VENTURA : Youths Prepare for Cardinal’s Visit to Mission

The students in Melissa Gautier’s fifth-grade class at Holy Cross School in Ventura debated the color scheme for banners they were painting in honor of Cardinal Roger M. Mahony’s visit Saturday to the historic San Buenaventura Mission.

And they even wrangled some about what images to use. But they were unified in their message to the Roman Catholic leader: Welcome.

Mahony will be in Ventura Saturday evening to confer the title of protonotary apostolic on Msgr. Patrick J. O’Brien, spiritual leader since 1981 of the old mission church in the city’s downtown district.

The rarely given honor, announced by Pope John Paul II in July, is the highest rank attainable of monsignor.

“I had no idea, it was a total surprise,” the 64-year-old O’Brien said. “It is one of these things I did not expect, and did not seek.”

Wednesday, students at the mission’s adjoining parochial school were doing their part to make Mahony feel at home.

Some painted a colorful message on a large sheet of paper spread across the auditorium floor: “Cardinal, May Your Spirit of Peace Inspire and Guide Us.” Others painted the dove of peace and the simple message, “Bienvenidos.”

“That means welcome in Spanish,” 10-year-old Leah Hellmuth said.

The students said their teacher helped guide them in creating a suitable welcoming message for Mahony.

“She said the cardinal was coming and we were going to do the banners for Mass,” said Naomi Navarro, 10. “And she said we’re also doing this for Monsignor O’Brien.”

O’Brien will be honored at 5:30 p.m. at a Mass at the mission, 211 E. Main St.