Historic Carmel Mission Calls For Peace After Newly Sainted Junipero Serra Statue Vandalized

NBC Bay Area ^ | Monday, Sep 28, 2015 | Stephanie Chuang

[nickcarraway]

Leaders at the historic Carmel Mission in Carmel, California, are calling for peace after someone broke in and vandalized the basilica's entrance courtyard, toppling a statue of 18th century missionary Junipero Serro, just days after he was canonized by Pope Francis.

"Father Serra is now Saint Serra," Carmel Mission pastor Father Paul P. Murphy said. "His motto is always forward, never back, so that's our attitude here at the mission."

Investigators said people sneaked into the Mission Saturday night or early Sunday morning, took green paint from a cabinet inside and hurled it at the statue, as well as on nearby plaques and tombstones. One of the headstones read, “Saint of genocide.”

Volunteers cleaned up most of the damage on Sunday.

"Thank you to all the many volunteers that came out today to help with the clean-up. You are all a blessing to this community and church," the Mission posted on its Facebook page. "Let us remember that we live in a loving community and let us not be discouraged by such things. As St. Serra said, 'Always look forward, never back.'"

The Mission also posted photos on their Facebook page from a Mass Sunday to honor St. Serra.

Church officials said services will continue as usual. They are hopeful that the vandalism won't result in permanent damage to the Mission.

Serra's canonization was not without controversy — some Native Americans say California's missions, which Serra helped found, cut their ancestors off from their traditional languages and cultures and enslaved those who converted to Christianity.

As of Monday morning, police did not have any suspects in the case.

[nickcarraway]

[Fungi]

Peace? Was this a “peaceful” act? Find the criminal that did this, prosecute the criminal and that will ensure peace, at least what the criminal had in mind. Silly leftist fools.

[truth_seeker]

A version of early mission history holds that the natives were held virtual slaves, once joining the mission.

I have no idea about the “truth,” but I accept that there are competing versions.

There is no justification for destruction of property, however.

[roadcat]

This vandalism reeks of graffiti attacks on public infrastructure, simply idiotic and not going to change anything. Sort of like the ISIS muslims blowing up and destroying historical sites. These missions are historical treasures.

I fondly remember visiting most of the California missions in field trips conducted by my school back in the early 1960s. And I went to public school! Lots of history to be learned by visiting these missions, created hundreds of years ago.

[montag813]

This idiot pope can’t do anything right

[wardaddy]

I’m with the Catholic Church on this

This is a weird culture war between Indians and latinos

And I tell you

In street clothes in New Mexico it’s hard to tell which is which

I saw a saints parade in Espanola New Mexico last month where they carry the saints colors and statue and the Indians were on the side of the road heckling

It was hard to tell them apart baring native garb

[madprof98]

I’m amazed they didn’t vandalize the statue with rainbow colors.

[Ann Archy]

Homos? Muslims??