From the Friars: Columbus and His Critics

Over 20 years ago I was at Boston Common on Columbus Day. There was a group of about 40 or 50 people marching with signs and shouting repeatedly: “Columbus did not discover America!” It is an example of the controversy surrounding the explorer, the subsequent colonization, and Indigenous Peoples’ Day which has become a celebration rooted in protest against Columbus Day.

The crimes committed by many who came to the newly discovered Americas are well documented and cannot be defended or excused. But in fairness it must be recognized that many also came with noble and charitable motives, Christopher Columbus being one of them. He and Queen Isabella I of Spain, who sponsored his voyages to the new world, were both very devout Catholics. Their main motive was originally to bring the Gospel to the far east by sailing west.

There are some wild accusations against Columbus for his cruelty as governor but others that even zealous Catholic historians do not deny. Dominican Friar Bartolomé de las Casas, the great defender of the native people, was very critical of the Admiral but knew him personally and defended him as having good intentions, claiming he acted out of ignorance of the law.

Secular culture often denies any benefit to the bringing of the Catholic Faith to the Americas. But the truth is there is no greater gift than to come to know and believe in Jesus Christ. “For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be save.” (Acts 4:12) Christopher Columbus saw in his given name, which means “Christ Bearer”, a providential sign of his mission and destiny. His voyages in fact began the greatest era of evangelization in the history of the Church.

One of the thousands of missionaries that came to the New World was St. Junípero Serra. When one of his friends, a fellow Franciscan friar, was tortured and killed during a native uprising, he pleaded that the life of the murderer be spared. Serra wanted him to live and be forgiven so he could be saved “which is the purpose of our coming here.”

May the scandals of history not keep us from speaking the truth in love.

Peace.
Fr. Peter