Vatican goes on offensive to defend Franciscan missionary. Father Junipero Serra, California Mission

Pope Francis is coming to Washington, D.C., to canonize Junipero Serra as a Saint. It is imperative he is enlightened to understand that Father Serra was responsible for the deception, exploitation, oppression, enslavement and genocide of thousands of Indigenous Californians, ultimately resulting in the largest ethnic cleansing in North America.

Native Americans Protest - Against Father Serra becoming a Saint

Im sure there will be little argument from anyone, regarding the atrocities the Native Americans have endured through out American History.
It seems that until this very day they have to fight just for their dignity.
The Catholic Church has decided to declare Father Serra a Saint. The Native Americans who's lives, families, culture, and language were destroyed through the work of the California Missions, are asking us to sign a petition to stop it.

Father Serra was far from a Saint, and this shouldnt even be considered. The Native Americans deserve an apology, not make a hero of the man responsible for their demise. Personally, I am disgusted by the audacity of the Catholic Church. What a slap in the face of our Native American Brothers.
www.msn.com...

[petition removed]

When he showed up here...

The Natives wore their nakedness like a beautiful bronze suit.

Read that line in a book. Never thought I would get to use it in context.

They had no defense for what he brought.

Saint ? More like like invader...

Sadly there was much done to the people indigenous to this area before it became the country that it is. I'm just thankful that my ancestors were not a part of it, but I do wonder what atrocities my ancestors WERE a part of. I pray I never know.

Living on El Camino Real as a child, Serra was one of my early heros. All that he had done to bring Christianity and modern civilization to the backward natives. Whatta man.

But then I heard the story from another perspective. When Serra showed up with his Bible, the people had the land and he had the Bible. He said let us bow our heads in prayer. When they lifted their heads again, the Spanish had the land and the people had the Bible.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

Its a sickening story, and I believe the Natives (what few we have left) should be protected. And what little remains of their sacred lands, and culture should also be protected.

Thank You for bringing this to our attention.
I would need more solid informtion then a link from msn.com to either sign a petion or write a letter.
It is, to me at least, important to participate conscientiously and not sit on the benches like sports fans.
More facts and I will dig too.
WIS

a reply to: misskat1

I just don't understand how someone proclaiming to be doing the work of god can go off and have so many people killed ,

Clearly This man did not have gods interest in heart .

a reply to: WalkInSilence

www.latimes.com...

www.santacruzsentinel.com...

a reply to: Kapusta

The Catholic Church has a history of turning some of the worst offending Priests into Saints. Like Thomas Moore who burned people at the stake for reading a bible in the English Language. Isnt there a scripture that says "they will call evil good and good evil?"

Where is the apology? The remorse?

a reply to: misskat1

I agree the violence commited towards those we deemed lesser beings must be brought to light and mended in what ever manner we are capable.
I can not denounce responsibilty, I must pick up the yoke my ancestors dropped and mend what ever little I can.
This in regard to any surpressed group.
WIS

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
Living on El Camino Real as a child, Serra was one of my early heros. All that he had done to bring Christianity and modern civilization to the backward natives. Whatta man.

But then I heard the story from another perspective. When Serra showed up with his Bible, the people had the land and he had the Bible. He said let us bow our heads in prayer. When they lifted their heads again, the Spanish had the land and the people had the Bible.

Where did you live? I grew up one mile from El Camino Real on the SF Peninsula. San Carlos. 5 miles north of Stanford.

My brother went to San Mateo's "Junipero Serra High School," a private Catholic high school.

California is completely saturated with Spanish and Mexican cultural history.

Having said all of that, I worked on Native American issues for a couple of years, mostly on present day poverty and education gaps but also looking at the history. It's horrible what was done to them.

originally posted by: misskat1

Where is the apology? The remorse?

There is no apology no remorse at least not in general. I is a terrible shame. Sugar coating is much easier, but I DO NOT sugar coat and get in to heated discussions, I'm the bad apple, but I will NOT put up with ignorance in my community, where ever I am. Have traveld extensively.
And I will not leave.
There is no Utopia, I could wander from country to country, religion to religion and still find something to oppose.
I can't justify evil, but I can fight to make a difference, and I do.
Thanks again for this thread. And the Links.
WIS

a reply to: misskat1

Maybe you see something that I don't. I read all the posts several times over and I have yet to see anyone apologize for the so-called "Father who would be Saint".

Appears to me that WalkInSilence was sad and angry at the lack of an apology by the Catholic Church and rightly so.

Maybe I just didn't read correctly.

a reply to: misskat1

I should have perhaps been more clear.

I am saying there is no apology or remorse from "The Church" for the crimes commited and that is what I regret. It bothers me to no extent that no one is willing to take responsibility. Again I will say it is a terrible shame.

Ignorance. How do I say this? I confront people in my surroundings with "less wanted" revelations about our past. My physical surroundings. I speak to these people. I talked to them of how poorly we have behaved in the past and in the present. I speak of how we are ignorant and welcome it because it is easier to turn the blind eye than to see, in truth and take responsibilty.

Sorry you feel I am bashing your thread, forgive me if I have offended you.
I tagged on here because I found it a cause I coulld relate to.
Sorry

a reply to: WalkInSilence

I think it was me that misunderstood. I am so glad others are also relating to the issues the Natives are facing.

a reply to: misskat1

yeah, this sort of crap is what drove me away from the church.

Then I started to read, lol

Even if I was illiterate I would have left. Its so foreign to me now...something that was so dear. Its weird.

Screw organized religion and its "heroes".

The real "Heroes" did what they did not because of the church. Some were outright killed and served injustice by it so as to preserve a narrative and a mechanism for control.

Saint....more like sadistic meat bag.

a reply to: misskat1

Are you sure the man wasn't a "saint" within a wicked institution? A lot of (evil word on ATS) Jesuit missionaries actually died and risked their lives trying to keep the Vatican army from genocide.

Sure it was by conversion but more out of frantic compassion to keep them from being mowed down by gold hungry vatican soldiers.

This Pope seems less likely to just go with the flow. Doesn't seem like someone he would push but who knows its a bigger monster than one man.

a reply to: luthier

I can not link to it, but on facebook the Winnemem Wintu Tribe (Shasta, and Lassen Counties) has a clip where Chief Sisk is speaking before the UN regarding the brutalization of the Native Tribes by Father Serra. He quotes from a letter dated July 31, 1775 written by Father Serra regarding the punishment of 4 Natives that tried to escape, he recommends to have them beaten several times and left in severe punishment for a month. This proves they were mistreated by Serra himself and that they were slaves.

www.facebook.com... I dont know if this will link to the clip, but a post also discusses the Adam Sandler movie that the Natives walked out on.

a reply to: Quetzalcoatl14

San Mateo back when the bridge was still a draw bridge.