A bronze plaque is affixed to the front of the old Sacred Heart Catholic Church, on Bevins Street in Menard Texas. The marker reads as follows:
"RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL MARKER TO REMEMBER THE FOUNDING OF THE SANTA CRUZ DE SAN SABA MISSION
This historic Catholic Church, built in 1899, is been designated as a religious, cultural and historical monument to remember the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Santa Cruz de San Saba Mission, 2 miles east of Menard, in 1757 by the Franciscan missionaries and their companions.
Sadly, the mission was destroyed on March 16, 1758, and two of the three Franciscan missionaries of the mission were killed - Father Alonzo Giraldo de Terreros, OFM, and Father Joseph de Santiesteban, OFM. They are truly called "martyrs for the faith."
The civic, ecumenical, religious dedication of this monument was held on June 9, 2007 in the ceremony led by Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer, OMI of the Diocese of San Angelo."
The Plaque dedication and associated ceremonies were covered in the San Angelo Standard-Times newspaper:
Mission to Menard
Posted: June 10, 2007
Procession honors landmark's 250th year
By Jenny Michaud
In March 1758, at the Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba, Catholic missionaries, presidio-housed soldiers and newly converted Indians received their last Mass before the mission was attacked and destroyed.
Today, 250 years after the mission was built, thousands will walk the 2¤ miles from the site of the old mission to modern-day Menard and receive Mass from the same chalice believed to have been used for that final Mass at the mission.
Menard and surrounding communities will continue to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the mission and presidio throughout the coming week.
The mission was built in 1757 and destroyed when it was attacked by a force of Comanche, Caddo and Wichita Indians the following year. According to the Handbook of Texas Online, 17 Indians and eight Spaniards died duringing the battle and at skirmishes in the nearby presidio, a fortress built by the Spanish to protect the mission. The site of the mission fell into obscurity but was rediscovered in 1993 by a team of archeologists from Texas Tech University.
Bishop Michael Pfeifer of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo said the mission remains a powerful symbol for people in the area, and Saturday's celebration will emphasize its importance.
"The dedication is to remind us of the great historical event," he said, "when civilization and humanity moved to that part of the state."
Arnold Saucedo, who has helped coordinate the event through Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Menard, agreed the mission's history is important to the community.
"This is pretty significant, the 250 years of the founding of a mission and trying to celebrate the movement of Christianity in the world," he said.
In honor of the occasion, the diocese is holding a special peace procession. The pilgrimage will begin at the historic site of the first mission, three miles east of downtown Menard, and lead back into town. There, a special dedication ceremony will be held at the newly established memorial for the 250th anniversary in the original Catholic church. The church was built in 1899.
The dedication ceremony includes the unveiling of a painting of the original mission's destruction, done by San Angelo artist Lorenzo Castenada. His 10-foot-long, 7-foot-high mural will be placed in what was the sanctuary of the old church. A Mass will follow in the afternoon.
Numerous dignitaries, including Ambassador of Spain Juan Terreros, archeologist Grant Hall who discovered the mission site, five Franciscan priests and other local and state representatives, will be present for the celebration.
Additionally, Pfeifer noted, members of the Comanche tribe will travel from Oklahoma to attend and sing "Our Father" in their native language.
"We're not there to dwell on what happened 250 years ago," Pfeifer said, "but to think about the presence and the meaning of the mission."
Archeology plays an important role in the continuing effort to unearth the history of the area. Through the week, some 500 archeologists, including youths on scholarship from the Texas Forts Trail and students from Texas Tech University will conduct excavations the site of the Presidio.
Other celebrations through next Saturday include bike rides, tours, parties and archeological activities.
"We want to try to involve the whole community," Saucedo said. "I think it's important to show people the history that Menard has."
If you go
* What: 250th anniversary of the Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba in Menard.
* When: Begins at 7 a.m. today and continues for a week.
* Where: Buses for the Peace Procession will depart from American Legion Park in Menard from 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. The procession begins at 8:30 a.m.
The dedication ceremony will take place at the original Catholic Church at the corner of Canal and Blevins streets at 10:30 a.m., the culmination of the procession.
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