Lower California, Apostolic Vicariate of

LOWER CALIFORNIA, Apostolic Vicariate of. - The peninsula of Baja California (Mexico) was under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles (present-day Monterey-Fresno) until the erection of the apostolic vicariate (1874), which was entrusted to the secular clergy. Its evangelization began in 1550 and came to a halt with the revolutions of the 19th century and the anticlericalism of the last fifty years, which prevented any serious work.

The people are good and very religious: it is easy to see people of every condition, sex and age praying in public with their arms crossed, dragging themselves on their knees from the church door to the altar, and going to Communion with large scapulars of the various confraternities. Since 1939 the vicariate has been entrusted to the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, mostly Mexicans, who devote their activities to the northern part of the territory; in the south the fathers of the African missions of Verona have been working since the beginning of 1948. On the whole the works of the mission are well under way.

The total population amounts to about 240,000 inhabitants, of whom the majority are Catholics, 3,000 pagans and an unspecified number of Protestants. There are 32 priests, among Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, Fathers of Verona and Friars Minor. The seminary has about 60 students. There are thirteen communities of sisters, who run several small colleges and aid stations. There are 12 quasi-parishes, 17 churches and 15 chapels.