I was disappointed. I spent the last couple years living in Santa Barbara going to Ventura once a week. I am a regular attendee and choir member at the mission Santa Barbara and love to go and pray in the church when I am on Main Street. A friend of mine (who normally stays away from Catholic Churches due to being forced to attend as a child) very reluctantly agreed to go with me as she was visiting from out of state. The first impression was not nice. They tried to take money from us to pray in the church, which is not supposed to happen. I pointed that out and lady was upset and said “ fine but no walking around and no pictures” which was very abrasive and ridiculous. We went in the church and said our prayers and after which i talked to some of the church members who were tending the garden and told them about the experienced and were very upset. They let us know that this was first and foremost a church and that we were welcome here and to feel free and take picture. Just then, the lady from the shop runs out and tried to make us leave for taking pictures. I voiced that at my church, mission Santa Barbara, we do not charge people to pray and are more warm to people coming to gods house. She began to raise her voice, and pointed at other visitors and said “look these people paid see?” And the poor people looked quite embarrassed.i then voiced that mission Santa Barbara does not charge people to pray in gods house and does not treat people this way, and she became defensive and tried to explain that they do mentioning the priest of my church. However, I’m sure she was mislead that I am actually employed by the mission Santa Barbara and serve the church with music. I then said that this was a very unchristian way to act with visitors from another church, or not church at all! When she stormed away, the memebers of the church came over to us and apologized for her poor actions and attitude and said it has been a problem. Unfortunately, a sanctuary that is first and foremost supposed to be a place to worship and be closer to god felt like a place of unwelcome, which was uncomfortable and sad. I plan on writing to the priest of the church and explaining the situation. The only reason this place gets any stars at all is for the compassion and love of the church members, not terrible, unprofessional, and so called “catholic” shop worker who needs to read the Bible a little more to be more aware and accustomed to Christian beliefs.

Anyone who is ever in the area Feel free to come pray at mission Santa Barbara free of charged, all are welcome. If you come to pray, say so in the office or shop and you will be brought to the sanctuary, and you will not be ridiculed for a photograph. Shame on you mission Sam Buenaventura gift shop.