Vicente Pascual Oliva
Encyclopedia
Father Vicente Pascual Oliva, O.F.M. (born 18th century, died January 2, 1848) was Catholic
a priest of the Franciscan
Order, and a Spanish missionary in California
during the 19th century. He was born in Martin del Rio
in the ancient kingdom of Aragon
, and joined the Order in the convent of Nuestra Señora de Jesus, Zaragosa, on February 1, 1799. He left for the Apostolic College of San Fernando de Mexico
on March 29, 1810; form there he departed for Alta California
in early July, 1811 but due to various setbacks and illness did not reach Monterrey until August 1813. Fray Oliva was allowed to officiate over his first baptism at Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
on October 28 of that year. Soon thereafter he was transferred to Mission San Fernando Rey de España
, where he also assisted the fathers of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
until the fall of 1815. Beginning his ministry at Mission San Francisco de Asís
on November 18, 1815, he continued there until the fall of 1818, when he was transferred to Mission San Miguel Arcángel
. He served there for approximately two years before being called to Mission San Diego de Alcalá
, where he resided until early 1832 until being sent to Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
to manage the temporal affairs of that outpost. Father Oliva made his first entry in the Baptismal Register of Mission San Juan Capistrano
on September 6, 1846.
Being the lone missionary at San Juan Capistrano at the time of his death on January 2, 1848 he did not receive the "last rites
." Father Blas Ordáz officiated over the burial ceremony on January 29, when Father Oliva's body was interred in the presbytery
on the Epistle
side of the main alter in "Serra's Chapel." In mid-December 1912 the Reverend St. John O'Sullivan
arranged for excavations to be made to find Father Oliva's remains, when it was found that the body has been buried in the sacred vestments worn by priests at the holy "Sacrifice of the Mass."
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
a priest of the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Order, and a Spanish missionary in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
during the 19th century. He was born in Martin del Rio
Martín del Río
Martín del Río is a municipality located in the province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2010 census the municipality has a population of 469 inhabitants.Road N-211 crosses the eastern side of Martín del Río....
in the ancient kingdom of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, and joined the Order in the convent of Nuestra Señora de Jesus, Zaragosa, on February 1, 1799. He left for the Apostolic College of San Fernando de Mexico
College of San Fernando de Mexico
The College of San Fernando de Mexico was a Roman Catholic Franciscan missionary college, or seminary , founded in Mexico City by the Order of Friars Minor on October 15, 1734...
on March 29, 1810; form there he departed for Alta California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
in early July, 1811 but due to various setbacks and illness did not reach Monterrey until August 1813. Fray Oliva was allowed to officiate over his first baptism at Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Mission San Carlos Borroméo del río Carmelo, also known as the Carmel Mission, is a Roman Catholic mission church in Carmel, California. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and a U.S...
on October 28 of that year. Soon thereafter he was transferred to Mission San Fernando Rey de España
Mission San Fernando Rey de España
Mission San Fernando Rey de España was founded on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary" , 1797. The settlement is located on the former Encino Rancho in the Mission Hills community of northern Los Angeles, near the site of the first gold discovery in Alta California.-History:Mission San Fernando Rey de...
, where he also assisted the fathers of Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
The Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a fully functioning Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish...
until the fall of 1815. Beginning his ministry at Mission San Francisco de Asís
Mission San Francisco de Asís
Mission San Francisco de Asís, or Mission Dolores, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco and the sixth religious settlement established as part of the California chain of missions...
on November 18, 1815, he continued there until the fall of 1818, when he was transferred to Mission San Miguel Arcángel
Mission San Miguel Arcángel
Mission San Miguel Arcángel was founded on July 25, 1797 by the Franciscan order, on a site chosen specifically due to the large number of Salinan Indians that inhabited the area, whom the Spanish priests wanted to evangelize. It is located at 775 Mission Street, San Miguel, in San Luis Obispo...
. He served there for approximately two years before being called to Mission San Diego de Alcalá
Mission San Diego de Alcalá
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá, in San Diego, California, was the first Franciscan mission in the Las Californias Province of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was founded in 1769 by Spanish friar Junípero Serra in an area long inhabited by the Kumeyaay Indians...
, where he resided until early 1832 until being sent to Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, also known as Mission San Luis Rey or San Luis Rey Mission Church, was founded on June 13, 1798 in coastal Las Californias, in the present day U.S. city of Oceanside in California. The local Quechnajuichom Native American tribe became known as the Luiseño 'Mission...
to manage the temporal affairs of that outpost. Father Oliva made his first entry in the Baptismal Register of Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano was a Spanish mission in Southern California, located in present-day San Juan Capistrano. It was founded on All Saints Day November 1, 1776, by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order...
on September 6, 1846.
Being the lone missionary at San Juan Capistrano at the time of his death on January 2, 1848 he did not receive the "last rites
Last Rites
The Last Rites are the very last prayers and ministrations given to many Christians before death. The last rites go by various names and include different practices in different Christian traditions...
." Father Blas Ordáz officiated over the burial ceremony on January 29, when Father Oliva's body was interred in the presbytery
Presbytery (architecture)
The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....
on the Epistle
Epistle
An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The letters in the New Testament from Apostles to Christians...
side of the main alter in "Serra's Chapel." In mid-December 1912 the Reverend St. John O'Sullivan
St. John O'Sullivan
The Right Reverend Father St. John O'Sullivan was a Roman Catholic priest and noted restoration specialist....
arranged for excavations to be made to find Father Oliva's remains, when it was found that the body has been buried in the sacred vestments worn by priests at the holy "Sacrifice of the Mass."