California Agency Refuses To Fund Historical Mission Repair

Yesterday's Modesto Bee reports that the California Culture and Historical Endowment has refused a funding request by the Friends of Mission San Miguel, citing a Feb. 23 Advisory Letter received from the California Attorney General's Office that the funding would violate California's constitution. The decision disappointed the California Missions Foundation, which has launched a $50 million campaign to help restore and preserve the state's 21 historic missions, 18 of which still are used for religious services. The Foundation had hoped that money from Proposition 40, passed in 2002 to help fund parks and cultural and historic restorations, could be used to repair the earthquake-damaged Mission San Miguel. However the 208-year old Mission is owned by the Catholic Church, and California's Constitution, Art. XVI, Sec. 5, prohibits the grant of anything in aid of any sectarian purpose and prohibits help to "support or sustain" a sectarian institution. Also California Constsitution, Art. I, Sec. 4, prohibits governmental preference of one religion over another. (See earlier related posting.)