​Holy Spirit leads us and guides us, archbishop says at Mission San José 300th jubilee

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Catholic News Agency

Holy Spirit leads us and guides us, archbishop says at Mission San José 300th jubilee

God is full of surprises! Those were the opening words from Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, at a special liturgy celebrating the 300th jubilee on San José Mission, “the Queen of the Missions,” on February 19.

Special guests at the liturgy, introduced by Father Rogelio Martinez, OFM, pastor, included Father Thomas Narin, OFM, provincial minister of the Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart in St. Louis; and Father —- from St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Penn.

From 1859 to 1868 Mission San José was in the care of the Benedictine Fathers from the archabbey. Then, from 1872 to 1888, the Holy Cross Fathers took charge for a period of 16 years. The order’s involvement at the site was also recognized at the jubilee Mass.

The modern parish of San José was formally erected and given territorial boundaries on Sept. 15, 1932. A year earlier, the Franciscan Fathers from St. Louis had accepted the invitation of Archbishop Arthur J. Drossaerts to return to the scene of their former labors, after an absence of more than 100 years. Friars from the province has been staffing the mission for about 90 years.

As parishioners gathered in the historic, sacred place, Archbishop Gustavo told listeners that they were challenged by the faith, trust, and love of those who have gone before. Three hundred years ago, Fray Antonio Margil de Jesus led Franciscan missionaries from Zacatecas to build Mission San José y Miguel de Aguayo.

“With its humble beginnings, they could not have foreseen the three centuries of Catholic worship and life that we celebrate today,” the archbishop marveled. “At the same time, we are called and challenged to have faith and to see people and events as God sees them — hope in God’s promises that justice and peace will eventually prevail in our world — and love of God and neighbor despite the difficulties we may encounter along our pilgrim way.”

Archbishop Gustavo assured the mission goers that Our Lady of Guadalupe has promised to be with us always. “We do not walk alone. We journey as a community of faith, hope, and love — trusting in God’s promises for a future of justice and peace,” the archbishop repeated. “The risen Lord is in our midst! Those who have gone before us in the faith are with us with the heavenly hosts praising God!”