasing and
lively.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: Official title of the Kings of Spain.]
[Footnote 2: Blue and white are the symbolical colors of the Blessed
Virgin Mary.]
[Footnote 3: The Very Reverend Angelo Casanova selected the writer
of this sketch and her brother, then little children to unveil this
monument.]
[Footnote 4: Alberto de Cordoba, an excellent engineer, surveyed the
Harbor of San Francisco in 1813, at the request of Governor Borica.]
[Footnote 5: A Catholic devotion in honor of Our Saviour's Passion.]
[Footnote 6: This beautiful hymn is found in many ancient Spanish books
of devotion.]
[Footnote 7: This letter was written by Junipero Serra soon after his
arrival at the College of San Fernando, Mexico, on a business trip he
made there four years after his coming to California. The letter was
written to his nephew, also a priest, in Petra, Spain.]
End of Project Gutenberg's Chimes of Mission Bells, by Maria Antonia Field