Father Kino: Missionary and Brother
Rev. Eduardo C. Fernández, S.J., Jesuit School of Theology
April 10, 2011
Far too often, we hear the stories of great missionaries who are said to have done incredible things by themselves. With a renewed emphasis on grace, community, and dialogue, we are realizing that persons are not alone in their efforts. On the 300th anniversary of the death of Fr. Eusebio Francisco Kino, missionary to Indigenous peoples in northern Mexico and southern Arizona, this session highlighted some of the reasons why he was able to do what he did for the Kingdom of God in this part of the world.
Biography
Eduardo C. Fernández, SJ, teaches pastoral theology and missiology at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University and the Graduate Theological Union, both in Berkeley. A native of El Paso, Texas, he earned a Masters in Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and a doctorate in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is past president of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS). His ministerial experience includes high school and university teaching, parish and campus ministry, and retreat work. Along with his many articles, he has also authored La Cosecha: Harvesting Contemporary United States Hispanic Theology, now in Spanish translation, and also co-authored, with James Empereur, SJ, La Vida Sacra: Contemporary Hispanic Sacramental Theology. His two latest books are Mexican American Catholics and Culture-Sensitive Ministry: Helpful Strategies for Pastoral Ministers with Kenneth McGuire, CSP and Anne Hansen.
This Old Church: Preservation & Conservation of California’s Mission Heritage
David Wessel, Architectural Resources Group
May 15, 2011
The California Missions present a unique set of challenges for preservation. The buildings of these twenty-one settlements, were constructed of archaic building materials including natural stone, adobe, fire, clay and lime. How are these materials treated and preserved today in our world of engineered building products? What criteria are used when restorations or conservation efforts are contemplated today? Finally, given the importance of these cultural resources to California and the nation, what role would public agencies play in defining stewardship responsibly or in providing financial support of these historic sites, if any? All these questions and more were addressed during Wessel’s lecture This Old Church.
Biography
David Wessel is an architectural conservator with a specialty in the documentation and conservation of historic building materials and architectural finishes. As a Principal of the Architectural Resources Group, David directs conservation projects and oversees the in-house conservation laboratory. He is an Associate of the American Institute of Technology. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Association for Preservation Group of the American Institute for Conservation.