The following comes from a Feb. 10 Catholic News Agency story.
Washington D.C.- Just weeks after Pope Francis announced his intention to canonize missionary Father Junipero Serra during his upcoming visit to the states, a California legislator has proposed replacing the soon-to-be-saint’s statue in the U.S. Capitol.
Father Serra helped establish the California missions, many of which became the centers of major cities like San Diego. In recent weeks, however, California State Sen. Ricardo Lara has proposed that the priest’s statue be replaced with a less “controversial” figure. Critics of the move are beginning to speak out.
Msgr. Weber, the 82-year-old Archivist Emeritus of the Archival Center at the San Fernando Mission in Mission Hills, Calif., praised Father Serra’s “magnetic personality” despite being “a short little fellow, with poor health.”
“It was the first contact that the Europeans made with the Native Americans,” Msgr. Weber said of the missionary’s work. “When he died the Native Americans were terribly upset. He had become such a hero among them,” Msgr. Weber said.
Grazie Pozo Christie, a Miami-born doctor who spent her childhood in Mexico, said Fr. Serra’s canonization “means a lot” to Catholic Latinos as well.
Fr. Serra is “very much our very own and we love to see our own recognized and acclaimed,” she told CNA Feb. 9.
“To Latinos, Fr. Serra means unconditional love, acceptance, and sacrifice, because that is what he showed our forefathers,” said Christie, who is on the advisory board for The Catholic Association.
Fr. Serra’s statue has been in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall Collection since 1931. However, Sen. Ricardo Lara has proposed that Father Serra’s statue be replaced with a statue of astronaut Sally Ride, the first U.S. woman in space.
Lara characterized the priest as “a controversial figure.” He said his effort to replace the statue with Sally Ride’s is about “recognizing the invaluable contributions of an accomplished Californian and American pioneer,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Msgr. Weber, however, rejected many of the claims against Serra. “You see all of these accusations against Serra, but not one of them can be validated by a responsible historian.”
St. John Paul II, during his 1987 visit to the U.S., praised Father Serra as the native peoples’ “defender and champion” whose actions had as their aim the “spiritual and physical well-being” of Native Americans.
Msgr. Weber worried that an agenda was at work in the criticisms leveled at Serra.
“The Native Americans, I think, are being utilized by these people who have a rather warped view of what evangelization is all about,” he said. “I’m convinced that the questions about Junipero Serra are really not about Serra himself, who simply epitomized Catholic evangelization. I’m convinced that this is an attack on all of Catholic evangelization throughout the world.”
I personally admire Father Serra, and always have!
Whom I do NOT admire are those who are leading our boys astray at Archbishop Riordan High School, where the principal has been showing sexual videos, including one with a teenage boy and some teenage girls!
Many teachers have called the principal on this immoral behavior, but he only punishes them and threatens them with lawsuits.
I firmly believe that Archbishop Cordileone should investigate this matter promptly and severely – thank God, he already made it clear that the TEACHERS should live up to Catholic values in their lives, and now he has the opportunity to do so with this principal!!!!
Maria, you and other parents have an obligation to contact the Abp at the SFO Diocese Office.
Provide any documentation that you may have.
CCC: ” 907 In accord with the knowledge, competence, and preeminence which they possess, [lay people] have the right and even at times a DUTY
to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church,
and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful,
with due regard to the integrity of faith and morals
and reverence toward their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons.”
Did these students and parents contact the Archbishop’s office? If so what was the name of the person it was reported to, and the date and time of day ?
Did they provide any documentation?
Did they contact the police if laws were broken (minors being involved) ? If so what was the name of the person it was reported to, and the date and time of day?
If not why not ?
My grandson also attends Riordan High School, and we were shocked to see on the evening news last week that, no only did the concerned teachers report this misbehavior to the Archdiocese of San Francisco, but the principal in question was then permitted to retaliate against the teachers for speaking up for faith and morals.
One teach on camera talked about growing up Catholic and finding the principal’s behavior incompatible with leadership in a Catholic high school, but nothing has been done.
When the Archdiocese of San Francisco “investigated” this porn problem, they did so by asking a retired principal, who lives back east, to do the investigating by telephone. Unbelievable.
No wonder Archbishop Cordileone is trying to crack down on people who work in our Catholic schools but violate the essence of Catholic life!
Of course they are anti-Catholic, anti-western and anti-white male. They have been indoctrinated in “Native American” Liberation Theology.
There is a petition called “Hope For The Pope” at San Juan Capistrano Mission website ? It’ s not a petition hoping that Pope Francis upholds Church Doctrine regarding of not allowing adulterers and homosexuals receive the Holy Eucharist. Oh! Heavens no! It is a petition for the Pope to visit the Mission. Maybe rectors emeritus Monsignor Arthur Holquin and new rector Monsignor J. Michael McKiernan think if the Pope comes to visit, the swallows will return.
ANY Clergy of ANY rank who is “POPULAR” with SECULAR SOCEITY, had better do an examination of conscience because he may be committing sin by commission or omission.
JESUS said: ” you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. Mt 24:9-13.
JESUS said: ” you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. Lk 21:17.
Condemnation for receiving Holy Communion unworthily: 1 Cor 11:27-30.
Let us pray that Pope Francis does not allow or encourage SACRILEGE against the Body and Blood of Our Lord
by purposely providing Holy Communion to those known to be choosing to continue in the state of Mortal Sin.
It is NOT Pastoral, Merciful, or Charitable to approve or condone the mortal sins of others through permitting Sacrilege and scandal.
SAVE this link for future use:
” The Discipline Regarding the Denial of Holy Communion to Those Obstinately Persevering in Manifest Grave Sin”
https://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/holycom/denial.htm
(Note: I did not find the words:
“SACRILEGE against the Body and Blood of our Lord”
in any of the approved 2014 Synod Documents that spoke of possibly providing Holy Communion to adulterers, those committing homosexual acts, and other mortally sinful immoral acts.)
Have all the stringent requirements been met by Father Junipero Serra to be declared a Saint
which includes TWO (2) miracles ?
I understand this is not the case, and he has not met the requirements at this time.
God will tell the Church who is truly a Saint to be venerated these days
– not those who have never seen him or never met him.
Those who have never seen him or met him are operating on hearsay.
So far there has been one miracle healing of a nun.
Lara is looney! All these politically correct nut jobs are trying to rewrite history. What a shame that more Catholics do not realize the tremendous POSITIVE effects that Father Serra contributed to the Catholic Church as well as to society. Christ HIMSELF said, ‘If the world hates you, know that it has hated ME first”. I hope this silly nonsense will cease and desist, but I am afraid that things will get much more before they get better.
Senator R. Lara is silly, and is acting like an airhead, especially since he is probably from Hispanic background, and should be grateful for all the good and holy deeds performed by Father Juipero Serra and the other Franciscans. Because his idea is so asine, maybe he should be replaced with a donkey from Oatman, Arizona. At least the wild burros that wander around, looking for food from passing motorists, have some sense of reality. Sally Ride was a nice person, but did NOT contribute one iota to the betterment of California, nor to the education of Indians. I pray that Pope Francis will not give in to the rejects from the TWILIGHT ZONE who are against Junipero Serra’s canonization.
Ricardo Lara is homosexual; so was Sally Ride. Clears things up a bit, doesn’t it.
California State Senator Ricardo Lara proves that anti-Catholic bigotry is alive and well in Sacramento.
Well, the point is to push back against Senator Lara. He lacks authority to do this solo, so write and press buttons to stop his prejudice.
Interesting — if accurate — that the Sen. is a homosexual. His position then (again, if his sexual preference is accurately stated) provides further evidence of the strong link between homosexual activism, and the Anti-Catholic Liberal Left (or Zombie-Liberals). HomoFascists simply despise the Catholic Church (because it says bad things about their taste for sodomy) and want to do whatever — whatever — it can to destroy Christ’s own institution.
Fight to keep the good Fr. Serra in the Capitol. California federal legislators are notoriously liberal, but perhaps one or two at least (Please Read This) can meet with Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader McConnell in an effort to persuade them to leave Fr. Serra in place. After all, even the Uber-Liberal Pope Francis has said that Fr. Serra deserves canonization. But, the homosexual movement is completely Satan’s baby, so even the Pope is not enough.
Despite the fact that many leading churchmen are courting the homosexuals, the sodomites will continue to bash the Catholic Church, and will do all in their evil and sordid power to destroy Her. St. Peter Damien, I believe, wrote an excellent book on the evils of homosexuals. What a pity it is not required reading. What was a sin yesterday, is still a sin today. Ave Maria Purrissima!
Unfortunately in California we have a continual battle with our liberal lawmakers! They are clearly antiCatholic and now, it seems would like to diminish even the beautiful history of our missions! We can only pray Pope Francis does not falter on this one.