Tag: Pablo Tac

Happy Holidays 2022!

Holiday messages

Dear Friend,

Soon after Pope Francis announced in early 2015 that Junípero Serra would be canonized, I began a journey of discovery. My research has led to my writing four books (two of which received Catholic Media Association Book Awards this year), writing articles, presenting to groups, and walking the 800-mile California Missions Trail. I have met so many interesting people along the way. I hope that I have been able to help you to speak the truth about St. Junipero Serra and the purpose of the California missions.

In addition to receiving CMA Book Awards, other highlights in 2022 included the release of the Knights of Columbus video about me for Season 3 of “Everyday Heroes” and having an article about Pablo Tac published in Boletín, the award-winning journal of The California Missions Foundation.

Thank you for your continued support. Special thanks to my family; His Eminence Robert Cardinal McElroy, Bishop of San Diego (pictured below); Catalina Font Gomila, President of the Friends of Junípero Serra Association in Petra, Spain; Greg Schwietz, President of Serra International; and Knights of Columbus California State Council SD Rene Trevino.

I hope that you continue calling on St. Junipero Serra and Pablo Tac. I will never tire of sharing their stories. Here is a recap of how I did so in 2022.

  • I was interviewed by . . .

California State Parks
Meaningful Journeys Podcast
North Coast Catholic (p. 15)

  • Articles by me appeared in . . .

California Catholic Daily on May 23 and October 10
ICN (Independent Catholic News)

  • I was a guest speaker . . .

Camino Serra Pilgrimage Group at Mission Santa Clara
Benedict XVI Institute
4th graders at Holy Angels School in Colma

  • The petition to nominate Pablo Tac for the cause of canonization is nearing 600 signatures!

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! عيد ميلاد سعيد!Maligayang Pasko! Bon Nadal! Feliz Natal! Fröhliche Weihnachten!Felicem natalem Christi!

Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! สวัสดีปีใหม่! Maligayang bagong taon! Bon any nou! Felice anno nuovo! Bonne année!

Saint Junípero Serra and Pablo Tac, pray for us!

¡Siempre adelante y nunca para atrás! #GoGoStJunipero #PabloTacPray4Us!

____

Christian Clifford
www.Missions1769.com

Author/ Educator/ Freelance Writer / Speaker
PABLO TAC PETITION / FB / Twitter / IG / TikTok /
Linkedin / Goodreads / Amazon / flickr / Quoura /YouTube

In September, my family was honored to visit with His Eminence Robert Cardinal McElroy, Bishop of San Diego! In 2016, he was kind enough to write the foreword to my award-winning book Who Was Saint Junipero Serra? Also pictured are my wife and son, to whom the book is dedicated.

Catholics (and people of good will) should not fear Junípero Serra High School’s name change

California missions

The year 2020 was a tough one, even for a Catholic saint. Junípero Serra, the 18th-century Spanish priest who Pope Francis called “the evangelizer of the west in the United States”, has been taking it in the chin lately. Vandalism of public statues of Junípero Serra have taken place by angry mobs and desecrated on Catholic church property. The latest attack was a character assassination of him by the San Francisco (California) Board of Education’s School Renaming Committee calling him a “Colonizer and slaveowner” (see Jan. 28, 2021 Mission Local article here). No evidence was provided. No historians questioned. This begs the question, will 2021 be any better for Serra? Things looked up for friends of Serra when the head of the man who brought revolutionary ideas to this part of the world was taken off the proverbial chopping block by the San Francisco Unified School District. However, the executioners in San Diego were successful in stripping his name from a public high school. Little did they know that they did so almost to the day 248 years after Serra demanded justice for indigenous people (on March 13, 1773, after Serra’s lobbying, Viceroy Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa signed into law the Representación). 

There is no denying that cultural exchange came at a cost. Pre-contact with Europeans, the California Indian population was estimated to be 300,000. Historian James A. Sandos argued in Converting California that the overall population dropped 21 percent by 1830, just before Mexico took possession of California. Regarding the Indians in the area of mission influence, he notes from 1770-1830, the population declined from 65,000 to 17,000, a loss of 74 percent. Scholar Barry Pritzer estimates by the end of the 19th century there were 15,000 California Indians.  Therefore, the near annihilation of the California Indians came during the Gold Rush from the 49ers and with the blessing of the government of California. Serra, wrongly, is the poster boy for all of this to some. 

Serra did not want pueblos, because he knew the history of the encomienda system. He wrote to medical authorities asking how to help sick Mission Indians (the vaccine for smallpox was introduced in 1796 by Jenner and the horrid disease was not even eradicated until December 1979). Serra, nearly dying along the way, went to the viceroy in Mexico City to lay out his frustrations regarding the maltreatment of natives by soldiers.  On March 13, 1773, Serra and Viceroy Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa signed into law the Representación that included disciplinarian measures for Mission Indians be put in the hands of the priests, not the military. Serra also taught the Mission Indian in Spanish due to the fact that they came from tribelets that spoke different languages. What he wanted for them to believe about each other was what he believed about them, as captured in his February 26, 1777 letter to Father Francisco Pangua, O.F.M., his guardian in Mexico City: “They are in places one cannot visit without walking a long distance and sometimes going on hands and feet, but I put my trust in the Lord, who created them.”

When it comes to Serra, the Catholic Church is confident of his noteworthiness.

His life has been studied and researched with a fine-tooth comb. The ecclesial court proceedings to question Serra’s holiness began on December 12, 1948. The evidence brought forth were 2,420 documents (7,500 pages total) of Serra’s writings, 5,000 pages of materials written about him from those who knew him, and testimony of people inspired by his life. A summary of findings would be collected into the Positio (position paper)—Serra’s position was 1,200 pages. The evidence propelled Pope Francis to canonize Serra on September 23, 2015 in Washington, D.C. 

I propose to those who wanted Serra High School’s name changed rename it after a significant California Indian. Pablo Tac comes to mind. Never heard of him? That is a shame. His story should be taught to every school child in California. His writings are the earliest from a California Indian, written in Rome while a seminarian. The greatest recommendation I can make is to read online (free) the Writings of Junípero Serra to better understand what his vision was, motivations were, as well as his challenges, dreams, and successes.

_________

Christian Clifford is the author of books about Catholic Church history in Spanish and Mexican California. His latest, Pilgrimage: In Search of the Real California Missions, is about his 800-mile walk of the California Missions Trail. He can be reached at www.Missions1769.com.

_________

Image: Father Junipero Serra by Paul Whitman, 1933.

Resources: St. Junípero Serra & California mission history

California missions

I hope the resources on my website will help you learn about and teach this chapter in California history. It is by an educator who learned a lot by writing four books and articles about colonial California.

Included on my Resources page:

  • 10 Facts about Saint Junípero Serra
  • Discerning the Spirit of Saint Junípero Serra
  • Native Catholic Voices
  • Missions Timeline
  • Further Reading
  • Petition4PabloTac: Mission Indian, seminarian, scholar
  • Virtually visit the California missions on Missions1769 Flickr page.

¡Siempre adelante y nunca para atrás!

#GoGoStJunipero #PabloTacPray4Us #Forwardinmission

Pablo Tac Resources

Pablo Tac

As Oceanside, California gets closer to naming a public school after Pablo Tac, the following will help one learn about him.

First, read the only biography written for the general audience, Meet Pablo Tac, the story of the Mission Indian from San Luis Rey de Francia who became the first seminarian from the California missions. His writings are the earliest from a California Mission Indian. The book is about faith, courage in the face of adversity, and the universality of the Catholic Church. It is a must for California Indian studies.

Also, find videos and other resources about Pablo Tac at the following links:

“You know of Junípero Serra but have you heard of Pablo Tac?” in Aleteia
  • “Catholic Educator and Author Campaigns for Remarkable, Holy California Mission Indian” in OsideNews

Last, all are welcome to read, sign, and share the petition to nominate Pablo Tac for the cause of canonization at https://www.change.org/InvokePabloTac.

Pablo Tac on CNA Newsroom

PRESS RELEASES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: missions1769(at)gmail(dot)com

Website: www.Missions1769.com

Story of California mission Indian Pablo Tac shared on award-winning podcast CNA Newsroom

San Mateo, CA — Christian Clifford, veteran Catholic school educator, has been on a quest to get the word out about Pablo Tac (1822-1841). He recently did just that while a guest on CNA Newsroom, an award-winning podcast of EWTN News, part of the largest religious media network in the world.

Pablo Tac was Luiseño Indian. He was born and raised at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, located in present-day Oceanside, California. At the age of ten, he left the Mission with Fr. Antonio Peyrí and another Luiseño boy, Agapito Amamix. Their destination was Rome. On September 23, 1834, Pablo and Agapito enrolled at the Urban College. There they learned how to be missionary priests, hoping to one day return home to minister to their fellow Luiseño. 

Clifford, author of the only popular biography about the Mission Indian youth, Meet Pablo Tac, hopes that bringing attention to Pablo Tac will lead to more research being done. He believes there must be more to discover about him beyond what we know. 

Pablo Tac’s writings are the earliest from a California Indian. While in Rome studying for the Catholic priesthood, Pablo wrote a description of life as a mission Indian (“Conversion of the San Luiseños of Alta California”, c. 1835), gave a public recitation of a poem at the Polyglot Academy (c. January 1836), in Sequoyahesque fashion created a dictionary of the language of his people (“Prima Linguae Californiensis Rudimenta a P. Tak proposita”, c. February 1838), and wrote an account of the native peoples in Southern California (“De Californiensibus”, c. after 1838). 

Clifford realizes that unlike the first North American Indian saint, Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), Pablo is little known. That does not seem to slow him down, though. He was overjoyed when he met Catholic Luiseños in July 2019 at the Tekakwitha Conference in Sharonville, Ohio who are aware of Pablo and follow in his footsteps. Also, a hall at Mission San Luis Rey was named after Pablo in 2012 and in June 2021 it was decided that an Oceanside public elementary school will take his name. He is confident that once people are made aware of his short life that it inspires, as attested by the over 500 Catholics and people of good will who have signed the petition to nominate Pablo Tac for the cause of canonization (an electronic version of the petition can be found at www.change.org/InvokePabloTac). The campaign has not yet received the support of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians or the Diocese of San Diego.

Clifford, who finished walking the 800-mile California Missions Trail in the summer of 2020, made it a point to pray to and draw inspiration from Pablo Tac. He shares, “Pablo has the power to move hearts and minds.”

Listen to the podcast “Ep. 117: The powerful witness of Native American Catholics” at https://soundcloud.com/cnanewsroom. For more information about Christian Clifford, visit www.Missions1769.com. For a brief video on the life of Pablo Tac, go here.

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Californian Knight recognized as Everyday Hero

PRESS RELEASES

Californian Knight recognized as Everyday Hero for his 800-mile pilgrimage to the 21 California Missions 

San Mateo, CA — July 1 is the feast day of Saint Junípero Serra. Learn more about the holy friar, who soon-to-be Cardinal Robert McElroy of the Diocese of San Diego in 2015 called a “foundational figure” in California history, from a man who literally walked in his footsteps.

Christian Clifford, author of books about Spanish-Mexican history in California, was on a quest to visit all twenty-one California missions, on foot! When asked why he did it, he shared, “I visited all 21 missions by car so I thought it would be nice to walk the entire chain. Being a Catholic school teacher for over twenty years, my hope was to get as close to the lives of the amazing people who were the first Catholics in California—indigenous, Spanish, mestizo—with the hope of being a better Catholic and teacher.” He achieved his mission and is featured in the third season of the Knights of Columbus multipart series “Everyday Heroes”. 

The Knights of Columbus, founded in 1882, is a Catholic fraternal benefit society with over 2 million members worldwide. The series “Everyday Heroes”, according to the Knights of Columbus, “focus the spotlight on these remarkable Knights whose courage, faith and commitment to charity embody the mission of the Knights of Columbus.” Christian Clifford is a 3rd degree member of Council 1346, founded in 1908 and one of the first five councils founded in California. They meet at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Belmont.

Clifford began his 800-mile journey in May 2018, the year marking the 184th anniversary of Pablo Tac’s enrollment at the Urban College, Rome, where the Native American youth and scholar attended seminary (learn more about Pablo Tac here). The bulk of his miles were walked in 2019. Clifford teaches theology at Serra High School in San Mateo and 2019 marked the school’s 75th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the first California mission at San Diego. Clifford finished his walk to the twenty-one California missions in June 2020 and believes it was appropriate, because 2020 marked the fifth year since the canonization of Junípero Serra. 

Specifics for Clifford’s pilgrimage along the California Missions Trail were approximately 800-miles walked over 45 days, and approximately 298 hours walking. Clifford also raised over $2000 on Facebook and GoFundMe for The Campaign for the Preservation of Mission San Antonio de Padua Foundation. Founded in 1771 by Saint Junípero Serra, the third of the twenty-one California missions is the remotest and for many a favorite because of its authenticity. Clifford believes, “The Mission is a gem. Future generations must know of the roots of modern California and the Spanish missions are those roots.”

Clifford documented his adventure on the California Missions Trail in Pilgrimage: In Search of the REAL California Missions.

To watch the Everyday Heroes “Walking in the Footsteps of St. Junipero Serra” episode about Christian Clifford, visit here.  For more information about Christian Clifford visit www.Missions1769.com.

PRINTED in NORTH COAST CATHOLIC (DIOCESE OF SANTA ROSA), JULY/AUGUST 2022 (16).

Happy Holidays 2021!

Holiday messages

Dear Friend,

Soon after Pope Francis announced in early 2015 that Junípero Serra would be canonized, I began a journey of discovery. My research has led to writing four books and so much more. It has been a blessing “keeping the Mission Spirit alive”, as a fan put what I do.

I am especially thankful for your continued support. I began my journey with the sole intent of helping inform the mind and soul. I now add informing the body with my latest book, Pilgrimage: In Search of the Real California Missions. I hope that I have been able to inform and inspire you in some way. 

As we returned to some semblance of normalcy in 2021, I hope that you continued to call on St. Junipero Serra and Pablo Tac. They teach us how to overcome adversity with the joy of the Gospel. I will never tire of sharing their stories. Here is a recap of how I did so in 2021.

  • I was interviewed by . . .

CNA Newsroom
Sacred Steps Podcast
Carmel Pine Cone

  • I continued writing in . . .

Aleteia English
Angelus News
Catholic Exchange
Catholic News Agency
San Diego Reader

  • Articles about my work appeared in . . .

King City Rustler
OsideNews
Santa Barbara Independent

  • I was a guest speaker at . . .

St. Bart’s Book Club, San Mateo, CA
Kansas City (MO) Serra Club and Catholic Lawyers Guild

  • The petition to nominate Pablo Tac for the cause of canonization is nearing 600 signatures!

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad! عيد ميلاد سعيد!Maligayang Pasko! Bon Nadal! Feliz Natal! Fröhliche Weihnachten!Felicem natalem Christi! Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! สวัสดีปีใหม่! Maligayang bagong taon! Bon any nou! Felice anno nuovo! Bonne année!

Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! สวัสดีปีใหม่! Maligayang bagong taon! Bon any nou! Felice anno nuovo! Bonne année!

Saint Junípero Serra and Pablo Tac, pray for us!

¡Siempre adelante y nunca para atrás! #GoGoStJunipero #PabloTacPray4Us!

—

Christian Clifford
www.Missions1769.com

Author/ Educator/ Freelance Writer / Speaker
PABLO TAC PETITION / FB / Twitter / IG / TikTok /
Linkedin / Goodreads / Amazon / flickr / Quoura

Happy Holidays 2020!

Holiday messages

Dear Friend,

Soon after Pope Francis announced in January 2015 that Junípero Serra would be canonized, I began a journey of discovery. Readers of my first book know the impetus. I am grateful for the following in 2020 in, what a colleague and friend of mine called, my apostolate.

I am very grateful to all others who have supported me along the way. I began this enterprise to help people understand that California mission history can help inform the mind and soul. Since May 2018, I have also learned that it can impact the physical, or body (more on that below). I hope that I have been able to inform you in some way. 

The year 2020 has been a challenge for all of us. I hope that you have called on St. Junipero Serra. He can help teach us how to overcome adversity. He continues to inspire me to share his story with others. Here is a recap of how I did so in 2020.

  • Hard copies of my books have sold in 9 countries, including all 50 U.S. states + D.C. My first book was made available in braille through Xavier Society for the Blind.
  • I was interviewed by the following:

Aleteia
Catholic News Agency
BenitoLink
Knightline

I had a wonderful time sharing the story of my 800-mile pilgrimage on the California Missions Trail with the people at Spirit Juice Studios, the production company for the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council. I look forward to sharing the video with the world. Stay tuned!

  • I continued writing in the following:

Catholic Exchange
Angelus News

  • I finished my pilgrimage of the 800+ mile California Missions Trail (the subject of my forthcoming book, Pilgrimage: In Search of the REAL California Missions). I raised over $2000. on Facebook’s Support Nonprofit and GoFundMe for my cause, Mission San Antonio de Padua.
  •  The petition to nominate Pablo Tac for the cause of canonization is nearing 400 signatures!
  • I was a guest speaker at the following:

Serra Club of Bridgeport (CT).
LA (Lower Alabama) Catholic Morning Show with Michelle and Todd, WNGL 1410 AM, Mobile. AL.
Youtube channel podcast Sensus Fidelium with Steve Cunningham.
St. Gregory Church, San Mateo, CA, 3rd grade Religious Education class, Distance Learning.

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad! عيد ميلاد سعيد!Maligayang Pasko! Bon Nadal! Feliz Natal! Fröhliche Weihnachten!Felicem natalem Christi! Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! สวัสดีปีใหม่! Maligayang bagong taon! Bon any nou! Felice anno nuovo! Bonne année!

Saint Junípero Serra and Pablo Tac, pray for us!

¡Siempre adelante y nunca para atrás! #GoGoStJunipero


—
Christian Clifford

www.Missions1769.com

Author/ Educator/ Freelance Writer / Speaker
PABLO TAC PETITION / FB / Twitter / Linkedin / Goodreads / Amazon / flickr / Quoura

Happy Holidays 2019!

Holiday messages

Soon after Pope Francis announced in January 2015 that Junípero Serra would be canonized, I began a journey of discovery. Readers of my first book know the impetus. On the fifth anniversary of the start of my journey, I’d like to reflect on what a colleague and friend of mine called an apostolate.

First, a special thanks goes to my wife and son. It is not easy juggling home, work, and one’s passion. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Next, I am very grateful to all others who have supported me along the way. I began this enterprise to help people understand that California mission history can help inform the mind and soul. Since May 2018, I have also learned that it can impact the physical, or body (more on that below). I hope that I have been able to inform you in some way. 

Last, though I have had some obstacles along the way (haters), since the journey started I have had some amazing experiences.

  • one book about California mission history has led to three books in a three year span (countries where physical have sold — U.S.A., Philippines, Japan, Canada, Italy, U.K. — and in 30 states + D.C. )
  • have gone beyond the goal of having my books in the nine missions founded by St.  Junípero Serra gifts shops
  • was interviewed on a national radio show and a podcast
  • started social media platforms (FB Followers Top 5
    1. U.S.A. 2. Philippines 3. Mexico 4. Spain 5. Canada & Twitter Followers Top 5
    1. U.S.A. 2. Mexico 3. Spain 4. U.K. 5. Italy)

     

    • Top FB post — 1/28/2018 about my son’s Mission Project reached 9,000+
    • Top Tweet impressions — 7/2019 — 11.1K
    • Most views for www.Missions1769.com — 7/2/2019; top clicks on image of missions at right (see below)
  • started a website for educators
  • was interviewed for a national Catholic newspaper and many California newspapers (Catholic and secular)
  • spoke to many groups throughout California and in Nevada and Ohio (one led to a job teaching a course at a seminary)
  • wrote articles for ten publications
  • started a pilgrimage of the 800+ mile California Missions Trail (possible subject for a fourth book?)
  • started a petition to nominate Pablo Tac for the cause of canonization
  • met many wonderful, open-minded people who have given me so much hope in moving forward

Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! สวัสดีปีใหม่! Maligayang bagong taon! Bon any nou! Felice anno nuovo! Bonne année!

Saint Junípero Serra and Pablo Tac, pray for us!

¡Siempre adelante y nunca para atrás!
Christian Clifford
www.Missions1769.com
Author/ Educator/ Freelance Writer / Speaker

 

 

Juanita Cooke Trail, Fullerton