I think my posts this November have leaned a little to the feminine, so tonight's post will feature a male Saint. I have chosen our newest American Saint, Junipero Serra.
Junipero was born in 1713 on the island of Majorca off the Mediterranean coast of Spain and was baptized as Miquel Joseph Serra. He entered the novitiate of the Franciscan order just before his 17th birthday. He was given the religious name of Junipero in honor of Brother Juniper who had been among the fi...rst Franciscans. Junipero was ordained a priest in 1737 and three years later earned an ecclesiastical license to teach philosophy at the Convento de San Francisco.
Junipero was born in 1713 on the island of Majorca off the Mediterranean coast of Spain and was baptized as Miquel Joseph Serra. He entered the novitiate of the Franciscan order just before his 17th birthday. He was given the religious name of Junipero in honor of Brother Juniper who had been among the fi...rst Franciscans. Junipero was ordained a priest in 1737 and three years later earned an ecclesiastical license to teach philosophy at the Convento de San Francisco.
He could have been assured a prestigious career as a priest and scholar had he stayed in Majorca, but he felt a call to serve as a missionary in pagan lands. He arrived in New Spain (Mexico) in 1749. During the trek from the coast to Mexico City (he refused the horse offered by royal officials), Serra's left foot swelled up and a burning itch tormented him. He attributed the swelling to a mosquito bite. He scratched his foot and leg to excess, trying to relieve the itch and the next morning his leg was raw and bleeding. The wound plagued him the rest of his life.
Despite the wound, Serra spent most of the rest of his life working among the native populations and bringing them the Gospel. He founded 21 missions in what is now California -- places that we still recognize by name today including San Luis Obispo, San Juan Capistrano, San Francisco and Santa Clara. Most of the time he still traveled by foot. The missions were primarily designed to bring the Catholic faith to the native peoples.
His feast day is July 1.
Despite the wound, Serra spent most of the rest of his life working among the native populations and bringing them the Gospel. He founded 21 missions in what is now California -- places that we still recognize by name today including San Luis Obispo, San Juan Capistrano, San Francisco and Santa Clara. Most of the time he still traveled by foot. The missions were primarily designed to bring the Catholic faith to the native peoples.
His feast day is July 1.
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