There is little left of the feel of the old mission at San Rafael given the damage caused during secularization imposed by the Mexican Government. General Vallejo appropriated all of the mission resources and hired Mission Indians to destroy their own mission.
Our California Mission pilgrimage continues (though I am a couple weeks behind on getting the pictures up). Today, I have Mission San Buenaventura. This mission was the 9th founded by Blessed Junipero Serra in 1782. It is one of six missions in the Los Angeles Archdiocese (San Gabriel, San Fernando, San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Ines, La Purisima Concepcion). As with most of the missions it is still an active parish.
California fourth graders have to do reports on the Missions as part of California history. Fourth graders are welcome to use my images for their reports (if allowed by their teachers).
Our family has been on a local pilgrimage to visit all 21 of the California Missions. So far we have visited San Gabriel, San Fernando (the pictures there weren't so good so we are going back there), San Juan Capistrano, San Luis Rey, Santa Barbara, San Diego and San Buenaventura.
I have a couple of the pix for Mission San Diego visit in this post. If you click on one of the images, it will take you to my San Diego Mission photo album. San Diego was the first mission, established in 1769.
California fourth graders have to do reports on the Missions as part of California history. Fourth graders are welcome to use my images for their reports (if allowed by their teachers).
I have added Mission San Luis Rey to our list of California Mission sites. Unfortunately, they do not allow pictures inside the church - but let me tell you the altar and art work are awe inspiring.
Each year thousands of fourth graders throughout California learn about Fray Junipero Serra and the California missions. I did it, my siblings did it, my eldest did it, my other children will do it. There will be models and diaromas and reports and all kinds of good fun.
Well, I may be able to help. My family has set a goal of visiting all 21 missions and taking pictures at all of them. Now, you won't find much of the history here - there is a lot out there for you to find. But I do have pictures you may want to use.
Sorry to say, we only have three of them this year. San Gabriel, San Juan Capistrano, and Santa Barbara. As more become available I will post them.
