Wednesday, July 1, 1998
Wednesday July 1: Thirteenth Wednesday in Ordinary Time and
Feast of Blessed Padre Junipero Serra, Franciscan missionary Green and White vestments
First Reading: Amos 5: 14-15, 21-24
Psalms: Psalm 50: 7-13, 16-17, 23
Gospel Reading: Matthew 8: 28-34
FEAST OF BLESSED JUNIPERO SERRA
Considered the founder of the California missions that still flourish today along the west coast, Blessed
Junipero Serra was born Jose Miguel Serra in 1713 in the village of Petra near Mallorca, Spain. The son of a farmer, he received the name Junipero upon joining the Franciscans in 1730. After receiving his doctorate in theology as a priest and teaching at the Lullian University at Palma de Mallorca, he was finally given the assignment he had prayed for - missionary work which took him first to San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1749. For the
next eight years he traveled throughout Mexico, holding numerous administrative offices including Commissary
of the Holy Office of the Inquisition. In 1767 the Jesuits were expelled from Mexico and the Franciscans were
given the spoils with Junipero being named president of the missions in Lower California. Two years later
Spain took over Upper California and Blessed Serra accompanied the Conquistadors to San Diego where he
founded the first mission in 1769 - Mission de Alcala in Mission Valley which is still considered the "mother of
all California missions." Following the traditional Spanish rule for administering the missions, Serra had more
than a few run-ins with Spanish leaders and military forces regarding the Indians whom he ministered to and
loved. Because of his dedication to the Beatitudes, perseverance, and loyalty to the Indians resulted in
countless conversions. Riding by mule and horseback, Blessed Junipero established nine more missions
along the California coast from Oceanside to Carmel where he established his headquarters and where he
died peacefully in 1784 at the age of 71. At Serra's beatification ceremony in 1988, Pope John Paul II said Blessed Junipero "is a shining example of Christian virtue and the missionary spirit. His great good was to
bring the gospel to the native peoples of America, so that they, too, might be consecrated to the truth." It is fitting
that the Church established his feast day on the first day of the month America celebrates her heritage and
independence.
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