Tag: sainthood
AlJazeera Television Report on the Canonization of Junipero Serra
Some argue that California’s native peoples voluntarily joined the Spanish Missions founded by Junipero Serra in the 18th Century. “Not true,” Valentin Lopez of the Amah Mutsun told AlJazeera Television. “That’s why they had soldiers with them, to capture the Indians.” https://vimeo.com/140805432
“We are Stunned” Lopez Tells CNN
“We are stunned and we are in disbelief,” Valentin Lopez told CNN after the canonization of Junipero Serra in Sept. 23, 2015 in Washington, DC.
Native Americans Make Last Ditch Plea to Stop Serra Canonization
Native American activists and advocates met Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Washington, D.C., for one last-ditch effort to draw attention to their objection over the canonization of 18th-century Franciscan friar Junípero Serra. Read details in the National Catholic Reporter
Letter to Pope Francis, Sept. 2015
In a letter to Pope Francis outlining the reasons the Amah Mutson people oppose the canonization of Junipero Serra, Tribal ChairmanValentin Lopez says “Undoubtedly what puzzles and hurts us most is how the Catholic Church has ignored the humanity of our ancestors.” Read: Letter to the Pope Sept 2015
Call In: Valentin Lopez in a Discussion of Serra’s Canonization
Public Radio Station KALW featured Aman Mutsun Tribal Chairman Valentin Lopez in a discussion of the issues surrounding Junipero Serra during the program Call In on Sept. 14, 2015. Listen at http://kalw.org/term/elias-castillo#stream/0
How Tarnished is Serra’s Halo?
A report written by Vinnie Rotondaro in the National Catholic Reporter explores the controversy surrounding Junipero Serra
Tribal Chairmen’s Assn. Letter Opposing Serra Canonization
The Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association, in an August 2015 letter to Pope Francis, opposes the canonization of the Franciscan Friar Junipero Serra. Fr. Serra was responsible for founding and building, by means of the forced labor of our Native ancestors, nine of the twenty-one Spanish Catholic missions that were eventually built on the traditional Read more…
Association of Tribal Governments Letter Opposing Serra Sainthood
The California Association of Tribal Governments has written a letter to Richard Garcia, Bishop of the Diocese of Monterey, Ca., “with our hope and prayers that someone with influence within the Catholic Church may advise his Holiness Pope Francis to reevaluate his decision to canonize Friar Junipero Serra,” and asking for a meeting to reevaluate Read more…
Letter to Gov. Jerry Brown August, 2015
August 31, 2015 Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. c/o State Capitol. Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814 Re: Open Letter Regarding the Canonization and symbolism of Junipero Serra YOU MAY SIGN A PETITION ON THIS REQUEST TO GOV, JERRY BROWN AT CHANGE.ORG Dear Governor Brown, My name is Valentin Lopez and Read more…
Tribal Psychiatrist Says Serra Canonization Will Deepen ‘Soul Wound’
“For the most part, California Indians have never healed from the treatment their ancestors endured in the missions, and making Junipero Serra a saint is going to make it even harder for healing to occur,” psychologist Donna Schindler told former Franciscan friar Mark Day. In an article published in La Prensa San Diego Day explores Read more…
Petition California Gov. Jerry Brown to Oppose Canonizing Junipero Serra
Please go to Change.org to sign our petition urging California Gov. Jerry Brown to acknowledge the dark history of Serra’s missions and oppose the canonization of Junipero Serra. The petition also urges Brown to encourage the Legislature to take meaningful action to include accurate accounts of what Indians endured at the missions in school curriculae and state Read more…
California’s Saint, and a Church’s Sins
An opinion piece by New York Times writer Lawrence Downes describes opposition to the canonization of Junipero Serra. The piece quotes Valentin Lopez, chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band: “How can Pope Francis and the Catholic Church speak or act with moral authority when they know that they have mistreated the indigenous people?” and the Read more…
Letter fro Steven Newcomb to Gov. Jerry Brown
Steven Newcomb, author and co-foundeer of the Indigenous Law Institute, challenges California Gov. Jerry Brown to oppose canonization of Junipero Serra. Earlier the governor called Serra “one of the innovators and pioneers of California” in a letter July, 2015. Letter from Steven Newcomb to Gov. Brown
Sainthood for Founder of California Missions Angers Native American Groups
Members of several Native American groups gathered on Easter Sunday at the historic Carmel Mission to protest the proposed canonization of Franciscan priest Junipero Serra, who is buried there. The gathering sought to honor their ancestors who were also buried at the mission nearly 250 years ago after being stripped of their kinship ties, culture Read more…
Radio KPFA’s Visionary Activist Show
The July 23 program features Valentin Lopez of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, and authors Matthew Fox and Elias Castillo discussing their opposition to plans to canonize Junipero Serra. (Audio)
Letter to Gov. Jerry Brown Regarding Serra Canonization
The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman Valentin Lopez has asked Gov. Jerry Brown to join the tribe in opposing the canonization of Junipero Serra. The request was made in a letter delivered to the Governor’s Office July 17, 2015.Letter to Gov Brown re Serra
Sign the Petition Opposing Serra Canonization
Thousands already have signed a petition urging Pope Francis not to canonize Junipero Serra. We have until his Sept. 22 visit to the United States to send our message to the Pope.
Demanding the pope’s attention
San Jose Mercury News, July 12, 2015 By Tracy Seipel Several hundred people gathered at Mission San Juan Bautista July 11 calling for the Vatican to halt it’s plans to canonize Junipero Serra, founder of the California Missions. “The true history of what happened here has never been told,” said Valentin Lopez, chairman of the Read more…
Respuesta de Amah Mutsun a la Encíclica de la Iglesia Católica con relación al Medio Ambiente
1ero. de Julio del 2015 Su Santidad Papa Francis Casa de Marta Ciudad del Vaticano, Roma 00120 Italia Re: Respuesta de Amah Mutsun a la Encíclica de la Iglesia Católica con relación al Medio Ambiente. Su Santidad, Papa Francis, Mi nombre es Valentin Lopez y soy el presidente de la Banda Tribal Amah Mutsun. Read more…
Letter to the Pope from Donna Schindler, April 24, 2014
April 25, 2014 Your Holiness, Pope Francis It was with great pleasure that we received your letter of Oct 19, 2013. As a sign of our gratitude, we are sending you a t-shirt of the Amah Mutsen tribe and a necklace of abalone in a traditional Mutsen design, which Val Lopez has made for Read more…
Letter to Pope Francis from Donna Schindler March 15, 2015
Pope Francis Vatican City March 12, 2015 Your Holiness, After two centuries of struggling to heal since being enslaved by Franciscan priests, California mission tribes will be hit with another damaging blow: the upcoming canonization of Junipero Serra. As the founder of the California missions, Fr. Serra is responsible for a legacy of cruelty to Read more…