Father Milich had been working for a couple of months to bring a Solemn High Mass (a Mass with three priests) to Mission San Juan, but we didn't know for certain if it was really going to happen until last weekend. The three priests would need matching vestments. They had some gold vestments available at the mission, but the maniples were missing. The maniple is something like a sash which the priest wears over his left arm. It symbolizes how our Lord's hands were bound when he was arrested.
Since I have a sewing machine, and since the more qualified seamstress has recently moved out of state, I was given the honor of making them.
I traced around one of Father's other maniples to make a pattern, and then began cutting the interfacing.
Now for the part of sewing that always scares me the most: cutting into the fabric.
The color of the fabric was a good match for the vestments, but it was very thin and soft. To use the technical term: swishy. So I used the interfacing to help keep its shape, and give the Maniple more weight.
Three Maniples cut out, and two days before the Mass. Plenty of time, right?
A Maniple is supposed to have three crosses, one on each end, and one in the middle. Since I didn't have time to order cross shaped apliques, I used ribbon. Juan picked it out. Worked on this late Saturday night after an afternoon at the beach. There's still time!
Sunday morning and they were finished! Phew! Seen here against one of the vestments used at Mass.
Watching the waves.
Aren't they cute!
Tis early in th emorning, there were hardly any poeple at the Aquarium, and the tourist buses had not left the hotels.
You could actually get up close tho the Sea Otters at their exhibit.
Why do some fish just look angry?
One of the students at the tide pool. This one was slippery instead of bumpy.
The fog on the Monterey Bay can get so thick sometimes that even the Sharks need to turn on their Fog Lights.
Tropical Fish.
Penguins at the Aquarium.
There is a Sea Horse exhibit at the Aquarium. Here is a Sea Horse that 'evolved' to look like seaweed. So just how did that happen?
Three happy girls in a clam. 
Two happy ladies in a clam.
"Help! It's eating us!"
More of the students at one of the exhibits.
Here, everybody is wondering what happened to the Cetacean Institute.
Group Photo! 
Three Maniples cut out, and two days before the Mass. Plenty of time, right? 
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