by Helena Hazleton
As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month this November, we look closer at the Luiseño people, whose labor and resilience shaped the foundation of Mission San Luis Rey. Through the firsthand writings of Pablo Tac—a Luiseño youth who lived through the mission era—we are granted a unique and invaluable window into daily life during the 1820s.

On October 3, 2026, the Franciscans at Mission San Luis Rey will get together in prayer to commemorate the death of St. Francis of Assisi which happened 800 years ago on October 3, 1226. In announcing this special anniversary, Pope Leo XIV initiated a Jubilee Year and asked all of the “Christian faithful follow the example of St. Francis of Assisi by becoming models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace.”

The Blessing of the Animals takes place at Mission San Luis Rey every year on the first Saturday of October, around the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Everyone is invited to bring their precious pets - any type and size - to be blessed by the Franciscan friars who live at Mission San Luis Rey. In addition to pet blessings, there is live music, along with food and craft vendors, as well as the Humane Society and the Oceanside Police Department who show off the skills of their caninie companions. This is a fun family event you won’t want to miss!