Go here for a high level example of the elevation of “Saint” Cesar. Go here to read the story referred to in the post. Rumors about the proclivities of Chavez with underage girls have been around for decades. A friendly press, and too many Catholic clerics, ran cover for him. Now, because of his stance against illegal aliens, dead Chavez is no longer useful to the Left. It is all about power for the Left, something that should never be forgotten, especially when our clergy are eager to support the latest Leftist crusade.
Are you telling me the Catholic clergy were OK with his “sins below the belt” but balk at his treatment of illegal immigration? Say it isn’t so?
I will be charitable and assume that most Catholic clergy did not know, beyond rumors, the predatory nature of Chavez. I hope that is the case.
I’m inclined to suspend judgment for a while on what he did do and did not do. (There was a story in The New Republic about 35 years ago delineating the ways in which his dispositions and behavior had grown increasingly peculiar). Fairly confident the nexus of interests and organizations around the Democratic Party does nothing for altruistic reasons, to be sure.
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Another piece of evidence, btw, that we should avoid putting up monuments and the like until a subject is 50 years retired if not 50 years dead.
https://hanfordsentinel.com/news/national/cesar-chavez-s-mayfair-neighborhood-in-san-jose-struggling-with-identity-now-that-legend-is/article_91770545-99d7-5c0a-a0e3-c05ecf383119.html
There’s nothing in the article suggesting what Joffe claims. Not that he claims anything, really: he says the article “confirms” what unnamed people told him, that the cancellation “may” have more to do with one thing than another. So the article never makes the claim, but Joffe says it confirms a maybe.
Right now a San Jose Catholic Church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, which went all in for St. Cesar Chavez with a prominent mosaic on the side of the church depicting him in hagiographic fashion with the oppressed UFW protesters, is trying to figure out what to do with it (you can see the photo here):
https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/03/22/cesar-chavezs-mayfair-neighborhood-in-san-jose-struggling-with-identity-now-that-legend-is-tainted/
I was always annoyed by the ostentatious artwork and its premature exaltation of Chavez and his affiliates, but since it used to be staffed by the St Barbara Province (West Coast) Franciscans who had become virtually secular and little more than social justice pack dogs, this is a relic of those quasi agnostic days.
Now it’s going to cost some money to remove, no doubt.
Appalling to many of us in the Navy was the naming of the ship USNS CESAR CHAVEZ by SECNAV Mabus. There was also the USNS HARVEY MILK. Both were veterans having briefly served in the navy. Neither was noted for any awards during their service. It was purely a political move. Obama was President, nuff said.
Someone will have to explain this a little better to me or all our saints are up to be – – desainted (?). Part of the process is verifiable miracles. Were those made up too?
MrsOpey – Sorry if I’m being pedantic. The Church has a process for canonization that she’s been using for the past few hundred years, a process that typically includes review of claims of miracles. The Church has never decanonized a reputed saint. She has, however, deemphasized certain saints in cases where verifiable information is sparse, such as with St. Christopher.
Cesar Chavez was praised by the secular left and the Catholic left for his dedication to workers’ rights in America. As far as I know, the bishop of his diocese never petitioned the Vatican for his Cause, which is the first formal step.
It’s more that he had a great reputation and now people are starting to talk about his dark side. It’s nothing ecclesial.
few things are easier than maligning the dead.
gossip is both evil and destructive.
It is only maligning the dead if it isn’t true, and these are grave allegations. However the sudden eruption of this when the allegations have been rumored for decades does make me suspicious.