RELIGIOUS LANDMARKS & SEPARATION OF CHURCH &
STATE
San Miguel Archangel
State Sen. Abel Maldonado
has launched a drive for a constitutional
amendment to allow the
state to restore its religious landmarks, such as
state-owned missions.
This drive has come under scrutiny from some critics,
who argue that state
money to preserve the structures is a violation of the
separation of church and
state. Supporters of the senator argue that the
structures
are vital parts of the state's history. What do you think?
It is very important to know our culture and heritage. If the State owns a religious landmark such as La Purissima Mission and wants to maintain it for cultural reasons, thatıs fine. The problem arises when the church owns the landmark such as the San Miguel Mission. This mission was an active parish until the 6.5 earthquake in December 2003. It is now fenced off and no one can enter it. Just last month the Department of the Interior declared the Mission as a National Historic Landmark.
State Senator Maldonado wants a constitutional amendment to allow state funds to restore crumbling religious landmarks. The voters in 2002 passed an initiative in part to preserve the missions. If voters think this is important to them, I see no problem with this indirect aid to religion.
It is important that governments support religion because churches help to create a peaceful society by teaching people to love God and neighbor. Pope John Paul said you can establish a city without God but if you do, it will soon become a dictatorship.
Our constitution forbids the government to establish a state religion. But ³separation of church and state² has almost come to mean absolute separation. That was not the intent of our founding fathers. They supported religion. They built chapels for military personnel and paid the salaries of chaplains. Today our federal and state governments support religion indirectly in many ways. That is a good thing.
REV. GENE FRILOT
Pastor Emeritus
Incarnation Catholic Church
Glendale
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