Will the US greet first Latino Pope by kicking out Junipero Serra?

Last updated on: April 20, 2015 at 11:02 pm by CNA Daily News

Will the US greet first Latino Pope by kicking out Junipero Serra? 2015-04-20T23:02:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rome, Italy, Apr 20, 2015 / 05:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- As the U.S. prepares for Pope Francis' trip later this year, one Vatican official says efforts to remove the statue of Spanish missionary Blessed Junipero Serra from the capital offers a poor welcome for history's first Latin American pontiff.

California's recent vote to replace the statue of the Franciscan missionary from the National Statuary Hall is “shocking,” especially ahead of Pope Francis' upcoming visit, said Dr. Guzman Carriquiry Lecour, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

During an April 20 press briefing at the Vatican, Carriquiry Lecour questioned removing the statue of “this Hispanic saint from the Capital of Washington, at the precise time when the first Hispanic Pope in history” will come to the U.S. capital to canonize him.

Axing the statue just months before the papal visit in September, “would not be an extraordinarily nice welcome from a country that proposes multicultural tolerance,” he said.

Father Serra helped establish the California missions in the 1700s, many of which became the centers of major cities like San Diego. The state's government, however, is seeking to replace the statue of the Franciscan missionary with that of the late Sally Ride, the first female astronaut in space.

The Vatican official criticized the Golden State's decision to bury “into oblivion or ideology the extraordinary contribution of the Hispanic Catholic missionary who has origins, not only in the United States, but in California.”

Located in the Capital building in Washington, D.C., the National Statuary Hall houses statues from all fifty States. Each State is represented statues of two of its prominent historical citizens.

Alongside former U.S. president Ronald Regan, Spanish-born Junipero Serra's statue represents California, which has a Latino population of more than 37 percent.

“What can this initiative (to remove the statue from the capital) mean in a state in which many thousands of Hispanics live, the majority of whom venerate Blessed Junipero Serra?” Carriquiry Lecour said.

California's senate voted 22-10 on Apr. 13 to replace the statue of Junipero Serra, although the decision awaits further approval from the state's assembly and Gov. Jerry Brown.

Born Nov. 24, 1714 in Spain, Blessed Junipero Serra played a key role in the evangelization of 18th-century California. The missions he founded took in thousands of Native American converts to Christianity and taught them technological development skills.

As part of the lead up to the canonization later this year, the Pope will visit Rome's Pontifical North American College on May 2 for a day of reflection on the California missionary.

In an Apr. 20 interview with CNA, college rector Msgr. James Checchio said it would be sad if Junipero Serra's statue was removed, on account of “all the great contributions,” he made, “not just to the Church and evangelization of peoples, but also for California itself.”

From the point of view of those receiving formation at the PNAC, Junipero Serra is “a man who was heroic in giving of himself for the mission of evangelization,” he said.

“He’s a good example for us, and an inspiration for us, and so certainly our men see that – especially our Latino men, and our men from the Southwest and California dioceses.”

Pope Francis will canonize Blessed Junipero Serra on Sep. 23 at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Europe

Previous Post

April 20, 2015

CRS deliberating over vice president in same-sex civil marriage

Next Post

April 20, 2015 Pope on ISIS killings: Blood of Ethiopian Christians 'cries out to be heard'

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which prophet was exiled to Babylon and saw a vision of four living creatures?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jeremiah Hosea Joel Ezekiel