Texas Independent Bar Association Austin, Texas Louis Lopez, Jr. Charles Mallin Gail Kikawa McConnell Angela J. Moore

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2 Published By Texas Independent Bar Association Austin, Texas Web Page: Alan Curry Helena Faulkner Lee Haidusek John G. Jasuta Copyright 2013 Texas Independent Bar Association and the following Commentators Louis Lopez, Jr. Charles Mallin Gail Kikawa McConnell Angela J. Moore Editor-in-Chief: John G. Jasuta Doug O Brien Greg Sherwood David A. Schulman Kevin P. Yeary Clicking a hyperlink (such as a judge s name) will load the linked opinion or document in your web browser. It is TIBA s policy that commentators do not summarize or comment on cases in which they were involved. Volume 22, Number 3 ~ Monday, January 20, 2014 (No. 995)

3 Texas Photo Pictorial Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS Photos by Trina DeConcini From Las Misinoes Old Spanish Missions of the Archdiocese of San Antonio A joint partnership with the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior The Old Spanish Missions of San Antonio are a chain of five colonial era compounds located in a southern line from the center of downtown San Antonio to the southern edge of the city. They were established in the 18th Century as an outreach of the Spanish Government and the Catholic Church. The Franciscan Fathers founded each mission to evangelize the regional natives, teach them skills to help them adopt to Spanish ways, and minister to their needs. Additionally, the effort was to make them active citizens of the Spanish province of Tejas. Military forces were often located in the vicinity of each mission to offer protection. Click on Any of the Photographs in this Pictorial to View the Full Sized Image. TIBA s Texas Law Reporter - Vol. 22, No. 3 - January 20, Page 1

4 TIBA s Texas Law Reporter - Vol. 22, No. 3 - January 20, Page 2 Four of the five original missions still function as active Catholic parish Churches. They serve both a stable population of parish members as well as many visitors who attend worship services. These are Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan and Espada. They are operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio as the Old Spanish Missions, Inc., an umbrella non-profit organization to provide for their care. The Archbishop of San Antonio appoints the Director of the Old Spanish Missions, who is responsible for the maintenance and restoration of the mission churches.

5 San Antonio de Valero, known as the Alamo, is owned by the State of Texas and operated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. It does not function as an active parish church and is not part of the Old Spanish Missions, Inc. Today the National Park Service operates the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in collaboration with the Archdiocese. The Park Service is responsible for all the secular elements of the four compounds, including buildings, landscape and visitor centers. The Archdiocese continues to care solely for the church buildings. TIBA s Texas Law Reporter - Vol. 22, No. 3 - January 20, Page 3

6 Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo 1720, Antonio Margil de Jesús, a Franciscan friar, founded what became the best known of the Texas Missions, San José y San Miguel de Aguayo. Viewed as a model of Mission organization, Mission San José was a major social center. The unique architecture of its church and the richness of its fields and pastures led visitors to comment on its beauty. The size of the complex bears witness to San José's reputation as the "Queen of the Missions." Mission San José was moved twice from its original site until it was finally built at its present location, set back from the temperamental river to a place on a small rise. At this time, it entered into a period of great achievement. Mission San José became the showplace of the Southwest. The present church of Mission San José was begun in 1758 with the cornerstone laid by Governor Don Hugo Oconor and Gaspar José Solis, a Franciscan inspector. It was not completed until 1782 but became "the most beautiful church along the entire frontier of New Spain. TIBA s Texas Law Reporter - Vol. 22, No. 3 - January 20, Page 4