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Letters to the Editor

Serra statue is where it should be

Mary Mellein • Mar 12, 2024
Thank you for your story on the return of the Father Serra statue in the March 8 issue.  It was with great joy that I saw the Father Serra statue returned and now in a fitting place at Mission Basilica San Buenaventura. There were many who worked for a peaceful resolution to the placement of this statue, and I’m glad he is at the last mission he personally founded. As a mission docent, I can use this statue and its return for enhancing our discussion of the California mission era and Father Serra’s vision for the missions and his great love for the people here. — Mary Mellein, Ventura

Gratitude for a beloved saint’s return

Greg Wood • Mar 12, 2024
Reading “Standing Up for Serra” in the March 8 issue brought me back to August 2020, when I watched the statue of our beloved St. Junípero Serra removed from in front of the Ventura City Hall under the cloak of darkness.   I fell to my knees and wept for the tragic events that led to this, for the lies that were told about him, for the threatened violence by a small number of activists willing to vandalize and desecrate public property to advance their beliefs, and for the rising wave of anti-Christian rhetoric that was beginning to sweep our country. It felt so much like being present at the crucifixion and witnessing the suffering of an innocent and holy man. But I was blessed to be there when the statue returned, in the light of day, to Ventura on Feb. 29 and was installed in the garden of Mission Basilica San Buenaventura. As God can bring good out of the evil he permits, more people are aware of who Serra is. Today we can honor him and follow in his footsteps, continuing his mission to bring the good news to the people of California. Last year 300 people walked 35 miles over two days in the annual St. Junípero Serra Walking Pilgrimage, covering the Santa Barbara to Ventura Mission portion of the California Camino mission trail. Siempre Adelante! — Greg Wood is the coordinator of the St. Serra Pilgrimage 

An ‘ashy’ Valentine’s Day

Carlos Martinez • Feb 27, 2024
I must confess that upon first seeing the headline of Father Peter Cameron’s article in the Feb. 9 issue, “Lent is for lovers,” I thought the comparison of Ash Wednesday with Valentine’s Day seemed a bit forced. That may still be the case. But reading it did help me to live both festivities a little differently this year. For example, I realized Ash Wednesday doesn’t have to be so gloomy. My thoughts in Mass on Feb. 14 turned to some of the miracles I’ve seen in my life, including my rebuilt marriage and reconciliation with my dad before his death. Both wouldn’t have been possible without the “ultimate love” of God that I experienced in tough times. As for St. Valentine's Day … well, I think I ate a little less candy than last year. — Carlos Martinez, Fresno

A fitting tribute to ‘Chinatown’ — and LA

Mitchell Norton • Feb 13, 2024
Thank you for the fabulous and thoughtful piece from Joseph Joyce in the Feb. 9 issue (“The Perfect LA film?”) about the legacy — and continued relevance — of “Chinatown,” one of the greatest movies of all time. We associate Jack Nicholson so closely with sitting courtside at the Forum (and, er, Crypto or whatever) that we sometimes forget what a brilliant young actor he was. I’m not sure I agree with all of Joyce’s observations about Southern California and its denizens, but all in all, not bad for someone who relocated from the Great Northwest only three years ago.   We take a little while here to understand, especially the push and pull of our relationships with our vehicles and the roads upon which they travel. — Mitchell Norton, Riverside

Thankful for this characteristic of Catholic schools

Marilyn Boussaid • Jan 30, 2024
Thank you for the uplifting, faith-filled article on Atticus Maldonado (“The Miracle of Gardendale Street” in the Jan. 26 issue of Angelus), a Downey student who got cancer, and who was healed by the grace of God through prayers of his fellow students and their families. This story made me feel so happy to be Catholic. It also made me sad to think of secular public schools, where prayer is not permitted, and where students undergoing serious illness might not find this kind of prayer support, or have confidence in God’s love for them. — Marilyn Boussaid, St. James Church, Redondo Beach

What about the synod?

Barbara Born • Jan 16, 2024
I found it concerning that the end-of-2023 summary on AngelusNews.com (by OSV News) did not highlight the global Church synodal process, one of the most significant Church happenings since the Second Vatican Council.  — Barbara Born

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