The Ventura County Board of Supervisors has begun a process to elicit public input on a potential redesign of the County Seal. The Board of Supervisors has stated that a more relevant design will better reflect the County in today’s milieu. “Our current seal was adopted in 1964 and while we appreciate its historical value, some of the images featured are no longer representative of Ventura County and we believe it is time for an updated County seal.”

Of the eight options presented two have a reference to the Chumash who are rightfully represented; citizens of the County today inhabit the land of the Chumash. None of the designs recognize Mission San Buenaventura, founded in 1782.

I find it incredible to conceptualize a County of Ventura Seal without recognition of the Chumash people and Mission San Buenaventura, the namesake of the County. Both are relevant to the history of the past 240 years as well as the present; descendants of both Chumash and Spanish-speaking settlers continue to reside here. The Mission system represents the expansion of Western culture that brought much of the agriculture that thrives throughout our County today. The Mission serves as an iconic tourist and pilgrimage site that has a measurable impact on the local economy and culture.

I urge all residents of this great County of Ventura to express their opinions to preserve the historic heritage of our County on any redesign of the County Seal at: www.ventura.org/seal/

Fr. Tom Elewaut, Pastor, Mission Basilica of San Buenaventura

Click Here for links to professional articles and liture in suport of St. Junipero Serra

Recognition of the Contributions of Junipero Serra and the Mission Era
to the County of Ventura County

In a letter dated October 12, 2021, Supervisors Linda Parks and Carmen Ramirez proposed that the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors establish a subcommittee of themselves to “explore options for an updated County Seal…” They continued: “Our current seal was adopted in 1964 and while we appreciate its historical value, some of the images featured are no longer representative of Ventura County and we believe it is time for an updated County seal.”

In 2020 the County commissioned a new logo which is not a replacement for the County’s official seal, they also noted.

Parishioners and citizens of Ventura who value the contributions of Junipero Serra and the Mission era which need to be distinguished from the rule of the Spanish Crown, are invited to express their opinions to the County Board of Supervisors to retain the relevance and image of Junipero Serra and the Mission era which remains relevant to the agriculture, commerce, and culture throughout the County.

Possible re-designs of the County Seal are here: https://www.ventura.org/seal/

The Supervisors would do well to read (particularly pp. 205-245) Junipero Serra: California, Indians, and the Transformation of a Missionary by Robert M. Senkewicz, a professor of history and Rose Marie Beebe, a professor of Spanish literature who spent 15 years of research for the book. Dr. Beebe studied the language of Serra’s day to best translate his letters and diaries. Among other credible works, they would do well to study these three books:

Junipero Serra: California, Indians, and the Transformation of a Missionary by Robert M. Senkewicz and Rose Marie Beebe, 2015, University of Oklahoma Press.

Journey to the Sun: Junipero Serra's Dream and the Founding of California by Gregory Orfalea, 2014, Simon & Schuster.

Junipero Serra: California's Founding Father by Steven W. Hackel, 2014, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Supervisors Parks and Ramirez seek community input and will soon bring a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. Please contact our County of Ventura Board of Supervisors to express your opinion.

Welcome to the Mission Basilica San Buenaventura!...the Mission by the Sea! 

At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, we hear Jesus commission His disciples (MT 28: 16-20): “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

This is our baptismal identity and calling…to be disciples of the Lord Jesus who is risen from the dead. To help us to remember who we are in Jesus and what we are called to do, you will see and read new signage in the back of the Basilica and in the foyer of O’Brien Hall. We are called to be DYNAMIC DISCIPLES.

A Dynamic Disciple Believes in Jesus as Savior.
A Dynamic Disciple Grows in following Jesus.
A Dynamic Disciple Gathers in a faith community.
A Dynamic Disciple Loves unconditionally.
A Dynamic Disciple Leads other to Jesus.

Jubilee Year: Septermber 2021-September 2022 Commemorates the 250th founding anniversary of our sister Mission San Gabriel.  For "everything Jubilee", please see the link above.

Our Ventura host Sandra Siepak interviews Fr. Tom Elewaut, Pastor of Mission Basilica San Buenaventura in February 2022 on Ventura Cable TV6.  Click here to watch the interview or visit www.ourventura.com

Click here to watch December 19, 2021 Mass with Archbishop Jose Gomez to commemorate the elevation of Mission Basilica of San Buenaventura.

Click here for a Jubilee Year Musical Tribute by Brien Alkire.

For recent or future ministies or events please view our parish bulletin link to the rightside of the website or view the calendar of events under "EVENTS" above.

Click here to view an exceptional video on the life and discipleship of St. Junipero Serra sponorded by the Knights of Columbus 2021.

Saint Junipero Serra First Annual Two-Day Walk July 25-26, 2021 from Santa Barbara to Ventura along the El Camino Real video clips:  No.1  No.2 

Click here to take a tour of the Mission with Fr. Tom and Joe Estevez as seen on "All Things Catholic" NETNY.TV Brooklyn, New York Television 

To help sustain the legacy of our historic MissionBasilica: please remember Mission Basilica of San Buenaventura in your Will or Trust planning.

"Siempre Adelante"  Shalom, Fr. Tom Elewaut

Prayer composed by Italian Archbishop Domenico Battaglia of Naples
Prayed by Pope Francis
(as reported by CNS Rom correspondent, Junno Arocho Esteves, only very slightly adapted)

Forgive us for war, Lord,
Lord Jesus, son of God,
   have mercy on us sinners.
Lord Jesus, born under the bombs of Kyiv,
   have mercy on us.
Lord Jesus, dead in the arms of a mother in Kharkiv,
   have mercy on us.
Lord Jesus, present in the 20 year olds sent to the frontline,
   have mercy on us.
Lord Jesus, who continues to see hands armed with weapons under the shadow of the cross,
   forgive us Lord.
Forgive us that, if not content with the nails with which we pierced your hand
we continue to drink from the blood of the dead torn apart by weapons.

Forgive us if these hands that you had created to protect,
have been turned into instruments of death.

Forgive us Lord,
if we continue to kill our brother.

Forgive us Lord,
if we continue, like Cain, to remove the stones from our camp to kill Abel.

Forgive us Lord,
if we continue to justify cruelty with our efforts,
if with our pain, we legitimize the cruelty of our actions.

Forgive us the war, Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, we implore you
to stop the hand of Cain;
enlighten our conscience;
let not our will be done.

Do not abandon us to our own doing.
Stop us, Lord.

Stop us, and when you have stopped the hand of Cain,
take care of him also;
he is our brother.

Oh Lord, stop the violence.
Stop us, Lord.
Amen