Saint Junipero Serra

Saint Junípero Serra was a Catholic priest and missionary. He is known for starting many missions in what is now California. He helped bring the Catholic faith to the people there. He is also known by his birth name, Miguel José Serra.

He was born in Spain, but he spent much of his life in the Americas. He wanted to tell people about Jesus and teach them the Catholic faith. He walked many miles, even when he was in pain. He trusted God to lead him.

Junípero Serra started the first nine of twenty-one missions in California. These were places where people prayed, worked, and learned about God. The missions became the center of many towns in California today.

Some people honor him as a holy man. Others have raised questions about how the missions affected Indigenous people. Still, the Church sees him as someone who gave his life to serve others. He was made a saint in 2015.

Junípero Serra was born on November 24, 1713. He was born on the island of Mallorca, which is part of Spain. His parents were farmers. They lived a simple life and taught him to love God.

His birth name was Miguel José Serra. When he was young, he helped on the farm. He also went to school at a Franciscan school. The Franciscan priests taught him how to pray and study. He felt called to join them.

At age 16, he joined the Franciscan order. He took the name Junípero after a friend of Saint Francis. He studied hard and became a teacher of philosophy and theology. He was a good speaker and knew the Bible well.

Even though he had a good life in Spain, he wanted more. He wanted to be a missionary. He wanted to go far away and share his faith. In 1749, he left Spain and sailed to the New World.

Junípero Serra landed in Mexico in 1749. It was part of the Spanish colony called New Spain. He was not young when he arrived. He was in his thirties. He had never been so far from home.

He walked hundreds of miles through rough land. He hurt his leg during one journey. It bothered him for the rest of his life. Still, he kept walking. He said he wanted to suffer for Christ.

He worked with Indigenous people in Mexico. He taught them about the faith. He also helped them with farming and building. He believed the Church could help bring order and peace.

Serra prayed often and lived a simple life. He followed the Franciscan rule. He wanted people to know God’s love. After many years in Mexico, he was sent north to Alta California. A new mission field was opening.

In 1769, Serra went to Alta California with Spanish soldiers. Spain wanted to claim the land. The Church wanted to bring the faith to the people there. Serra helped lead the religious part of the journey.

That same year, he founded Mission San Diego. It was the first of the California missions. Over the years, he started eight more. These included missions in Carmel, San Antonio, San Gabriel, and San Juan Capistrano.

Each mission had a church, homes, workshops, and farms. The goal was to teach people about Jesus. The missions also taught skills like farming, weaving, and building. Serra believed this helped the Indigenous people live better lives.

Some missions hurt Indigenous cultures. Life at the missions was not easy. Some rules were strict. But Serra tried to protect the native people from harm. He often defended them against soldiers or leaders who were cruel.

Junípero Serra died in 1784. He was buried at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel. He had walked many miles and worked for many years. He gave his life to preaching and serving others.

Many years later, people began to call him a saint. Pope John Paul II called him “Blessed” in 1988. In 2015, Pope Francis made him a saint. The ceremony was held in the United States. That was the first time a canonization happened on American soil.

His feast day is July 1. He is the patron saint of vocations and of California missions. Many churches and schools in California are named after him. His statue stands in the U.S. Capitol, though this has caused debate.

Some people admire what he did. Others focus on the harm the mission system caused. Still, the Church remembers him as someone who gave his life to the Gospel. He followed Christ as a missionary and priest, even when it was hard.

The Man Who Founded California: The Life of Saint Junipero Serra

This book tells the story of Saint Junípero Serra, a Franciscan missionary who helped bring the Catholic faith to California in the 1700s. It follows his journey from Spain to Mexico, and then to California, where he founded 21 missions along the coast. He spent his life serving others, teaching, and spreading the Gospel. His motto was “Always forward, never back.” Canonized in 2015, his work is still remembered today through the missions and his statue in the U.S. Capitol. This edition includes many pictures that help bring his story and the missions to life.