Saint Junípero Serra

Life story

Junípero Serra, baptised Miquel Josep Serra, was born on 24 November 1713 in Petra on the island of Majorca. He joined the Franciscans in 1730 and took the name Junípero. He earned a doctorate in theology and taught philosophy in Palma before deciding to become a missionary. In 1749 he sailed to New Spain (Mexico).

In Mexico he lived at the College of San Fernando in the capital, and from 1750 was in charge of missions in the Sierra Gorda. In 1767, after the Jesuits were expelled from Spanish territories, he was given charge of the Baja California missions. In 1769 he joined the expedition north to Alta California and founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá.

From there he founded nine missions: San Diego, San Carlos at Carmel, San Antonio de Padua, San Gabriel, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco de Asís, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Clara and San Buenaventura. He made his headquarters at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel. The missions accompanied Spanish occupation, and he repeatedly tried to protect Native people from the treatment they received from soldiers.

He died at Carmel on 28 August 1784. He was beatified in 1988 and canonised by Pope Francis on 23 September 2015 in Washington. Historians note that the mission system was linked to disease, forced labour and a severe decline in California's Native population, and the decision to canonise him was widely debated.

Works and witness

• Taught philosophy in Palma before sailing to New Spain in 1749.
• Directed the Sierra Gorda missions from 1750.
• Founded Mission San Diego in 1769 and nine California missions.
• Was canonised in 2015.

Saints from the same country

Saint Dominic, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint Francis Xavier

References

• Writings of Junípero Serra (ed. Antonine Tibesar)
• Martyrologium Romanum
• Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.