October 2018
St. Mark’s News Volume 22/Issue 9
Francis in Austin By The Rev. Dr. David W. Peters We can see him running across a field, holding up the hem of his tattered gray habit with one hand so he doesn’t trip on the uneven ground. The friar reaches a young warrior who is lying on the ground, an arrow sticking out of his thigh. The friar sees another wound in his side, but has no time to stop the bleeding as he hears the war cries drawing closer and closer. They are both young, the friar and the warrior. Both of them share a common humanity and do not wear shoes. The friar stoops down over him, as if to shield him from the occasional arrows that fly overhead. The young friar in gray heaves the wounded man onto his shoulder and carries him back to the village, where the women and children wait in fear. From that day on, the friar is treated as a member of the small family band of Native Americans who live near his mission. This is one of the many experiences of the tiny bands of Franciscan missionaries who lived in Texas during the time when the government of Spain claimed this land as their own. These dedicated followers of Jesus, through the example of St. Francis, lived lives of extreme poverty and devotion to Christ. Many were born in either Mexico or Central America and joined the Franciscans as teens. They came north to Texas in small bands, often accompanied by soldiers and officers who were present to enforce the Spanish claim and to defend against French incursions from the East.
In this Issue
From the Associate Rector ........ 1 Family Ministry ........................... 2 Parish Life .................................. 4 Outreach .................................... 7 Parishioner Highlights ................ 8 Celebrations ............................... 9 Caffeine Ministry ...................... 10 ROTA ....................................... 11
The Franciscans who served in Texas were not large in number, and had little power to limit the abuses of the Spanish soldiers and officers against their native neighbors. Franciscan missionaries frequently wrote letters asking the governors and officials to stop sending them soldiers, as the soldiers caused trouble amongst the native communities. The Franciscans persevered in spite of severe physical and spiritual hardship. When one of their number was killed, more would follow in his footsteps. They admired the native culture, they learned their languages, and often felt that these people who lived so simply would make better Christians than the European conquerors with their love of material possessions. These Franciscans were, after all, were married to Lady Poverty, as was their founder Francis. It was the eventual French incursions from the East and the sudden disappearance of native groups that led to Franciscans coming to Austin and settling about a mile from St. Mark’s at Barton Springs. Of course, the city of Austin did not exist and it wasn’t called Barton Springs yet. It was 1730 and they were a long way from Mexico City where they were trained for their work. Three separate missions from what is now East Texas came to settle near St. Mark’s that fall. They stayed through the winter, and were puzzled by how few natives were interested in their mission. It was during this time that the Comanche
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