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About this blog: This blog is a place for conversation about books. I post reviews of what I'm reading--lots of contemporary fiction, but also classics and the occasional work of narrative nonfiction. I am always looking for new books to read, so ...  (More)

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Pope Francis to Canonize Father Junípero Serra

Uploaded: Jan 15, 2015
Reuters, KQED and other sources are reporting that Pope Francis has announced he is planning to canonize the eigthteenth-century Spanish missionary Junípero Serra during his September visit to the U.S. This isn't a surprise to anyone who has been following Serra's journey to sainthood. For years his supporters have been gathering evidence of miracles that may have resulted from prayer to Serra, who died in Carmel in 1784. The surprise is that it's happening so soon. No new miracles have been presented to the Vatican; according to the Reuters story, the Pope decided to waive the requirement and canonize Serra based on his reputation as a "great evangelizer."

For the time being the Pope's U.S. itinerary only includes stops on the East Coast, but it is hard to believe he could canonize Serra anywhere but California. The last papal visit to California occurred in 1987, when Pope John Paul visited Carmel to elevate Serra to the status of "Blessed" (one rung below Saint). The site where Serra's remains are buried, Mission San Carlos Borromeo, consequently became a Basilica.

Will Francis, the so-called Hippie Pope, find his way to California? One sign to watch is whether he trades in the Popemobile for a VW Bus...
Community.
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Comments

Posted by Recovering Catholic, a resident of The Greenhouse,
on Jan 16, 2015 at 2:22 pm

So what?


Posted by The Real Slim K, a resident of Midtown,
on Jan 20, 2015 at 12:05 pm

I know. Recognizing "miracles," plus continuing positions against birth control and taking the time duing the Charlie Hebdo murders to tout the necessary 'limits of free speech' such as when someone insults or makes fun of someone's religious beliefs. =Same old superstition with no improvement.


Posted by Frontline program, a resident of Southgate,
on Jan 20, 2015 at 10:11 pm

I just watched the Frontline documentary about the church.They replay it every so often on KQED and KQED+ channels 9 and 10. Mindblowing,
We have read about the priests abuse of children, but that's only the beginning. If you are interested in knowing what goes on in the real world, watch it.


Posted by The Real Slim K, a resident of Midtown,
on Jan 21, 2015 at 6:50 am

I know, very scary, because I fear there is no solution as the world reverts to religious wars and crusades again. Why? Because in this country, even questioning religion is shouted down by both the right and the left as 'hate crimes'. The usually dependable Dave Ross just did a bit on KCBS, advocating that President Obama was correct to stop using the phrase radical Islam or radical Islamic because in his view, the crazies bombing things really have no religious basis for their actions. Really? I would argue the opposite: the less tolerant and more violent religious people are MORE true to their hoary old books than the revisionists who don't really read them. 4348 (IBN Abbas) instructs that when the perfect prophet, the embodiment of the angel's and Allah's blessings, validated murder of a woman who had disparaged him by her blind husband (a knife to the stomach), this act became the precedent of Shari's law. The prophet then joked about the murder at prayers, cracking "two goats won't butt their heads ovee her" (the stabbed woman who had insulted the prophet). Dave also said something about those religions with leaders who have special access to talk to the man upstairs are not catholics, but geez, they have such a fellow, don't they?


Posted by Christian but not Catholic, a resident of Adobe-Meadows,
on Jan 21, 2015 at 10:25 am

I am a Christian but not a Catholic. I am always a little suspicious of organized religion under the guise of Christianity but that is just to tell you who I am.

Whereas I think that a discussion about this canonization is a good idea, I think you are entering it from the wrong perspective. A better way of looking at this is to ask what difference will it make to the local region? Will it bring more tourists to areas outside of San Francisco into the real California? Will the local missions capitalize on this? Will anyone look at Christianity from a different perspective now that there is a local saint? In other words, will it make a difference or be forgotten within a few months of it happening?

If you change the discussion to more earthly levels, it would be interesting to hear people's views.


Posted by resident, a resident of Palo Alto Hills,
on Jan 21, 2015 at 11:42 am

Non-Christians are not going to care about this, except perhaps to study a little more about what actually happened during the colonization period. Their may be some pickup in tourism by Catholics, probably limited to specific churches where Serra's relics are displayed.


Posted by resident, a resident of Palo Alto Hills,
on Jan 21, 2015 at 11:42 am

Non-Christians are not going to care about this, except perhaps to study a little more about what actually happened during the colonization period. Their may be some pickup in tourism by Catholics, probably limited to specific churches where Serra's relics are displayed.


Posted by CrescentParkAnon., a resident of Crescent Park,
on Jan 21, 2015 at 3:48 pm

The good thing about our country is that we do not have to care any more than to just say, hmmm to this, or we can get all excited about it if we want to, or just look at it historically.

We are not a "Christian Republic". Religion does not rule our lives, and many religions have a say relative to the political process, but from outside it.

No one is going to tie you to a post and whip you bloody or execute you for making a post critical for Pope Francis.

No one is going to declare you a criminal for leaving the church or deciding you love someone from another faith.

Pretty neat idea that ... almost 25% of all countries, ( 50 out of 200 nations total ) don't seem to get the importance of that simple idea. Score one for us!


Posted by Jay Park, a resident of Mountain View,
on Jan 21, 2015 at 8:56 pm

@Christian but not Catholic:

It'll probably bring more traffic to I-280.

;-)


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