The pictures above are worth a thousand words (from me). I recently enjoyed an art show at this renovated Bates Mansion, which is a fabulous place downtown. It’s at the old Mountain Oyster Club locale, on the SW corner of Stone Avenue and Franklin. Enjoy this fiesta!

Last night I attended the preview opening of a special exhibit “Our Padre on Horseback” honoring the 300th anniversary of the death of Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino, S.J. (1645 to 1711), at the Diocese of Tucson Archives at 300 S. Tucson Blvd. The exhibit itself depicts 16 of the 24 missions that Padre Kino founded, with photos, maps, drawings and several lovely Ted DeGrazia reprints. Last night Bishop Gerald Kicanas and Father Chris Corbally spoke of the work of Padre Kino and the Kino Heritage Society. Father Corbally aptly said that Kino “used all his knowledge and survival skills to bring people to God”. Padre Kino is remembered as a “Missionary & Explorer, Friend of Native Peoples, Founder of 24 missions, Scientist & Map maker, Candidate for Sainthood, and Arizona’s First Cattleman.”

This exhibit will run through May 30, 2011, hours of operation M, T, TH, F from 9 to 4 p.m., phone 520-886-5201. (The archives bldg. is at the south end of this property shared with St. Ambrose Parish & School.)

Additional upcoming weekend events to mark the 300th anniversary of Padre Kino’s death, which was on March 15, 1711:

Concerts in honor of Padre Kino by Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra– Sat. March 12, 7:30 p.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral, and Sunday March 13, 3 p.m. Catalina Foothills H.S. Auditorium (4300 E. Sunrise Dr.), $20 admission for each.

Memorial Mass on Sunday March 13, 12 noon, St. Augustine Cathedral, Diocese of Tucson Celebrates Padre Kino’s Life, 192 S. Stone Avenue.

Tucson Festival of Books, Sunday March 13, 4 p.m. University of Arizona Student Union, Catalina Room, “The Trail of Arizona’s First Cowboy & Missionary Explorer” by a panel of authors(Ben Clevenger, Deni Seymour, Jacqueline Soule). Free event.

For more details & events, log onto Kino Heritage Society website, www.padrekino.com. And for my earlier blog on Padre Kino & the Kino Heritage Society click here.

An Early ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Please Join Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace

at a fiesta to celebrate the planting of

MISSION GARDEN

Wednesday, December 29th

5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

at the beautiful, new Mercado San Agustín

100 South Avenida del Convento

(Corner of Congress Street, 3 blocks west of I-10)

Tucson, AZ 85745

Botanas Mexicanas, Margaritas, Champurro, Horchata

Traditional Music, Silent Auction of Rare Tequilas and Mexican Tequila Crafts & more

$15 donation with a reservation

$20 at the door

Reservations at GAlvill1@mac.com or (520) 400-5437

http://www.tucsonsbirthplace.org/

(Dress warmly and drink responsibly!)

About the Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace:

We are a group of Tucson residents committed to re-create and authentically present the historic structures and landscapes to the regional community and visitors in the area known as Tucson’s Birthplace. To that end we have formed an organization to insure the completion of the Tucson Origins Heritage Park.

Our mission is to preserve, honor, protect, restore and promote the cultural heritage of Tucson’s Birthplace at the foot of Sentinel Peak (‘A’ Mountain).

To accomplish this our organization partners with like minded groups locally, regionally, nationally and internationally in order to inform Tucsonans and visitors of this rich, unique cultural treasure.

Our first focus is to complete the Mission Garden, a project begun under voter approved public funds and to be completed in a public private partnership with Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace.

Our goals include not just the construction and planting of the garden, but also its successful operation and maintenance. This will be accomplished through the enlisting and training of volunteers and funded through donations and grants.