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“Lopez’s tribe wasn’t the only one to write letters to the pope opposing the canonization. In fact, according to NCR, a total of 55 tribes have written him letters, and an online petition has gathered more than 10,000 signatures. The letters and petition detailed the horrors that Native Americans in Friar Serra’s missions had to endure. These horrors, according to a letter read allowed at the press conference, written by Native American advocate Suzan Shown Harjo, included total annihilation of certain indigenous populations, imprisonment, the spreading of disease, and the enslaving of Native American converts.
“These Papal Bulls and the Doctrine of Discovery have sanctioned land thefts and dehumanization of Native Peoples from the 15th Century to the present time. Father Serra embodied the Catholic Church’s institutional disrespect for Native Peoples’ religions, sovereignty, families, languages, laws, treaties, boundaries, ways and lives, and should not be elevated to sainthood for his actions.”
According to reports by the Daily Mail, however, Pope Francis defended Serra’s actions in his sermon during the canonization, stating that Serra was dedicated to “defend[ing] the indigenous peoples against abuses by the colonizers.”
“He was excited about blazing trails, going forth to meet many people, learning and valuing their particular customs and ways of life. Junípero sought to defend the dignity of the native community, to protect it from those who had mistreated and abused it. Mistreatment and wrongs which today still trouble us, especially because of the hurt which they cause in the lives of many people.”
In order to perform Serra’s canonization while in the United States — the first ever performed in the nation — Pope Francis eliminated the usual prerequisite for sainthood, namely showing proof that the potential saint had performed two miracles.”
– Inquisitr, Serra Canonization By Pope Francis Sparks Outrage From Native Americans Who Say Friar Annihilated Indigenous Populations .
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