Mission San Juan Capistrano, a California landmark and Orange County’s only mission, reopened to the public Feb. 4, following Gov. Newsom’s announcement lifting the stay-at-home orders.
Often called the “Jewel of California’s missions,” it will be open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Mission Store, which has a separate entry outside of the mission walls, remains open for shopping and curbside delivery from Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Guests are asked to bring their own drinking water, to wear masks and to practice social distancing at all times in conjunction with input from mission supporters and the CDC, state, county and Diocese of Orange guidelines for the care and protection of public health.
“While Mission San Juan Capistrano has faced many hardships during months of closures, it remains a beacon of hope and a place of inspiration, education and preservation. On behalf of the Mission Preservation Foundation, we wholeheartedly welcome back visitors to experience this historic and sacred space,” said Mechelle Lawrence Adams, Mission San Juan Capistrano executive director.
Mission San Juan Capistrano closed initially on March 16, 2020, and later reopened under strict Covid guidelines until early December at which time the second stay-at-home order was issued. Mission staff swiftly transitioned to distance learning experiences (most remain available) which draw an estimated 50,000 students each year, supporting the California History-Social Science Standards and history of native peoples in California….
The above comes from a Feb. 20 story in OC Catholic.
I object to the American flag draped over the wall. Twenty times larger than the cross. It’s a symbol of neo-colonial white European imperialism that stole the lands from the Brown Spanish who themselves stole the lands from Brown Indigenous Peoples and First Americans. We hear so much about displays of white supremacy these days. This is one example. The white privileged class are always looking to assert their privilege over Black, Brown and Native/First Peoples.
YFC? Is that you?
No Keith, it’s not me. As I’ve told you before, I am a center-left Democrat, not a far left Democrat or Socialist or anything else.
I don’t view the flag the same way Kris does. But I am also uncomfortable with Churches displaying secular flags in such a prominent way. My catholic schools displayed a large US flag, the state flag, and the flag of the Diocese, side by side, on flag poles in the lobby and every classroom had a flag maybe 2 feet long, as I recall, and IMHO, that’s all fine. We did the pledge of allegiance, which is fine. But in this case, it does appear to be overly prominent at what is primarily a religious building, where the emphasis should be on Christ and the People of God, not the people of the US. Wouldn’t you agree?
I don’t ever remember seeing it like that so maybe it was a special day.
Let’s understand this: our culture, families, history and very existence is being targeted for exterminated by the woke thugs. They hate us and want us dead. Our children are being taught to hate themselves and be ashamed of their families and their heritages.
@ Kris – Hate speech, pure and simple.
true
You are why we have such division and unrest , what flag or country do you owe allegiance to ? , your post is full of leftist tropes that are inconsistent with Catholicism and reason . Your strident tone of faux outrage is not convincing or impressive.
Kris, the indoctrination you were exposed to has worked very well. I have heard the same argument often — almost word for word — by the left wing parrots who have lost their ability to think independently for themselves.
How ironic that those accusing others of being brainwashed parrots don’t see how brainwashed they are themselves. We call that projection in psychology.
Agree Kris, with la Bandera de Los Estados Unidos. [Stars and Stripes]. The Mission is a historical place which pre-dates many events in Amercan history..\
In my opinion, the mission grounds should be free of all secular symbols, including Spanish and Mexican flags. If appropriate, the history could be well displayed inside the mission, with an explanation of the history of the Spanish, then Mexican, then USA.
Anyone else get the irony of MikeM’s request to remove flags from a historical site?
it’s not an American historical site. That is to say, the historical significance of the site has nothing whatsoever to do with America or American history. The cross belongs there, but not the American flag. It’s imperialism. Claiming what isn’t yours. It’s sort of the inverse of tearing down statues of Fr. Serra. Fr. Serra contributed much to California history. To fail to recognize or acknowledge that is a failure to understand history. America contributed nothing to the California missions, to assert that the missions are American is a failure to understand history in a different way.
The Mission is in the USA. It can fly the US flag. I searched the image and it was from a 9/11 memorial service in 2018.
What has gone so wrong in our country? We’re not supposed to say anything that might make anyone feel “less than” but you can tell an entity in the United States that they are not American enough to fly the US flag?
Seriously?
Because you are only permitted to be, to say, to do what they (whoever they are) permit you to be, to say, to do.
Most of you probably don’t remember the “60s. Love, peace and understanding and let your freak flag fly.
Do you remember the “80s? We’re not gonna take it anymore.
The photo is from Lincoln’s birthday when an annual honorary reenactment is held memorializing Lincoln’s return of mission lands to the Catholic Church – Mexico had confiscated them.
There weren’t fifty stars on the flag when Lincoln was president.
No there were not 50 stars , and there were no cell phones or internet blogs either , that post shows the quality of your reasoning and arguments , what does the amount of stars have to do with this story ? .
I think she’s saying that if you’re going to commemorate something from Lincoln’s era and display a flag because of that, then you should display a flag from Lincoln’s era.
Since when is that part of flag etiquette ?, the flag with the current 50 stars is the flag of the Union the United States , it reflects the number of states that at this point in time are part of the union., the flag in Lincoln’s time had less stars because they had less states in the union at that time. The flag on display reflects the USA, the union as it is now., this flag is consistent and is the successor to the flag from what would have been the standard in Lincoln’s time.
Hymie, thanks. I found an image that was from a 9/11 memorial.
And I think Kris is just trying to get our goat.
Hymie, thanks for the clarificaton as to the US Flag presence. I am likely dense, But Mr Peteresen, respectfully, what is the irony in my previous post?
Mike M
It is good, from time to time, to remember who wrote history: the victors. We have reached a point where it is easy to find the other side of the story. Some say we fought a civil war while others say their ancestors were exposed to the war of northern aggression. If the history of early California is written by the Spanish, it will tell of the great work that the Friars did to convert the pagan Indians to Catholicism. If you read history written by the Indians you may hear a different version. The history of the Trail of Tears has two versions. The Homestead Act took land away from its rightful owners. Manifest Destiny, from the viewpoint of those whose destiny was taken away is very different than the view of President Polk. Who gave him the right to say that God wanted the US to take other’s land?
Of course anyone “can” fly the flag of the US. That is clear first amendment Freedom of Speech. And in some places it is appropriate and edifying.
But dictators fly their flags at Churches. Communists drape their flags over Churches. Invaders fly their flags over Churches. Why? Because they all want you to believe that God gave you the form of government that they prefer.
So while I like my form of government and am proud about our flag, I worry when Churches fly secular flags because sometimes they don’t really want to buy into the ruling party. Or at least, maybe they shouldn’t.
From the USCCB website:
Surprisingly to many, there are no regulations of any kind governing the display of flags in Roman Catholic Churches. Neither the Code of Canon law, nor the liturgical books of the Roman rite comment on this practice. As a result, the question of whether and how to display the American flag in a Catholic Church is left up to the judgment of the diocesan bishop, who in turn often delegates this to the discretion of the pastor.
The origin of the display of the American flag in many parishes in the United States appears have its origins in the offering of prayers for those who served during the Second World War (1941-1945). At that time, many bishops and pastors provided a book of remembrance near the American flag, requesting prayers for loved ones – especially those serving their country in the armed forces – as a way of keeping before the attention of the faithful the needs of military families. This practice has since been confirmed in many places during the Korean, Viet Nam and Iraqi conflicts.
The Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy has in the past encouraged pastors not to place the flag within the sanctuary itself, in order to reserve that space for the altar, the ambo, the presidential chair and the tabernacle. Instead, the suggestion has been made that the American flag be placed outside the sanctuary, or in the vestibule of the Church together with a book of prayer requests. It remains, however, for the diocesan bishop to determine regulations in this matter.
Kris is reading way too much into that display of the American flag on the mission. Seems to me, this person is just out looking for a fight. This comment says more about the person who objects in such a contentious manner than about the flag display. We are all so blessed to live in the USA, I don’t see anything wrong in a display of patriotism.