The following comes from a Feb. 9 column by Bishop Michael Barber of Oakland published in the Catholic Voice.
Pope Francis announced during a press conference on his flight to the Philippines that he intended to canonize Blessed Junipero Serra, founder of the California Missions. This took most of us local “Cali” bishops by surprise, as we had not heard if a second miracle had occurred since Serra’s beatification in 1988, which is usually required for canonization. KQED has quoted the pope as saying he has waived the requirement for a second miracle since Father Serra has for centuries been considered a holy man and a great evangelizer.
Some say Father Serra caused harm to the Indians he converted. Others say he was a hero … and genius for organizing the Mission system. Some of the facts: Indians were free to accept baptism or not. Once they were instructed in the faith and accepted baptism they were required to live in the mission community. They knew this before converting.
The Franciscan padres built the missions at a distance from the pueblos, or towns, to protect the Indians from exploitation by the Spanish and Mexican settlers. (That is why in our diocese, “Mission San Jose” is in Fremont and not San Jose.)
One of the unintended results of the meeting of European and Native American peoples was that Indians were susceptible to diseases brought by the colonizers. Unfortunately, many Indians got sick and died. This is a tragedy. But is it due to Father Serra … or the unintended consequence of Europe meeting America?
Pope John Paul II put the issue in balance when he addressed Native American Indians on his visit to Phoenix on Sept. 14, 1987: ”The early encounter between your traditional cultures and the European way of life was an event of such significance and change that it profoundly influences your collective life even today. That encounter was a harsh and painful reality for your peoples. The cultural oppression, the injustices, the disruption of your life and of your traditional societies must be acknowledged.”
“At the same time, in order to be objective, history must record the deeply positive aspects of your people’s encounter with the culture that came from Europe. Among these positive aspects I wish to recall the work of the many missionaries who strenuously defended the rights of the original inhabitants of this land. They worked to improve living conditions and set up educational systems, learning your languages in order to do so.”
“Above all, they proclaimed the Good News of salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ, an essential part of which is that all men and women are equally children of God and must be respected and loved as such. This gospel of Jesus Christ is today, and will remain forever, the greatest pride and possession of your people.”
Nice column. The photo of Pope John Paul II getting the Indian looks stupid, but otherwise a nice piece.
Speaking of convenient Targets…
This CMTV program contained a Great Picture from the early Homo-Nazi Era of Germany, showing a crowd Almost unanimously giving the Stiff Arm ‘hell’ salute that Ernst Rohm & his Boy Toy / Protege hitler required as a public show of support.
The spotlight is placed on a Single Man in the crowd – standing with his Arms Folded – amidst the mass of conformists to the Gaystapo Agenda – whether willingly saluting or just too cowardly to be seen as Abstaining.
I would like to think that this Man Survived the era – although we know that today he would be singled out and targeted by the Thought Police for ‘tolerance training’ – in their modern equivalent of Dachau concentration camp (opened by the Homo-Nazi Terrorist ‘SA’ Storm Troopers under Rohm) – where more Catholic Priests put in that Camp were buried in one place than anywhere else in that Previous Abomination.
https://www.churchmilitant.tv/platform/?today=2015-02-13
… any opportunity to loop back to a conspiracy theory. The less plausible it is, the better.
BTW – the CA state Senator who wants Serra ‘Removed & Replaced’ with a statue of Sally Ride is also a Gaystapo Propaganda pogrom, as well as Anti-Catholic.
The State Senator’s 2012 news release self identified him as:
“Senator Ricardo Lara – California’s First Openly Gay Senator of Color in State History”
And Sally Ride – Another Homosexual, who stayed semi-closeted in the Astronaut Corps until after her death.
Given the Spin on the Scam, all I can say is – Gosh- It All must just be about Serra & the ‘indians’…
– who were not from or in India actually, but at least we can blame Columbus for that one.