An editorial in the SF Examiner wonders why the Bush administration is opposed to 10 million in federal funds going to help prop up and restore California missions

The administration is opposed to using federal funds to restore 19 of the missions, which are owned by the Catholic Church and used for worship services. It had the strong backing of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and there is nobody on either the right or the left who has come out against the funding for any reason. Republican Sen. Craig Thomas of Wyoming says he wonders if there is a legitimate way to separate the historic funding of the missions from the religious aspect of the church.

Is that because this is not an Evangelical Church possession? Is it because none of the people involved in the decision have ever visited a mission in California? Is it because these people have no appreciation of the history and culture attached to these great missions or care whether they will be preserved for our children?

To think that these practitioners of integrating church and state would block the appropriation of money to preserve one of the nation’s great historical heritages for reasons of separating church and state is shameful and deplorable.