The second mission we visited on Wednesday, August 7, was Mission San Fernando. This mission was totally different from any mission we have visited so far. It was obvious from the first step that this mission had considerably more money to spend on its acquisitions and upkeep. The church is a replica of the former mission church and doesn't have the same feeling of the other mission churches we have visited. The Archival Center serves the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and is very formal and not very friendly. The museum is very large and quite extensive. It covers everything from a stamp of Father Junipero Serra to a room dedicated solely to statues, plaques, paintings and depictions of the Blessed Mother. This room is called the Madonna Room. The museum is filled with many beautiful things but there is no feeling of warmth in this mission.
The Bob Hope Memorial Garden is located here. Both Bob and Delores Hope are buried here as well as one of their sons and Mrs. Hope's mother. It's quite a lovely little garden. The story goes that when Mr. Hope was ill and his wife asked him where he would like her to bury him his reply was, "Surprise me."
The West Garden
Entrance to the mission church
The wine cellar entrance
The wine cellar - just a little dusty.
Bob Hope Memorial Garden
Bob Hope
And thus our visit to the Los Angeles area missions has ended. Our only other southern California mission is San Diego. With as much time as we spend in San Diego we can't quite figure out why we have never visited this mission. After San Diego it will be the Central Coast ~ San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara, Slovang, Lompoc and San Louis Obispoa
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