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

Page 19 text:

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

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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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THE REDWOOD College students, and a most devout son of our Holy Mother Church. No coaxing could induce Dona Sole- dad to divulge the secret. Thursday commenced with a very anxious and busy morning for the stu- dents of Santa Clara College, who then numbered few over fifty boarders. They were of all ages and nationalities and opposite creeds. But they were Santa Clara boys, and whether native or East- ern, Mexican or South Americans, English, French or Italians, Catholic or Protestant, Christian, Jew or Gentile, they were Santa Clara boys. To some of them had been assigned the responsible duty of Acolyte, and they had been turning over, pressing, cleaning and arranging the red cassocks and white surplices, remnants oi Mission days, gifts from the good Nuns of Guad- alajara, and carefully concealed from vandalism by Padre Real, before he left the Mission. Others were attending to the choir led by Alejandro Forbes, the sweet- voiced and warbling soprano of the Col- lege, Charley Simpson, Dolf Grimwood and myself. The bell-ringers, with Barney Murphy at their head were privileged charac- ters, coming and going at their pleasure, masters of the situation. Their arduous duties entitling them to be out of Church and out of doors, with free in- gress to the Refectory to recuperate from their active exercises, especially that of turning the Esquila. The Esqxdla sonora con su voz pre- gonando, was an important factor in all high functions and ceremonials of the Mission. It was a revolving bell placed on the south opening of the tow- er, and turned quickly by hand, only used, with its loud voice, on great fes- tivals and holidays, such as Corpus Christi. The other boys were to occupy seats on plain redwood benches in the church near the railing and on the right hand side toward the altar. The Faculty and the Powers that at the time were representing Santa Clara College, consisted of Father John Nobili and Father Aloysius Veyret, Monsieur Pascal, who was a combina- tion of general Prefect, Master of Disci- pline, Mathematician, Musician and factotum for all emergencies, and Mr. Wm. Higgins to whom was assigned the A, B, C ' s, and youthful portions of the Institution, and whose favorite occupa- tion was to quarrel with that Dutch Monsieur Pascal — to the delight of good Father Nobili, the peacemaker. With such limited resources the executive abilities of Father Nobili were taxed to their utmost, but he responded fully to all the requirements of the occasion. Sam Middleton, the oldest and most stalwart of the boys was elevated to the position of Disciplinarian and given charge of the boys not otherwise occu- pied at Church and during the proces- sion, with Harry Cobb as assistant. To Mr. Higgins was delegated the official duty of watching over the grounds, with full supervision of order, peace and quiet, especially among the