The Papal Visit : Church Wronged Indians, Pope Says : Pontiff Admits ‘Mistakes’ But Defends Calif. Mission Founder Junipero Serra

In a colorful ceremony with more than 10,000 American Indians here Monday, Pope John Paul II acknowledged that the church had committed “mistakes and wrongs” against American Indians but defended the record of California missions founder Junipero Serra, the 18th-Century Franciscan that some accuse of mistreating Indians.

John Paul’s remarks followed an appeal by a Pima Indian woman, Alfretta M. Antone, that the pontiff do “all in your prayer, power and influence” to help American Indians press the U.S. government to honor all its agreements “which safeguard our lands, waters and other natural resources.”

The exchange of comments was preceded by traditional Indian dances by men, women and children wearing native costumes and accompanied by drums and chanting, all performed around a revolving stage. The Pope sat on a huge handmade wooden throne-like chair beneath a brilliant orange, red and turquoise banner of Indian designs.

Presented an Eagle Feather

A highlight was when Emmett White, a spiritual leader and medicine man for the Pima tribe from the Gila River Reservation in Arizona, presented the Pope with an eagle feather--symbolizing peace, righteousness and justice--in a ceremony rarely accorded a non-Indian.

As the service in Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, a huge indoor stadium, ended, an Eskimo led the gathering in singing the Lord’s Prayer in English with a group simultaneously “signing” it in traditional Indian sign languages.

In his remarks, the Pope embraced Indian culture and traditions but challenged Indian Catholics to do more to solve their own problems.

“I call upon your native Catholic communities to work together . . . in solving common problems of unemployment, inadequate health care, alcoholism and chemical dependency,” he said.

“You have endured much . . . and your difficulties are not yet at an end. . . . There are real injustices to be addressed and biased attitudes to be changed. . . . But the greatest challenge is to you yourselves, as Native Americans. . . . You must trust in your own future.”

Although sympathizing with the history of oppression of Indians, the Pope singled out several early Catholic missionaries and a 16th-Century Pope as being among the first defenders of Indian rights.

Serra “deserves special mention,” he said. The Pope noted that Serra “had frequent clashes with the civil authorities over the treatment of Indians” and in 1773 presented a so-called “Bill of Rights” for Indians to the viceroy in Mexico City.

Some Indians have objected to efforts to canonize Serra, the Franciscan who founded the California mission system in 1769 and headed it until his death in 1784, on grounds that he whipped and otherwise mistreated Indians and all but destroyed the native culture.

The Pope declared Serra venerable, the first step toward sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church, in 1985. It had been widely expected that the Pope would beatify Serra--the second step in the canonization process--on Thursday in Monterey, but in August the Vatican announced that the complex procedure could not be completed in time.

Nonetheless, a group of 30 Indians held a protest Monday in front of the Carmel Mission, where Serra is buried and where the Pope is scheduled to visit Thursday afternoon. Protests are expected to continue through the visit.

The audience here--smaller in size than the 16,000 that had been anticipated--showed mild approval at best of the Pope’s praise for Serra, and there was some disapproval.

“I think the church has taken seriously the opposition of the people in California,” said Father Charles Chaput of Denver, a priest who is part Prairie Potawatomi Indian. “I think the situation will be studied very carefully.”

Sister Genevieve Cune, an Oglala Lakota Indian from Rapid City, S.D., was obviously disappointed that “Serra was used as an exemplary missionary for us. I don’t agree.”

But in contrast, the audience cheered and clapped enthusiastically when the Pope invoked the name of a Mohawk woman who now awaits the final step needed to make her a saint.

Canonization of Kateri Tekakwitha was clearly the thing they wanted most.

Indeed, Indian Catholics have been pressing for some time for her to be made the first American Indian saint. John Paul beatified Tekakwitha in 1980, but he did not say Monday when--or if--she would be canonized.

Tekakwitha died of smallpox in 1680 after leading a virtuous life of service to the sick in Canada.

“We were hoping and praying the Pope would make an announcement of sainthood for Tekakwitha,” said Henry J. George, a Mohawk from Utica, N.Y. “It would be the greatest thing he could do for us today.”

Jean White, a Pima Indian who was one of the dancers, seemed to sum up the predominant feelings: “Deep down, we hoped it would have come--but it’s not time yet.”

John Paul described Tekakwitha as the “best known witness of Christian holiness among the native peoples of North America . . . an outstanding example of Christian life (who remained) . . . a true daughter of her people.”

While the pontiff acknowledged that “unfortunately, not all the members of the church lived up to their Christian responsibilities,” he told the Indians not to “dwell excessively on mistakes and wrongs, even as we commit ourselves to overcoming their present effects.”

The Pope did not name any church leaders responsible for treating Indians unfairly in the past.

In welcoming the pontiff, Antone asked the Pope’s help in meeting nine urgent needs of the 200 tribes represented at the 90-minute gathering here. The meeting with the Pope was the final event of the annual three-day Tekakwitha Conference, an organization linking the Catholic Church to Indians.

About 285,000 of the 53 million U.S. Catholics are American Indian.

Antone said her people were encouraged by recent support that the Roman Catholic Church has given in affirming traditional Indian prayers, ceremonies and languages--some of which are now permitted in the Mass.

At present, Bishop Donald Pelotte of Gallup, N.M., who greeted the Pope when he entered the coliseum, is the sole American Indian prelate in the U.S. Catholic Church. There are 25 Indian priests in the church.

Antone, pointing out that “little remains of the gifts and richness which our creator has shared with us,” implored the pontiff to intervene so that “our people may determine their own destiny .. . and be recognized, respected and treated as equals.”

She also asked that American Indians share equally in educational, housing, health care and social benefits, as well as achieving more leadership at all levels of the church.

Many attending also expressed their desire that the Pope take a leadership role in making their concerns known to church and government leaders.

“If the Pope were to, in private conversations with the President of the United States, for example, mention the injustices going on today it could help bring an end to the racism and prejudice we suffer and help us be treated as equals on Mother Earth,” said Anthony Pico, 42, chairman of the 180-member Viejas Reservation in San Diego County.

Was Antone disappointed with the Pope’s response to her pleas?

“He’s aware of our problems now,” she told a reporter after the meeting. “Maybe by his power and influence he’ll be able to help us.”

In concluding his message, the Pope said: “I encourage you, as native people belonging to the different tribes and nations . . . to preserve and keep alive your cultures, your languages, the values and customs which have served you well in the past and which provide a solid foundation for the future. The Gospel of Jesus Christ . . . is never in contrast with what is noble and pure in the life of any tribe or nation.”

Times staff writer Mark I. Pinsky in California also contributed to this story.