Born on the island of Martinique in 1846, Father John Pierre Bard, popularly known to this day as "Padre Pedro" was educated in France, becoming the head of a private school for French boys. Visiting the port of Corpus Christi, so entranced he was with its natural beauty that he desired to return back as a priest, not knowing that when still a baby, being seriously ill, his mother had promised to offer him to the church if God spared his life.
Studying English, German, and Spanish, since he spoke only French in Galveston, he was ordained priest at the age of thirty by Bishop Dominic Manucy of Brownsville. Returning to Corpus Christi, where he was sent to assist Father Claude C. Jaillet, Bard arrived in San Diego, Texas, on April 14, 1877.
The San Diego parish and mission area at the period consisted of 200 ranches and missions spread from the Nueces River southward 100 miles, and from Banquete westward sixty miles. The area included a Spanish-speaking population of 5,000 to 6,000, about a dozen English-speaking families, and several immigrant German families. Bard's English, French, German, and Spanish library books were frequently used. On his visitations he usually rode in a buggy pulled by two horses. Comanche Indians and American and Mexican outlaws were a danger, and parishioners insisted that Father Bard carry a gun in his buggy with his polyglot Bibles. Though he knew how to use a gun, he accidentally killed one of his horses in 1883 and thereafter rode unarmed.
Bard built chapels at Concepción in 1879 and at Collins in 1885; he helped build the chapel at Falfurrias in 1903. The chapel at Collins was moved to Alice in 1889. In 1884 Father Jaillet was sent to Corpus Christi, and was the only priest in San Diego until 1911. Master of ceremonies at the dedication of St. Francis de Paula Church in San Diego on April 18, 1909, soon after the church was dedicated, he built an underground adobe vault for the safekeeping of church papers, Communion wine, books, and other valuables.
Padre Pedro died of influenza on March 4, 1920, and was buried in his vault in the churchyard. When the church was enlarged in 1933, his remains were buried under the floor of the vestibule, with an inscription in Spanish placed over his grave.
Studying English, German, and Spanish, since he spoke only French in Galveston, he was ordained priest at the age of thirty by Bishop Dominic Manucy of Brownsville. Returning to Corpus Christi, where he was sent to assist Father Claude C. Jaillet, Bard arrived in San Diego, Texas, on April 14, 1877.
The San Diego parish and mission area at the period consisted of 200 ranches and missions spread from the Nueces River southward 100 miles, and from Banquete westward sixty miles. The area included a Spanish-speaking population of 5,000 to 6,000, about a dozen English-speaking families, and several immigrant German families. Bard's English, French, German, and Spanish library books were frequently used. On his visitations he usually rode in a buggy pulled by two horses. Comanche Indians and American and Mexican outlaws were a danger, and parishioners insisted that Father Bard carry a gun in his buggy with his polyglot Bibles. Though he knew how to use a gun, he accidentally killed one of his horses in 1883 and thereafter rode unarmed.
Bard built chapels at Concepción in 1879 and at Collins in 1885; he helped build the chapel at Falfurrias in 1903. The chapel at Collins was moved to Alice in 1889. In 1884 Father Jaillet was sent to Corpus Christi, and was the only priest in San Diego until 1911. Master of ceremonies at the dedication of St. Francis de Paula Church in San Diego on April 18, 1909, soon after the church was dedicated, he built an underground adobe vault for the safekeeping of church papers, Communion wine, books, and other valuables.
Padre Pedro died of influenza on March 4, 1920, and was buried in his vault in the churchyard. When the church was enlarged in 1933, his remains were buried under the floor of the vestibule, with an inscription in Spanish placed over his grave.
Born on the island of Martinique in 1846, Father John Pierre Bard, popularly known to this day as "Padre Pedro" was educated in France, becoming the head of a private school for French boys. Visiting the port of Corpus Christi, so entranced he was with its natural beauty that he desired to return back as a priest, not knowing that when still a baby, being seriously ill, his mother had promised to offer him to the church if God spared his life.
Studying English, German, and Spanish, since he spoke only French in Galveston, he was ordained priest at the age of thirty by Bishop Dominic Manucy of Brownsville. Returning to Corpus Christi, where he was sent to assist Father Claude C. Jaillet, Bard arrived in San Diego, Texas, on April 14, 1877.
The San Diego parish and mission area at the period consisted of 200 ranches and missions spread from the Nueces River southward 100 miles, and from Banquete westward sixty miles. The area included a Spanish-speaking population of 5,000 to 6,000, about a dozen English-speaking families, and several immigrant German families. Bard's English, French, German, and Spanish library books were frequently used. On his visitations he usually rode in a buggy pulled by two horses. Comanche Indians and American and Mexican outlaws were a danger, and parishioners insisted that Father Bard carry a gun in his buggy with his polyglot Bibles. Though he knew how to use a gun, he accidentally killed one of his horses in 1883 and thereafter rode unarmed.
Bard built chapels at Concepción in 1879 and at Collins in 1885; he helped build the chapel at Falfurrias in 1903. The chapel at Collins was moved to Alice in 1889. In 1884 Father Jaillet was sent to Corpus Christi, and was the only priest in San Diego until 1911. Master of ceremonies at the dedication of St. Francis de Paula Church in San Diego on April 18, 1909, soon after the church was dedicated, he built an underground adobe vault for the safekeeping of church papers, Communion wine, books, and other valuables.
Padre Pedro died of influenza on March 4, 1920, and was buried in his vault in the churchyard. When the church was enlarged in 1933, his remains were buried under the floor of the vestibule, with an inscription in Spanish placed over his grave.
Studying English, German, and Spanish, since he spoke only French in Galveston, he was ordained priest at the age of thirty by Bishop Dominic Manucy of Brownsville. Returning to Corpus Christi, where he was sent to assist Father Claude C. Jaillet, Bard arrived in San Diego, Texas, on April 14, 1877.
The San Diego parish and mission area at the period consisted of 200 ranches and missions spread from the Nueces River southward 100 miles, and from Banquete westward sixty miles. The area included a Spanish-speaking population of 5,000 to 6,000, about a dozen English-speaking families, and several immigrant German families. Bard's English, French, German, and Spanish library books were frequently used. On his visitations he usually rode in a buggy pulled by two horses. Comanche Indians and American and Mexican outlaws were a danger, and parishioners insisted that Father Bard carry a gun in his buggy with his polyglot Bibles. Though he knew how to use a gun, he accidentally killed one of his horses in 1883 and thereafter rode unarmed.
Bard built chapels at Concepción in 1879 and at Collins in 1885; he helped build the chapel at Falfurrias in 1903. The chapel at Collins was moved to Alice in 1889. In 1884 Father Jaillet was sent to Corpus Christi, and was the only priest in San Diego until 1911. Master of ceremonies at the dedication of St. Francis de Paula Church in San Diego on April 18, 1909, soon after the church was dedicated, he built an underground adobe vault for the safekeeping of church papers, Communion wine, books, and other valuables.
Padre Pedro died of influenza on March 4, 1920, and was buried in his vault in the churchyard. When the church was enlarged in 1933, his remains were buried under the floor of the vestibule, with an inscription in Spanish placed over his grave.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
