University of Santa Clara - Redwood Yearbook (Santa Clara, CA)

Page 18 text:

THE REDWOOD CORPUS CHKISTI AT SANTA CLASA IN 1653 ' ' Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells — Tennyson. Las campanas estan tocando la ora- cwn. Yes, the bells, the bells of the tower of Santa Clara Mission were ringing the Angelus. It was a soft and balmy evening of Wednesday, the 25th day of May, 1853, and the College boys to whom had been assigned the pleasing duty of ringing the bells at eventide, were watching with eager curiosity, to hear the echo respond from the Santa Clara Moun- tains, and to notice how the passers-by stood still, at the pealing of the bells; as singly they repeated their orisons with responses to the blessed Virgin, or two together, with bowed heads and deep reverence, as in the famous painting of Millet, announced, one to the other, El Angel del Seilor, and received the corresponding answer, each ending with the Ave Maria. And as the Angelus was heard in its echoes and reverberations over the Valley from the Cerritos to Eos Gatos, and from Santa Teresa to Eas Pulgas, the faithful in those plain, simple and innocent times, did harken to the sound of the evening bells, and wherever they were, at home or abroad, on the road or at rest, in festive joys or in sorrow, even if in wicked carousing, for the moment, they all, — priest and acolyte, master and servant, Indian and gente de razon, high and low, old and young stood still, and with uncovered heads, recited their prayers to the Virgin Mother of the Eord, until the peals of the bells ceased. But on this occasion, after the thrice repeated call of the Angelus, the bells continued with a joyful repique after repique, sending forth the happy and welcome tidings that this was Vesper Wednesday of Corpus Christi. Si Sefior, manana es dia de Corpus, said Dona Juana Garcia to anew arrival, who inquired why the bells were so joyfully sounding, and why there was so much commotion on the Plaza and why the gathering of so many Senoritas, and the erection of stands, and the com- ing and going of Indians cleaning the roads, and obeying orders. From early morning Dona Soledad Arguello, Dona Santos Berryessa, Mrs. Martin Murphy, and Dona Juana Garcia had been busy, each attending to one of the four Capillas or stations erected at the four corners of the Plaza in front of the Mission Church. The good ladies with the help of a bevy of fair Senoritas and a retinue of Caballeros and an army of Indians, had been at work since early morning, each vying with the other as to which of them would have the most handsome Capilla to receive the Eord of Hosts. The Capillas were put up with green willows, covered with white cambrics and spotless linen, and then adorned with rich hangings and draperies, and

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Entered Dec. ?, K)02, at Santa Clara , Calif, as second-class matter, under Act of Congress of March ?, rSj ). VOL. VIII. SANTA CLARA, CAL-, OCTOBER, 1908. No. SILHOUETTES (sonnet) Tn the old mission bower of aini (plaire I lingered as the sunset ' s parting ray Suffused the west with crimson. (Far away, oblong the ridges, silhouetted there gainst the reflep glory, rose in air Fhe forms of the gequoian kings who sway (Forever where iesperian elfins play offtmid the tangle o ' er the grizzly s lair. he crimson purpled into blue, and then (O ' er all pUve ' s veil, with jewels sparkling, fell. o nd now yon darkled silhouettes are men Jn robe and cowl,— the J adres live again,— fhile to the night, of halcyon day to tell c nd glories past, leans erra ' s sad-voiced bell, fihas. p. §outh, J. Jf. ' 01

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THE REDWOOD finished with costly laces, jewels, and ornaments. They were situated at the four extreme corners of the Plaza, with three sides closed, an entrance facing the Plaza and an altar in the rear fac- ing the entrance. Dona Soledad Arguello, the nuera of Don Duis Antonio Arguello, a former Governor of Alta California, who had charge for the day of the festive army of architects, builders and decorators, after the tongues of the Vesper bells had ceased their prattle, sent word around that all was ready for the mor- row; that at nine o ' clock of the follow- ing morning the finishing ornaments would be added, and then, when the Procession called at the Capillas they would be worthy to receive the visits of El Senor. With beaming countenances that joy- ful gathering left for their respective homes, for on the morrow the greatest and most solemn of the festivals of the Church was to be celebrated at the Mis- sion of Santa Clara with all due pomp and ceremony. Padre Real, the last of the Franciscan Friars had left about two years before, and the beautiful, charming and lovable Santa Clara, one of the pearls of the California Missions had been neglected and allowed to moulder until that good Bishop Alemany of blessed memory, en- trusted the Church and convent and buildings to Father Giovanni Nobili coming from the Blackfeet, Nezperces and Flathead Missions of Oregon. He at once undertook to rebuild and re- construct upon the majestic ruins of the old Mission a seat of learning worthy of the Society of Jesus, of that army of educators organized by the hero Sold ier of Pampeluna. But, said Dona Juana Briones, el Padre Nobili has announced that there is to be a Misa Mayor, cantada y con orquesta. A high mass like that re- quires three celebrant priests, and a master of ceremonies. I know it be- cause I was at the Cathedral in San Francisco last Christmas when Su Senoria el Senor Obispo, celebro Misa Mayor con Diaco?io y Subdiacono,, but here there are only Padre Nobili and the ' Francesito ' Padre Veyret. No tengan cuidado, answered the matronly Dona Soledad, our good Padre Nobili is from Rome and he knows a great many things of which we are ignorant. He has great powers from the Pope, and he may even have power to appoint a sub-deacon when necessary. I have read in the books of my de- ceased suegro, Don Euis of blessed memory, that even a Cardinal need not not be a priest fully ordained. Now, Sefioras, I will tell you in secret, that while cleaning and preparing the holy vestments for to-morrow ' s celebration, I have fitted one for the subdeacon, who is to be one of the celebrants at the Misa Mayor. Feminine curiosity was immediately aroused, and with unanimity all shouted: Quien es? Eso si que no, Senoritas. Padre Nobili requested me to keep it secret, but I will tell you this much. He is one of the oldest and tallest of the