Palóu tells a story of Serra, during a homily, pulling out a chain and beating himself bloody as an example of the penance that he was preaching. According to Palóu Serra had a habit of this kind of self-abuse during sermons, “not only to punish himself but also to move his auditory to penitence for their own sins.”, 3. 2. The attacks on Senator-elect Warnock’s faith and our nation’s Capitol reveal an ugly truth about white religion, The mob at the Capitol was reality’s revenge upon the Republican Party, ‘Democracy under siege’: Catholics around the world express shock at the attack on Capitol Hill. He was born Miquel Joseph Serre on November 24 th , 1713, in Petra, on Majorca Island off the coast of Spain, to Antonio Nadal Serra and Margarita Rosa Ferrer. For more in depth information on Serra, click here for Spartacus-International's lengthy piece on Serra. The act inspired not only tears and contrition in his Mexican congregation, but an imitator whose blows were so “cruel and pitiless” that they actually resulted in the man’s death. Ordained in 1737, he taught philosophy and theology at the University of Padua until 1749. It was the pontiff’s first visit to the United States, and the first ever canonization on US soil. Fr Serra was one of those people. Junipero. And in the meantime, congratulations to the Franciscans and all for whom Junípero Serra is an inspiration! Quick Facts Name Junipero Serra Occupation Missionary, Saint Birth Date c. November 24, 1713 Death Date c. August 28, 1784 Place of Birth Majorca, Spain Article in today's LATimes: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-platt-serra-sainthood-pope-francis-20150125-story.html Ordained in 1737, he taught philosophy and theology at the University of Padua until 1749. Serra is known today as the “Apostle of California,” having built in the late 18th century a network of 21 missions that stretched the entire southern half of the state from San Diego to San Francisco. Serra became a priest in 1737, remaining on Majorca to teach. On September 23, 2015, he was canonized as a saint by Pope Francis I in a special mass in Washington, D.C. Serra was a renowned figure in his lifetime. Denver Newsroom, Jun 22, 2020 / 03:20 pm MT ().-In Los Angeles and San Francisco over the weekend, protestors tore down two statues of St. Junipero Serra, an … Learn more about Serra… Facts about Junipero Serra will give you information about a Franciscan friar who founded the California missions. Entered the Franciscan University at Palma, Spain at age 15, and joined the Order at age 17, taking the name Junipero after the friend of Saint Francis. to get together the relevant facts and reactions. September 23, 2015 – Pope Francis canonized Junipero Serra (declared him a saint), in a mass held before 20,000 people at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Please visit our membership page to learn how you can invest in our work by subscribing to the magazine or making a donation. Ordained in 1737, he taught philosophy and theology at the University of Padua until 1749. Motivated by the teachings of St. Junipero Serra, and the persevering spirit of our founding families, we prepare our students to live their Catholic faith as servant leaders of Christ. Serra monuments and memorials dot his Camino Real from Majorca to California. Over the course of nearly 50 years of work throughout the Northwest, Mother Joseph founded 11 hospitals, 7 academies, 5 schools for Native American children, and 2 orphanages. Saint Junipero Serra (1713-1784) July 1 is the feast day of St. Junipero Serra on the Liturgical Calendar. , was a Roman Catholic Spanish priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He kept going, because his brothers and sisters were waiting. Pope Francis canonized St. Junípero Serra in 2015. A noble by birth, Ado renounced his inheritance and became a Benedictine, in time assigned to the monastery of Prum, near Trier, Germany. You can either click on the link in your confirmation email or simply re-enter your email address below to confirm it. He was Committed to the Mission, but Maybe Not So Much Fun. There is, as many of us know, the story about the native Indian who was condemned to death by the colonizers. Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address. Today he's the thirteenth person from the United States to be named a saint. Father Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit, has a statue in the Capitol, for Arizona... so that's three catholic priests. He was ordained a priest in 1737 and when he was 37 years old, he traveled to Mexico and spent the rest of his life evangelizing the newly founded Americas. Junipero Serra was an 18th century Spanish Franciscan who gave up a job as a professor to become a missionary. At the time the Jesuits ran 13 missions in Baja California. Many Native Americans are Not Happy About This. Because of his recanting of enslaving Africans, and his fights on behalf of the indigenous population, he is generally seen as one of the earliest supporters of human rights. You are not its solution. Miguel José Serra Ferrer; Memorial. Junipero Serra was a Roman Catholic Franciscan Order friar and priest, who has since been beatified and canonised, as well as given the posthumous title Apostle of California. Yesterday the Pope aptly described him as “the evangelizer of the West in the United States.”, Serra is also sometimes referred to as the “Founder of California,” though strictly speaking he’s only the founder of the California Missions. Kevin Christopher Robles, Molly Cahill, Erika Rasmussen. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Why is Father Junipero Serra becoming a Saint? Junipero Serra and Our Shifting Catholic Landscape (by Fr. Fray Bartolome de las Casas, and Fr. I say "at least one nun" because at this point I am now fully aware of my search engine incompetence in these matters! Addal cured Abgar and converted the king and his people to the faith. Biographers also say the saint defended the Native peoples from persecution.. Thank you for noticing. (Thanks to Sr. Pat Talone, RSM, PhD for informing me about this extraordinary woman.). Once you allow a notion of yours, however right and righteous, to separate you from the community, you have become the victim of sin. Watch this space... Serra had been working in Mexico for almost twenty years before he came to what we now call California. The breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 sent shock waves around the world. He fought the enslavement of the natives, freeing his own slaves, but supported bringing in slaves from Africa instead, thus becoming a major contributor to the evil of importing human beings to become slaves. See more ideas about serra, california missions, saints. It’s a standard that will probably make more sense to a lot of people (and maybe encourage those who feel that people like Joseph Bernardin, former Archbishop of Chicago, or Pedro Arrupe, leader of the Jesuits during and after Vatican II, are worthy of elevation). If you look to the California papers linked at the top of this article, you'll find reactions of both kinds. If you are one of our rare donors, you have our gratitude and we warmly thank you. Since you’re a frequent reader of our website, we want to be able to share even more great, As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important. She was also an architect, and both designed and supervised the construction of a number of these institutions. What were people at the Vatican thinking? Serra was baptized a few hours after birth in the village church and Miquel Joseph Serra was his … He established nine of the 21 Spanish Catholic missions in California. (RNS) — In California, statues of Junipero Serra — who led the Catholic Church's missionary efforts among Native Americans on the West Coast — are coming into question. Prayers to John Paul II healed a 47-year-old nun who had Parkinson’s disease, then cured a partially paralyzed Costa Rican woman with an inoperable brain aneurysm, on the very day that he was made ‘blessed’. Their missions appear to have been very successful; 75% of the 678 Jesuits who were expelled from Mexico by Spain were actually Mexican-born. Usually being made a saint requires two miracles being attributed to the saint-in-waiting after their death. In 1780 Serra himself wrote “That spiritual fathers should punish their sons, the Indians, with blows appears to be as old as the conquest of the Americas; so general in fact that the saints do not seem to be any exception to the rule.”. He was asked if he would like to be baptized before he was executed. I'm not coming up with much. Today Mother Joseph's birthday (April 16th) is a holiday in the state of Washington. Yet at times he's also clearly quite severe. Thank you for calling me to task on that. Junípero Serra y Ferrer, O.F.M. 5. Also, there is at least one nun included in Statuary Hall, Mother Joseph Pariseau of the Sacred Heart, a Sister of Providence, is one of Washington state's two representatives. The Franciscans were asked to take over the missions and Father Serra was assigned as the new Superior of the region. The first paragraph says Fr. Looking for your own guide? The parish family of St. Junípero Serra is committed to serving God and supporting each other through our faith, resources and God given talents. Well, I am properly horrified at a couple mistakes that you all and some other readers have pointed out. 1. He is credited with establishing the Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ... Junipero Serra was sent to fill it. First of all, Serra and Damien are indeed not the only priests in Statuary Hall. Welcome All, We extend a warm welcome to all members of our parish family as well as newcomers. Bishop Barron explains. Legendary accounts claim Abgar wrote to Christ asking Jesus to cure him of an intolerable and incurable illness. The other is Father Damian of Molokai, who spent his life working with the lepers of Hawai’i. The white Trump supporters who desecrated the U.S. Capitol proved Rev. If you’re already a subscriber or donor, thank you! In 1767, when King Charles III of Spain banished the Jesuits from all Spanish territory, the 14 Jesuit missions in Baja California were suddenly left unstaffed. Many San Juan Capistrano residents hold those words close to their heart. He’s probably hungry. the great state of Wisconsin. **Actually, in 2013 Pope Francis made pretty much that claim. Pope Francis canonized Junipero Serra on September 23, 2015. during a Mass in Washington, DC. European diseases like chicken pox wiped out a third of the Native people living in California within 50 years of their arrival. St. Junipero Serra (1713-84) is a significant name in California’s history. St. Junipero Serra. Maybe the end justifies the means.”. There is in fact a nun included amongst the statues of the U.S. Capitol. As reported yesterday in these pages, Pope Francis yesterday announced that he plans to beatify California missionary Blessed Junípero Serra when he comes to visit the United States in September. On September 25, 1988 he was beatified by Pope John Paul II. His Canonization Marks an Interesting (and Hopeful) Change in Roman Procedure. Hopefully it will soon be corrected. Starting with the Portuguese Empire in 1759 and moving on throughout the world, the Jesuits found their star fading fast, until finally the order was kicked out of pretty much everywhere except Russia and suppressed by Pope Clement XIV in 1773. Here are Five Fun Facts about our soon-to-be Saint. Through Palóu’s eyes we meet a man tireless in his dedication to the work, brilliant in his thinking, willing to sacrifice his own health for the mission. “Serra and the civil administration of upper and lower California could not imagine And in a roundabout way what brought him to California was none other than the Jesuits. And it isn't just the brothers and sisters of the tribes, those of us who are Mestizo (mixed race) and natives of California growing up with the history of California and the Catholic Church in the Americas are equally distraught. The other error that I take very deeply to heart is the critique made by a number of you that a list of facts about Junípero Serra that includes the harm that came to Native Americans in California should not be described as "fun". 5. of the great state of Wisconsin, a state familiar to the writer. In other words, the long-term high regard of the People of God can be enough to make a person a saint. In 2015 he became the first saint of the Roman Catholic Church to be canonized in the United States. Many Native Americans are Not Happy About This, As in many other parts of the Americas and the world, the entrance of Europeans into California was terrible for Native peoples. His official title was “Padre Presidente” of the California Missions. At the age of thirty-seven, he landed in Mexico City on January 1, 1750, and spent the rest of his life working for the conversion of the peoples of the New World. The Spanish Empire was the last of the major powers to move on the Jesuits, and did so dramatically. Born Miguel Jose Serra at Petra on the Spanish Island of Mallorca, Spain. If not, writes Bill McCormick, S.J., the violence of Jan. 6 will not be an isolated event. [REVISION, JANUARY 21: I stand corrected! St. Junipero Serra Catholic School is valued as an exemplary Diocesan Catholic Parish Elementary School located in South Orange County, California. (The woman, Floribeth Mora, reported having a full recovery after a vision of John Paul appeared and asked her “Floribeth, what are you doing here? Serra, too, has only one miracle attributed to him, the healing of a woman with lupus. Missionaries who stood up to establish the humanity of the indigenous population, and attendant rights that go with that should have been made saints. Abbot Lupus Servatus, an outstanding humanist of the time, trained Ado, and was impressed with the obvious holiness of the young man. Check out some of the. Over the next twenty years, Serra would work his way up the chain of the Franciscan order, even becoming one of the local heads of the inquisition. (16) Interesting Facts about Blessed Junipero Serra (revised June 30, 2015) "A passer avant, y nunca retroceder" Move forward and never turn back - Junipero Serra . Others have argued that within the context of the times Serra was actually gentler than others (such as the Spanish governors), and that he even protected the Natives from the military. Serra. His name was originally Miguel José Serra, and Junípero was his name in religion. Saint Junipero Serra, Spanish Franciscan priest whose missionary work among the Indians of North America earned him the title of Apostle of California. Serra Has Better Titles than You. Will the Republican Party reject the counterfeit politics of conspiracy and fantasy? Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. Miguel Jose Serra was born on the island of Majorca on November 24, 1713, and took the name of Junipero when in 1730, he entered the Franciscan Order. Copyright 2021 Catholic Online. The Racist Attack on Our Nation’s Capitol, The Biblical case for forgiving student loan debt, After the storming of the Capitol: We need accountability, repentance and a reckoning, ‘This has got to stop’: Catholic leaders react to Trump supporters’ attack on the Capitol. Miguel Jose Serra was born in Spain in 1713, and took the name of Junipero when he entered the Franciscan Order. Oct 25, 2015 - Explore Cathy Wachtel's board "Saint Junipero Serra" on Pinterest. This was done decades before Serra was named a saint and was not a “saint statue” or a work of sacred art commissioned by the Church—it was a city statue honoring a civic hero. This realization came too late for the African slaves. Magistrates were sent to every town where Jesuits resided on the night of April 1st, 1767, and all of them expelled without warning the next day. And let us not forget - in the Capitol Statuary - Pere Marquette, S.J. @1renist, Twitter. Copyright © 2021 America Press Inc. | All Rights Reserved. (And even that gets a wibbledy wobbledy when you factor in Baja. Saint. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions. Serra traveled in 1749 to Mexico to be a missionary with lifelong friend and fellow Franciscan Francisco Palóu, who went on to write the main source of information we have about the person of Serra. Pope Francis will canonize the Spanish missionary Junípero Serra during his visit to the United States in September 2015. Who exactly is this man who traveled the coast of California founding Catholic missions and bringing native people to know Christ? 28 August; 1 July (United States) Profile. If you donate just $5.00, or whatever you can, Catholic Online could keep thriving for years. He answered that he did not want a God who had such followers. Serra, Saint Junípero ho͞onē´pārō sĕ´rä , 1713–84, Spanish Franciscan missionary in North America, b. Majorca. click here for Spartacus-International's lengthy piece on Serra. (The other is former president, governor and movie star Ronald Reagan.). Ado's holiness made him enemies, and he was forced to leave Prum. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. With the Jesuits gone, there was suddenly a huge vacuum in leadership and manpower in Baja. Serra Becomes a Saint . Whether you’re visiting us, looking for a new parish home, are returning to the practice of your Catholic faith or are interested in finding out more about the Catholic Church, we’re happy to have you here! Today, we humbly ask you to defend Catholic Online's independence. 1. Serra died in Carmel on August 28, 1784. Masses the weekend of Juky 1-2 will be celebrated with greater solemnity. Padre las Casas was a hero to the native population of the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean nations, since he opposed the atrocities, including slavery, committed by the Spanish against the Arawaks. A campaign to have him declared a saint was begun in 1934, and he was beatified on September 25, 1988. Every state of the Union gets to choose statues of two individuals from the state's history to represent the state. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. However, eventually he realized that all slavery was evil. However, he wished to become a missionary. – and she’s not yet a saint. Miguel Jose Serra was born on the island of Majorca on November 24, 1713, and took the name of Junipero when in 1730, he entered the Franciscan Order. Brown/Afp/Getty Images ) Opinion by Salvatore Joseph Cordileone Serra was assigned as the new than. To defend Catholic Online School could keep thriving soon-to-be saint Junípero Serra also! Fast, insofar as the Pope can always step in and call a Papal audible ordained in 1737 he...: i stand corrected Online School could keep thriving for years Mother Teresa who! In 1713, Miguel Jose Serra was assigned as the Pope can always step and., 2021 Native Indian who was condemned to death by the colonizers us,! The new World than what happened to the California missions there is, many! Who became addal 's successor a UNESCO World Heritage Site gets to choose statues of two Californians who statues. 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