I woke one morning to rain gently falling and the sun hidden behind the clouds. Something in the night air took me all way to California and Mission San Juan Capistrano. I woke with a longing in my heart to walk the grounds again. It might be that spring is upon us in Wisconsin, and I’m thinking of roses blooming and birds swooping about the yard.
How I long for a drive through the California hills to the
beautiful Mission. It’s a place where history is in every step you take, every
breath of salty air you breathe. The past is whispering to you as you walk by
the ruins of the original church (it was destroyed by an earthquake). The many
years past and the story of the people who built that wonderful place and lived
there, gently wrap ‘round you as you silently pray in the small chapel filled
with candles and the prayers of thousands upon thousands of visitors.
The light rain that falls in Wisconsin is reminiscent of the
California coast. The 21 Missions line the coast from the first in San Diego
all the way up to San Francisco. The first 9 were founded by Father Junipero
Serra, a Franciscan friar from Spain, who was canonized in 2015.
Visiting the California Missions
Mission San Juan Capistrano is the most beautiful of the 21 California Missions founded by the Spanish beginning in 1769. It’s called the “Jewel of the Missions” because of its beauty.
Lush gardens, sprawling roses, and benches to sit and soak up the California sun greet you when you visit. Every now and then, the birds in my yard remind me of the famous swallows of Capistrano.
When I lived in California, taking mini pilgrimages to the
various Missions was something I enjoyed tremendously. I never did get to see
all of them, but I visited most of them. Being Hispanic, Catholic, and a native
Californian, the Missions gave me a sense of connection and belonging to a
Catholic heritage in an otherwise not-so-friendly culture towards my Catholic
faith.
I don’t know exactly what has me dreaming of San Juan right
now, but it does seem to happen around this time of year. I used to be able to
tell my husband on a Saturday morning, “C’ mon, forget the chores we had
planned for today. I need to go to San Juan.” He never once told me no and
would drive me down from the desert we lived in, about an hour and a half to
the coast.
We live in Wisconsin now, so he just smiles with a look of
sadness in his eyes and a sigh when I tell him I need to go to San Juan; He
needs to go too.
A Day Pilgrimage
We would always make a day of going to the Mission San Juan
Capistrano. We took the long way to get there so we could avoid the freeways as
much as possible and drive past lakes, and farms, and through rural
communities. This allowed for more conversation, more good music, and no stress
with windows down and hands air-surfing out the windows.
Once we arrived in San Juan, we would park on one of the
streets surrounding the extensive grounds and pay for admission to the historic
site.
We did the entire tourist routine, even though we’d been
there every year at least once, possibly twice, for many years. We would stop
and look at the Native American hut, go in the rooms with old artifacts, slowly
meander through the gardens, take in the courtyard, the famous mission bells
and fountain, light a candle in the beautiful Serra chapel.
The chapel is a peaceful place. It’s small but beautiful. As
described on the Mission’s website: “…while Mission San Juan Capistrano
is renown as the ‘Jewel of the Missions,’ the Serra Chapel could be considered
‘the Jewel of the Jewel’ and stands as a proud monument to California’s early
multi-cultural history, embracing a Native American, Spanish, Mexican, European
and American heritage.”
The darkness when you step inside is a strong contrast from
the brightness outside. An altar of gold stands 18.5 feet wide by 22.5 feet
tall. The Baroque altarpiece is from Barcelona, Spain, it is hand-carved wood
with gold leaf. The altar is around 330 years old. The air is thick like the
air of many holy places. Visiting the Mission feels like an encounter with the
people who came before and with God, the chapel is a step deeper into that
mystery and encounter.
After the full tourist experience, we would go to the Basilica next door which serves
as the parish for the community. The church has been patterned after the
original mission church that was destroyed and designed by a historian who
visited Fr. Serra’s home in Spain. It is a beautiful building inside and out.
Sometimes we would go window shopping or browse through the
charming shops within walking distance of the Mission. What was guaranteed on
every visit was after all the walking and sightseeing we did, we worked up an
appetite. And yes, we had a favorite restaurant we visited every single time: El Maguey, a delicious, authentic
Mexican restaurant across the street from the Mission and Basilica.
After enjoying more conversation over tasty food, we would
drive a few miles down the road to San Clemente beach. I can smell the salty
air now; hear the waves crashing on the shore and seagulls squawking. We’d
enjoy the view for a little bit, maybe sink our feet in the sand and dip a toe
in the water then head back home to the heat of the desert.
Life is a Pilgrimage to Heaven
Days like those were like stepping outside of time. There
are no worries in such places. Your senses are captivated by the perfume of the
pink roses, by running your hand along the old weathered stones and adobe
walls, having the peaceful silence embrace you in the chapel. The sense of
history and connection to the past is a boost for one’s faith. Knowing the
Missions have had their own moments of beginning, struggle, turmoil,
restoration, and joy brings perspective on our own times.
I wonder if it is San Juan Capistrano we truly miss or the sense of pilgrimage we received any time we visited. Those day trips did remind us that life is a pilgrimage to heaven and we need to slow down, encounter the beauty and grace, enjoy our time together, and feel God’s love shining on us from all around. Maybe it’s always been heaven I’m dreaming of when I dreamed of the Mission.
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Featured image: Rose3663 / Shutterstock.com
