Santiago - 5-6-2004 at 08:53 AM
After visiting the museum last week, we went to the upper part of town where the town's well/spring/water supply is to check it out and see the
loacation of where the church was that was dynamited by the town before it was completed. Someone is building a 18" thick stone wall, and meter high
approximately 75 X 100 feet on the location of the destroyed church. This wall is 85% completed. I asked Beach Bob and Doc what this was and they did
not know anything about it. I'm wondering if this is an attempt to rebuild the church and if it has any connection with the donation cans for same
spread around town? Anyone know what the dispute was that caused the original church to be destroyed while under construction?
Church
Mike Humfreville - 5-6-2004 at 09:36 AM
I remember reading somewhere that the townfolk wanted a church in Bahia de Los Angeles and built one but it was without the permission of the (County
or perhaps church?) infrastructure which was granted out of Ensenada. So the locals built a church anyway. The authorities in Ensenada were offended
and dispatched the military to destroy it.
It's been a long time since I read that so I'm not standing behind any of the info. Also, I can't remember where I read it.
Church
thebajarunner - 5-6-2004 at 01:31 PM
That sounds like the story we got about the San Borja mission.
We were told not to waste the trip because the caretaker is Mormon and the church authorities will not give him a key to enter or show the place.
Any truth to that one?
Baja Arriba!!
Mike Humfreville
Mike Humfreville - 5-6-2004 at 02:28 PM
Your San Borja post is correct. I have photos of that family from the time their kids were babies. Now you have to make arrangements in Guerrero
Negro (I was told) to visit the inside of the church. But you can still tour the outside and the family still lives there and are happy to show you
the spring and other points of interest. They are very nice folks and I personally thought it was unnecessary for the church to deny the family the
right to provide inside tours, as they had been allowed to do it for so long.
san borja's mission
jide - 5-6-2004 at 04:14 PM
Jose(the father of the family) told me that troubles started a couple years ago when the catholic church appointed a new priest for the mission. It
sounds like the catholic church didn't want Jose to be the caretaker when he became an evangelist. Lotsa tensions betwwen the priest and the family,
but the place is definetly worth an overnight stop. Jose and his sons built beautiful palapas for visitors to camp, and are some of the most welcoming
people I met in Baja.
The old orchard and hot springs are also a great treat.
[Edited on 5-6-2004 by jide]
David K - 5-6-2004 at 04:54 PM
Jose is not Catholic, so when the new Guerrero Negro perish priest took over, he locked up the mission church from Jose's family (who do worship the
same God as the Catholics) and appointed 'Theadoro' to provide inside tours. Theadoro is not always there, unfortunately.
As Jide said, Jose and his family are terrific guides and hosts. Sarah and Bo's daughter Andee were treated to mule rides while we were visiting last
summer.
Graham Mackintosh was provided shelterat San Borja during his Journey With a Baja Burro trip in '97, while waiting out the El Nino rains of that year.
bajalou - 5-6-2004 at 09:26 PM
A group I was with visited there last spring and even tho we could not tour inside the church, I thought it was sell worth the visit. The tour of the
whole area, spring, fields old orchards etc was certainly a pleasant experience, the family was very gracious in showing the area and I recomend the
visit whenever possible.
These are somd of the same fields that were used when the mission was in operation so many years ago.
BajaLou
[Edited on 5-7-2004 by bajalou]