Click Here for Stations of the Cros video to address racism

Op-Ed, Ventura County Star
June 12, 2020

“I am a racist. I live in a racist society which benefits me and oppresses people of color in ways that I am not even aware.” So spoke Methodist minister Rev. Rick Pearson in 2015, preaching at Bethel AME church in Oxnard. Courageous of a white man to stand in the pulpit of a historically black church and say those words.

Since the death of George Floyd, we in the faith community have responded to the glaring truth of racial injustice in our country. We begin by witnessing what is happening in our streets, and we must continue by looking deep within. We must understand we all have been a part of a racially unjust America.

“Those of us who are white need to examine our own hearts, to see the ways that we have benefitted from – and even participated in – oppression. We need to listen to the stories Black Americans tell of their lived reality – and we need to believe them,” Rev. Dana Worsnop told members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura.

That message of responsibility was echoed across denominations as Rev. Bonnie Rose, Ventura Center for Spiritual Living, spoke to her congregation. “The tragic killing of George Floyd has led many of us to anger and despair. We cannot allow anger to move us towards violence, nor can we allow despair to immobilize us. Instead, we awaken to the disturbing fact that we live in a society that tolerates cruel racism. We ask ourselves, ‘how did I participate in creating this society?’ We call out our own conscious or unconscious bigotries and take a hard, honest look at them.”

At St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rev. Susan Bek said, “We offered the opportunity to confess the ways in which we personally, as a church, and as a society, have failed to hear and respond when our neighbors, people of color, for generations have cried out for our help. We listen, we pray, we confess, and we hold up hope as we dedicate ourselves to the challenges necessary to be a just society that honors the blessing in every human child of God.”

In the urgency of this moment, communities of faith are drawing inspiration from Deuteronomy’s clarion call to righteousness: “Justice, Justice shall you pursue” (Deut. 16:20). We are called to realize the vision promised in Psalm 133:1, “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony,” Mary Peterson-Healy, president of Second Church of Christ, Science, reminds us.

What does the road of justice and reconciliation look like? We do not know. But “until all people promote justice, education on the dignity of every person, and advocate for faith and just systems so that all people may live without fear and violence, peace remains a challenge,” writes Father Tom Elewaut of the San Buenaventura Mission.

That challenge is exacerbated because we are cut off from each other in silos that connect us with people of our own race, economic standing, background, political beliefs. These are divisions to be overcome, for us to be reminded “that every one of us is created in the Divine Image, b’tzelem Elohim,” say Rabbi Lisa Hochberg-Miller of Temple Beth Torah.

Rev. John Forrest Douglas told the Church of the Foothills, “All of us should respond to the call of this moment to listen carefully and empathetically to the stories of our neighbors. We (especially white people) must recognize the broken systems that we consciously and unconsciously benefit from. We can join together to create a more just, generous, and kind world for all God’s children.”

Though the path ahead is yet unclear, as people of faith we know this is the moment. “People of faith answered the call of Dr. King to Selma. We are hearing another call. The holiest work is that which binds people together, repairing and restoring what is broken among us,” says Rev. Worsnop.

As Ventura faith leaders, we bring a voice of unity that this moment can become a movement that brings us to the Promised Land of living free from racism, at long last.

VIMA MISSION STATEMENT
As members of the Ventura Interfaith Ministerial Association, we gather to support one another in intentional ways. We seek to understand one another and to be understood. Out of gratitude for religious freedom and diversity, we seek an appreciation and understanding of our differences as well as our similarities. Mindful of the interdependence of the world, we seek to promote understanding and cooperation in the communities we serve and in the larger community. This we do through interfaith dialogue and interfaith services, as well as through various forms of service.
VIMA is dedicated to the health and well-being of our communities by promoting respect and appreciation for all.

RESOURCES FOR IMMIGRANTS IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 CRISIS  
If you, or someone you know, is an immigrant living in Los Angeles, Ventura or Santa Barbara, the LA Archdiocese's Office of Immigration Affairs has gathered a list of resources to help you and your family this coronavirus crisis. Services and public benefits are available to you, some regardless of immigration status.

Financial Resources: The Governor of California announced disaster relief assistance for working Californians and will include financial support to non-citizens with valid work authorization impacted by COVID-19.
Pandemic unemployment assistance (eligible for non-citizens with valid work authorization)
Unemployment services
Disability benefits
Paid family leave
Small business assistance 
Instructional videos from on how to file a claim
English | Spanish | Cantonese | Mandarin | Vietnamese

Food Services: The LA Archdiocese Hearts to Serve hotline can help people in need of food or supplies by calling 855-423-6780 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
Hearts to Serve

Additionally, this tool can help you find food banks and other types of food assistance programs in your county.
Find a food bank near you 

Renter's Rights and Eviction Assistance: California issued a statewide moratorium on residential evictions for renters who cannot pay their rent because of COVID-19 related economic hardships. The moratorium went into effect on March 27 and is valid through May 31, 2020.​
L.A. County Housing Resource Center 
County of Los Angeles tenant resources 
County of Santa Barbara Eviction Moratorium
Sample Letter to Landlord 
Sample Letter Spanish – carta de muestra al dueño de la propiedad
File an eviction complaint with the City at (866) 557-7368

Health Services: Even if you are undocumented and/or don’t have insurance, you can get necessary testing and treatment for COVID-19 through Medi-Cal emergency services, even at a local clinic. Medi-Cal care for COVID-19 related testing or treatment does not count under the public charge rule because it is the treatment of an emergency medical condition.
Get testing and treatment in Los Angeles
Testing in Santa Barbara or call 833-688-5551
Ventura county 
My Health LA or call 844-744-6452

Immigrant Rights: During this unprecedented pandemic, organizations are assisting the most vulnerable with legal advice and guidelines. 

California Immigrant Guide 
Bet Tzedek Legal Services or calling 323 - 939 - 0506
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles -800 -399 - 4529

County updates on COVID-19: 

Los Angeles County 
Ventura County 
Santa Barbara County 

Additionally, the Office of Immigration Affairs can help direct you to additional resources. For help or questions, send an email to
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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

We are open 361 days of the year!

At Mission San Buenaventura we often sing the hymn "In This Place" composed by Trevor Thompson that reminds us of the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ among us. One verse goes like this:

We are gathered at table as one in the Lord.
We are gathered as people who are living the Word.
Our hearts and our spirits are nurtured by grace.
It is Jesus who fills us. He is here in this place.

You are cordially invited to join us for our liturgies. We celebrate Mass daily at 7:30 AM (9:00 AM on Monday during the school year). We have six Masses every weekend. Since the Lord's Day begins at sunset, we celebrate the Saturday Vigil at 5:30pm in English and 7:30pm in Spanish in the Old Mission Church. We celebrate three Sunday Masses in English at 7:30am, 9am and 12:15pm. We have a hugely attended Mass in Spanish at 10:30am in O'Brien Hall, the three story building behind the Mission church.  Join us, won't you?

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

Amgen Cycle Tour 2019 in Beautiful Downtown Ventura!

The Thomas Fire, December 2017 is the largest in the state of California history. Mission San Buenaventura welcomed and hosted World Central Kitchen, founded by Chef Jose Andres.  Coordinated by L.A. Kitchen, Chef Jason Collis and Chef Tim Kilcoyne with hundreds of volunteers served 36,000 meals and prepared 90,000 dishes for Thomas Fire evacuees, First Responders and young children in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. 

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

"Siempre Adelante: United in the love of God as a Mission Family."  Shalom, Fr. Tom Elewaut, Pastor.