By Mary Powers
Generations of parishioners touched by Misión San Francisco de Asís sat side-by-side at a June 27 celebration of the 250th anniversary of the first Mass and founding of the mission. The Mass was celebrated by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone in the Basilica and Father Jack Clarke Robinson, OFM delivered the homily. Fifteen priests concelebrated the Mass and many religious sisters were in attendance as well.
“My dear friends, it is my great joy to welcome you here today to Mission Dolores Basilica for this Mass to mark the 250th anniversary of the first Mass celebrated here of what would become Misión San Francisco de Asís ,” said Archbishop Cordileone. “It is a time of great joy and thanksgiving to God for this quarter of millennia of a life of faith here in San Francisco.”
On June 29, 1776, Franciscan Father Francisco Palóu offered the first Mass in the little chapel at Misión San Francisco de Asís. In October of that same year, St Junipero Serra traveled up from Monterey to formally dedicate the mission on October 9, 1776. It is the sixth of the California missions and the oldest intact adobe mission chapel in the chain of 21 missions.
In his homily, Father Clarke spoke about the initial interactions between the Spanish and native cultures and the awe the Native Californians must have had at seeing the Mass for the first time.
“Two-hundred-and-fifty years ago, a Franciscan friar, Father Francisco Palóu, accompanied by Franciscan friar Father Benito Calveron, José Joaquín Moraga, and a number of colonists who had made the long journey from what we now call Mexico celebrated the Eucharist here for the first time,” said Father Clarke. “But you do not need me to tell you that. There are probably descendants of that group here along with descendants of the people who had been here for thousands of years and must have looked on in wonderment at these new people and there strange ceremonies.”
Father said that it was the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul. “Those celebrating may have heard the antiphon for the feast which proclaims: ‘These are the ones who, living in the flesh, planted the Church with their blood. They drank the chalice of the Lord and became friends of God’,” he said. “Those words are true also of the early friars, the settlers who they accompanied, and the natives who were already here….”
Encouraging those present to continue the work of the apostles and the Franciscan friars who planted the seeds of faith in San Francisco, Father Clarke said, “We are called to ministry and sacrifice as well according to our times and circumstances…Today we are reminded that God has promised in the long course of history the forces of evil cannot triumph over the rock of faith. We are called to continue to do our best in the face of the challenges which we face to become friends of God.”
Mission Dolores pastor, Father Francis Garbo, thanked those present for coming to celebrate the mission’s anniversary and extended an invitation to the events in October.
“I would like to give thanks to all the parishioners of Mission Dolores and parishioners of the Archdiocese of San Francisco,” said Father Garbo. “This is not just our celebration as a parish of Mission Dolores Basilica but a celebration for our archdiocese as we celebrate the 250th anniversary.”
Following the Mass was a reception in the Mission Dolores auditorium with music, food, and anniversary keepsakes.
