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Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
Fearful that the work started might have to be abandoned for lack of funds, they earnestly entreated royal aid for this pious work. They expostulated that they had understood that the king would build a church for them. In the orders issued by Viceroy Casafuerte for the founding of the Villa it had been stipulated, they said, that the settlers were to attend divine services in the neighboring Mission of San Antonio de Valero "until a churcli is built for them," from which it appeared it had been the royal intention to provide them with a church. They explained that with this understanding they had, on several occasions, appealed to the viceroy for the fulfillment of this promised aid through their repre- sentatives. Up to the present, they declared, nothing had been done, however, by the viceroy towards providing means for the construction of a decent church. On one occasion, however, when a delegation was sent to Mexico, as the members took leave of the viceroy, that official had said: "Go in peace, my children, orders have been issued that a church be built for you." The former curate, Bachiller Joseph de la Garza, they said, had assured them that the viceroy had ordered that five thousand ,pesos be paid out of the royal treasury for the purpose, but evidently this order was never carried out, for no money had been received. Since that time, the extreme poverty of the settlers had prevented them from sending another delegation to Mexico to request royal aid. They begged the governor, therefore, to plead with the viceroy in their behalf, making clear to him their dire need of a church. The governor ordered a copy of the petition, together with all the other documents, sent to the viceroy and he added a personal letter joining his pleas to that of the settlers." Some additional contributions were collected by the trustees of the new church, who solicited aid from all the settlers and reported on July 3, that there were no others who could subscribe to the fund because of their poverty. Among the new contributors were Francisco Hernandez, ten ,pesos; Martin Flores, one ,peso; Joseph Pez, three ,pesos; Joseph Martinez, two ,pesos. The additional contributions brought the total to six hundred and sixty-four ,pesos and two reales. It is evident that the struggling settlers of the new Villa de San Fernando could not raise the funds necessary to complete the church. Work on the new structure progressed very slowly during the first years, it seems. Seven years after the corner stone was laid we find the alcalde
"Petition of the Cabildo of the Villa de San Fernando and Auto del Governador, June 15, 1738. Na&ogdocl,11 ArcMves, vol. 1, pp. 79-83.
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