Father Amador Garza wants Pokemon GO players to stay away from the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle.

Father Amador Garza wants Pokemon GO players to stay away from the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle.

Hundreds of players have visited the Basilica and wandered the grounds without permission, Garza said.

“Nobody asked us for permission to somehow put us in this game. And this is private property,” Garza said. “All of the sudden I am invaded by all of these people who are not even here to pray.”

Garza said he’s asked police to escort people off church property.

He also posted a statement on Facebook:

The Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle is a place for worship. Persons come to the grounds of the Shrine for their spiritual and physical health, and we welcome them. The Basilica is the private property of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, as such we are at liberty to ask persons playing the Pokemon Go game to leave our premises. The manufacturer of said game did not ask for permission to put our property/campus on their game. We ask all people to respect our Church property. Thank you.

Fr. Amador Garza, Rector

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