Wicked, Mission San Gabriel, Raj-ma-hall, 112 Degrees, and Counseling
Labor Day Weekend
Last weekend was another whirlwind weekend for us. For my birthday Lara took me Wicked, the Broadway Production. Also over Labor Day we accomplished tons; Mission San Gabriel, Raj-ma-hall, 112 Degrees, and Counseling with Patrick and Deacon Dennis. How to touch on all that we have accomplished in such a short time span? I don’t know where to start, maybe at the Mission of San Gabriel?
Stop one of our quick weekend; the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a former Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. On the way to the production in downtown Los Angeles, this was the first place we visited in our weekend adventure. This was the site of the first hospital in Alta, California and settlement, which was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan Order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary" September 8, 1771. The Mission, often referred to as the "Godmother of the Pueblo of Los Angeles," was designed by Father Antonio Cruzado, from Córdoba, Spain, which accounts for the strong Moorish influence in the structures.
The original planned site for the Mission was along the banks of the Río de los Temblores “the River of the Earthquakes” — the Santa Ana River. However, the priests chose an alternate site on a fertile plain located directly alongside the Rio Hondo in the Whittier Narrows (Hmmm this is a historic site for floods isn’t it? Let me check my thesis and I will get back to you, earthquakes or floods?) Anyhow, the site of the Misión Vieja (or "Old Mission") is located near the intersection of San Gabriel Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue in Montebello (known to the natives as Shevaanga). In 1776, a flash flood destroyed much of the crops and ruined the Mission complex, which was subsequently relocated five miles closer to the mountains in present-day San Gabriel (the native settlement of Iisanchanga).
The Mission is the base from the pueblo that became the City of Los Angeles. On December 8, 1812 (the "Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin") a series of massive earthquakes shook Southern California. The 1812 Wrightwood Earthquake caused the three-bell campanario to collapse. A larger, six-bell structure was subsequently constructed at the far end of the capilla. We really enjoyed walking the gardens, visiting the graveyard looking for relatives, and taking pictures of the chapel and fountains. Can we sit in the fountain, it is really hot out here?
Legend has it that the founding expedition was confronted by a large group of native Shoshone peoples whose intentions were to drive the strangers away. One of the padres laid a painting of "Our Lady of Sorrows" on the ground for all to see, whereupon the natives (known to the settlers as the Gabrieliños) immediately made peace with the missionaries, so moved were they by the painting's beauty.
While we were visiting, in over 100-degree temperatures might I interject, we saw Lara’s step-uncle. He was hiding in the library in an air-conditioned portion of the mission grounds. He gave us a tour of the grounds, the inner workings of the mission, the library and kitchen, and gave us a brief description of the history on the Mission. He expressed in the tour that over 25,000 baptisms were conducted at San Gabriel between 1771 and 1834, making it the most prolific in the mission chain. In its heyday, it furnished food and supplies to settlements and other missions throughout California. A majority of the Mission structures fell into ruins after it was secularized in November 1834. Thousands of Indians were also buried within the grounds, which we found significant to the tour.
The Mission is rich in the history and traditions of early California. The San Gabriel Mission Arcángel was the fourth of twenty-one California missions founded. In the early mission era, it grew into a mission called the "Pride of the Missions," for its large production of crops and trading of cattle hides and wine. Some of this history has been preserved for viewing in the church, museum, and grounds. This mission is the fourth mission in our mission tour (research derived from Wikipedia.org).
After our blistering hot tour of the Mission, our next stop was the Raj-ma-hall. We had the opportunity to see the newest Catholic Church in downtown Los Angles, an extravagant concrete museum-style monolith. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Although Cardinal Mahoney wasn’t available for counseling, we did run into his administrative assistant, a polished and debonair sort of fellow. Look, a hair out of place? or is that a flake of dust on your tunic? Although it was great, grand and pristine, I think we both prefer the dichotomy of the earthy yet sacred feel of the missions and the Irish churches Lara saw last month.
Then it was off to Cheesecake Factory, the Pantages to see "Wicked", and counseling the following day with more church-counselor people. I think I need counselling from all the counselling!. Can you suggest a good counselor? Maybe one that has interests in mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and can tell me about black bears? Ok wait, Patrick can! As an Irishman, he seems to really understand the nature of, well, everything! I think we are in good hands. Maybe I can pass on the next topic to the lovely Lara? My love, can you tell us about Wicked, Patrick the Counselor, and your thoughts on the Raj-ma-hall and the Great Anaheim Warming Disaster? Is it a conspiracy?
For the rest of you, I will be off defending the County from Democrats, Ahmadinejads, people that want to build in the agricultural zones, evil engineers that want to split farms into multiple subdivisions, people that want to develop in flood zones, and the ubiquitous mobile homes that won’t go away. Oh wait, maybe I am going to get away from all of that while visiting the lovely state of Washington. Yes, it is that time of the year again, Annual Training. Keep an eye on the blog for me and make sure you keep those comments coming. I expect twelve comments on the blog while I am away. Be safe and wish me luck at Warrior Leader School.
Regards,
S
Last weekend was another whirlwind weekend for us. For my birthday Lara took me Wicked, the Broadway Production. Also over Labor Day we accomplished tons; Mission San Gabriel, Raj-ma-hall, 112 Degrees, and Counseling with Patrick and Deacon Dennis. How to touch on all that we have accomplished in such a short time span? I don’t know where to start, maybe at the Mission of San Gabriel?
Stop one of our quick weekend; the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a former Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. On the way to the production in downtown Los Angeles, this was the first place we visited in our weekend adventure. This was the site of the first hospital in Alta, California and settlement, which was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan Order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary" September 8, 1771. The Mission, often referred to as the "Godmother of the Pueblo of Los Angeles," was designed by Father Antonio Cruzado, from Córdoba, Spain, which accounts for the strong Moorish influence in the structures.
The original planned site for the Mission was along the banks of the Río de los Temblores “the River of the Earthquakes” — the Santa Ana River. However, the priests chose an alternate site on a fertile plain located directly alongside the Rio Hondo in the Whittier Narrows (Hmmm this is a historic site for floods isn’t it? Let me check my thesis and I will get back to you, earthquakes or floods?) Anyhow, the site of the Misión Vieja (or "Old Mission") is located near the intersection of San Gabriel Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue in Montebello (known to the natives as Shevaanga). In 1776, a flash flood destroyed much of the crops and ruined the Mission complex, which was subsequently relocated five miles closer to the mountains in present-day San Gabriel (the native settlement of Iisanchanga).
The Mission is the base from the pueblo that became the City of Los Angeles. On December 8, 1812 (the "Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin") a series of massive earthquakes shook Southern California. The 1812 Wrightwood Earthquake caused the three-bell campanario to collapse. A larger, six-bell structure was subsequently constructed at the far end of the capilla. We really enjoyed walking the gardens, visiting the graveyard looking for relatives, and taking pictures of the chapel and fountains. Can we sit in the fountain, it is really hot out here?
Legend has it that the founding expedition was confronted by a large group of native Shoshone peoples whose intentions were to drive the strangers away. One of the padres laid a painting of "Our Lady of Sorrows" on the ground for all to see, whereupon the natives (known to the settlers as the Gabrieliños) immediately made peace with the missionaries, so moved were they by the painting's beauty.
While we were visiting, in over 100-degree temperatures might I interject, we saw Lara’s step-uncle. He was hiding in the library in an air-conditioned portion of the mission grounds. He gave us a tour of the grounds, the inner workings of the mission, the library and kitchen, and gave us a brief description of the history on the Mission. He expressed in the tour that over 25,000 baptisms were conducted at San Gabriel between 1771 and 1834, making it the most prolific in the mission chain. In its heyday, it furnished food and supplies to settlements and other missions throughout California. A majority of the Mission structures fell into ruins after it was secularized in November 1834. Thousands of Indians were also buried within the grounds, which we found significant to the tour.
The Mission is rich in the history and traditions of early California. The San Gabriel Mission Arcángel was the fourth of twenty-one California missions founded. In the early mission era, it grew into a mission called the "Pride of the Missions," for its large production of crops and trading of cattle hides and wine. Some of this history has been preserved for viewing in the church, museum, and grounds. This mission is the fourth mission in our mission tour (research derived from Wikipedia.org).
After our blistering hot tour of the Mission, our next stop was the Raj-ma-hall. We had the opportunity to see the newest Catholic Church in downtown Los Angles, an extravagant concrete museum-style monolith. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Although Cardinal Mahoney wasn’t available for counseling, we did run into his administrative assistant, a polished and debonair sort of fellow. Look, a hair out of place? or is that a flake of dust on your tunic? Although it was great, grand and pristine, I think we both prefer the dichotomy of the earthy yet sacred feel of the missions and the Irish churches Lara saw last month.
Then it was off to Cheesecake Factory, the Pantages to see "Wicked", and counseling the following day with more church-counselor people. I think I need counselling from all the counselling!. Can you suggest a good counselor? Maybe one that has interests in mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and can tell me about black bears? Ok wait, Patrick can! As an Irishman, he seems to really understand the nature of, well, everything! I think we are in good hands. Maybe I can pass on the next topic to the lovely Lara? My love, can you tell us about Wicked, Patrick the Counselor, and your thoughts on the Raj-ma-hall and the Great Anaheim Warming Disaster? Is it a conspiracy?
For the rest of you, I will be off defending the County from Democrats, Ahmadinejads, people that want to build in the agricultural zones, evil engineers that want to split farms into multiple subdivisions, people that want to develop in flood zones, and the ubiquitous mobile homes that won’t go away. Oh wait, maybe I am going to get away from all of that while visiting the lovely state of Washington. Yes, it is that time of the year again, Annual Training. Keep an eye on the blog for me and make sure you keep those comments coming. I expect twelve comments on the blog while I am away. Be safe and wish me luck at Warrior Leader School.
Regards,
S
Labels: adventures
Posted by Sean
3:37 PM
1 Comments:
Loved how you added the mission, it helped me with my 4th grade mission project:)
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Anonymous, at 10:46 AM
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