Our Cat/1olic Heritage in Te:xas
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that it was impossible to turn the missions over to secular priests for the simple reason that there were no seculars. De Leon continued that he could not execute the order of secularization until he had received instructions from the Guardian of the College of Zacatecas, his immediate superior. The impending end grieved the missionaries deeply. They had been living in misery; they had long since received no salary ; the missions were in ruins; the neophytes were reduced to a handful; hostile Indians daily threatened their lives; and the government was unable to furnish them protection-yet they clung to their thankless task of saving souls with a tenacity beyond comprehension. In March, 1824, Father Muro wrote a touching letter from La Bahia, bitterly deploring his inability to return to Refugio. Nine families which were to accompany him disappeared on the eve of their departure. They had refused to accompany him without an escort. All efforts to renew his labors at the mission proved futile. "There is nothing more I can do. I have lost all hope of relief .... May the Lord help us and the Holy Virgin pray that our sins be forgiven. What is there for us to do other than to cry! To cry without ceasing, and to pray that the wrath of heaven be appeased." 35 A band of Comanches raided the missions at La Bahia late in March and carried away stock and other mission property. The marauders, however, were captured shortly afterwards, the loot was identified and ordered returned to the missions. In response to the ardent pleas of Father Muro, and while Saucedo tried to secure adequate protection against Indian attacks, a small guard was sent to Refugio. In June the presidia! chapel at La Bahia itself was robbed. Saucedo, convinced of the futility of holding out, reluctantly ordered the abandonment of the missions and, pending instructions, the transfer of all movable property to La Bahia for safekeeping. 34 By the end of the month only vacant and desolate buildings remained in the vicinity of La Bahia. Diaz de Leon's efforts to stn1e tlze missions. Orders or no orders, de Leon was determined not to give up the fight. He had to concede that Rosario was beyond revival and that Espiritu Santo could hardly UFray Miguel Muro to Diaz de Leon, March 22, 1824; Diaz: de Leon to Saucedo, November 21, 1823, Be:r:ar Archives. S4Muro to J. A. Saucedo, March 31, 1824; Saucedo to Muro, April 10, 1824; Huizar to Saucedo, April 20, 1824; Saucedo to Huizar, April 27; Saucedo to Alcalde Juan J. Hernandez, June 23, 1824; Saucedo to Alcalde, July 10, 1824, Bi:r:ar Arckives.
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