Ottr Catlwlic Heritage in Texas
114
Most of the numerous ranclios and villages in the vicinity he visited. A league from Brownsville was Santa Rosalia, and three leagues north was Santa Rita. A wooden chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Gaudalupe as patroness, had been erected at the latter place, where about eight hundred came to worship. The zealous Oblates had been doing splendid work in the entire area. Odin could not resist describing the fervent faith of the neglected Mexicans. In a detailed account of his visitation, published in Le Propa- gate11r Catlioliqu.e, he related how a procession was held at Santa Rita on the evening of August 21, in which almost every soul in the vicinity joined and devoutly chanted the Rosary. A statue of Mary Immaculate, "bedecked with all the jewels of the place," was carried by four little girls dressed in white. After the procession, the Litany of the Blessed Virgin was chanted and all the people "responded enthusiastically." The next day, the Octave of the Assumption, "there was High Mass and Con- firmation and· many persons received Holy Communion." 13 From Brownsville Odin set out on August 28 for Corpus Christi. Since Indians infested the coast road to La Bahia, Odin decided to go down to the mouth of the Rio Grande and cross to Padre Island. Almost five days were spent in traversing the Island, but in this way he succeeded in avoiding the Indians along the coast. Each night he dug a sort of a well in the sand to water the horses, after taking some to make coffee. He then crossed to the mainland and continued to Corpus Christi, where he arrived on September 4, 1850. In the little town, he found about thirty Catholic families, Mexican for the most part. Because Odin had expected Father Giraudon, stationed then at Refugio, to meet him, he was both disappointed and worried when he learned that his friend and fellow worker had been prevented by illness from making the journey. After a day or two spent in spiritual ministrations to the small flock, the Bishop went on to San Patricio, much reduced in population since the War for Independence. He spent two days in this old settlement, among some twenty Irish and eight Mexican Catholic families, before proceeding to Refugio. Upon his arrival he was much relieved to find Father Giraudon recov- tred, although very weak. The old church built by the Franciscan pioneers for the Karankawa Indians was still standing but in a pitiful state of abandon. Within the bare and scarred walls not even the altar remained.
i l
UL, Propagateur CathoUque, New Orleans, December 21 1 1850.
Powered by FlippingBook