A nice Orange County Register piece about the fifth anniversary of Father Art Holquin’s ministry at Mission San Juan Capistrano, the premier historic mission in California, dating back 232 years. Tradition couldn’t keep the mission in decent shape, however, and things were looking pretty shabby when Father Art took over in 2003. Although he’s a great pastor, he also knows how to delegate, and who to delegate to, in order to get things done for the sake of the church–locally, and universally. After all, who wouldn’t want to check out the centerpiece of the restoration: A $2 million grand retablo, unveiled on Swallow’s Day on March 19, 2007. The 16-ton artwork is made from cedar wood and covered in gold leaf and stands behind the altar of the basilica. The ticket price is worth–I hope I can get out to see it one day soon.