Junipero Serra, pray for this land that you helped to found." Will Stanford University’s recent decision to strip the name of Father Junipero Serra from a prominent campus avenue and two buildings ripple into San Diego? Father Serra came to this New World with a burning love for the land and its people. It was founded on July 16, 1769 by Father Junipero Serra. Hnat, also a parishioner of Southwest’s St. Dominic Church says the significance of the nine-foot-tall bronze sculpture isn’t lost on her. Father Serra’s Missionary Vocation and the ‘Spiritual Project’ of America I want to begin by placing Father Serra in his historical context. “I was quite a while with him there dead, and my little apartment a pool of blood. Thank you for this Beautiful Gift. My friends, this is classic Junípero Serra! Ordinarily the term "mission" refers to the church and the attached buildings, which included the covento or residence for the handful of Franciscan friars on the staff; lodging for hundreds of Amerindian catechumens and converts; workshops and kitchens; granaries and storage facilities, etc. Junipero Serra - "Father of the Missions" Writing Sheet. He can also in some ways be described as a Mexican immigrant, having lived and worked for more than a dozen years in Mexico before coming to California. Let's all join together.. So we need a new conversation. And may all the glory be to our Great God.”, [For more on Archbishop Gomez’ talk, go to the Los Angeles Tidings Online Website:  http://www.angelusnews.com/voices/archbishop-gomez/the-spiritual-discovery-of-the-new-world-7874/#.VVJMR_lViko], 10818 San Diego Mission Road Thank you all for the Happy Birthday greetings! When he embarked on his missionary voyage to the New World in 1749, at the age of 35, he carried only two books with him — the Bible and Sor María’s “The Mystical City of God.”. I want to begin by placing Father Serra in his historical context. It was lovely just like she was. Her letter had such an influence on Father Serra, that his missionary companion, Father Palou, included it as an appendix to his biography of Serra. They humiliated, tortured and executed Father Serra’s friend, a fellow missionary priest, Father Luís Jayme, making him California’s first martyr. Eventually, Church authorities asked Sor María to write an open letter to encourage missionaries and inspire more priests to enter the missions. One final point on this. But it should also send a message. When Pope Francis canonized Serra during his 2015 U.S. visit, making Serra the first Hispanic saint to minister in the continental U.S., the mission held a major celebration. He did not idealize or romanticize the people he came to serve. I so enjoyed being around her on our trip to Rome .. May she rest in peace. Again, his motive was the salvation of souls. Junipero Serra, a Franciscan friar who was one of the founders of California, has been a symbol in the West for more than 200 years. Yesterday was his birthday! John T. Ford, C.S.C., Professor of Theology and Religious Studies and Coordinator of Hispanic/Latino Programs in CUA's School of Theology and Religious Studies, provides history and insight into this new saint. At Mission San Diego de Alcalá parish, Fr Peter M. Escalante with the piano, and Fr Raymond Philip Napuli with the violin, play Angels We Have Heard on High.... With the Apostolic Letter “Patris corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis recalls the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as ... Fr. ... Beautiful service & Linda was a beautiful woman & a friend to so many! There is a black and white portrait of Father Serra. www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-12/pope-francis-proclaims-year-of-st-joseph.html ... Pope Francis proclaims “Year of St Joseph” - Vatican News. Happy birthday Fr Raymond Philip . Despite Father Serra’s record defending indigenous peoples, statues of the saint have become focal points for protests and demonstrations across California in … Father Serra demands that corrupt colonial commanders be deposed and soldiers be held to strict moral standards. First, the Father Serra of history that we have been talking about is far different than the Father Serra we often read about in the newspapers and even in the pages of the historians. Founder of the Knights of Columbus will be beatified Friday, October 30. Comparing the "missions" to "slave plantations" is historically inaccurate: the missions were intended to be centers of Christian catechesis and Spanish civilization; in contrast, American plantations in the South were operated for the financial profit of their owners, who sometimes treated their slaves as human chattel. Noun 1. Merry Christmas! Serra was instrumental in founding the first mission at San Diego and eight other missions before his death in 1784. Towards a New Conversation about Father Serra and Mission Era. San Diego, CA 92108, (619) 283-7319 Office When an Amerindian contacted one of these diseases, it quickly spread - often with fatal results similar to the recent Ebola epidemic in Africa. Simultaneously, Serra's canonization is a recognition of the centuries-long contribution of Hispanics to the Catholic faith in the United States - a contribution that is symbolized in the names of many cities in California: San José, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc. His canonization should also embolden the Church with new zeal to continue her mission in our time — the continental mission of the new evangelization, creating a new world of faith and building a new city of truth and love, mercy and justice. John Bray suggested naming the club after Father Junipero Serra. The Canonization Mass of Blessed Junípero Serra was celebrated by Pope Francis at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Sept. 23. The “New World” that Jesus Christ had promised for the end of the age. God Bless Our Parish. And there I was with the dead man, thinking most probably I would soon have to follow him, but at the same time praying to God that the victory would be for our Catholic faith without losing a single soul.”. We still have to work out that vision, but I believe Father Serra would have us working to build an America that promotes the encounter of cultures and seeks to protect the sanctity and dignity of the human person. Serra is somewhat unique in being regarded not only as a religious figure, but also as the "Founder of California" - a pioneer of pioneers. His own desire, he said, was “to stir up the world to undertake the spiritual conquest of this New World, and give to God, before very long, thousands of souls.”, 4. 2. He said: “Let the murderer live so he can be saved, which is the purpose of our coming here and the reason for forgiving him.”. Bill celebrates Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints, November 2020.youtu.be/hl3B79s12ac ... Solemnity of All Saints Nov 2020 Mass at Mission San Diego de Alcalá. The boy would live there until age 15 with his parents and sister Juana. 620 Michigan Ave., N.E. Father Serra’s Missionary Vocation and the ‘Spiritual Project’ of America. So it is significant that Blessed Junípero will be America’s first Hispanic saint. And at the heart of the Representación is a radical call for justice for the indigenous peoples living in the missions. This canonization also comes at a time when American society and culture are being aggressively secularized and “de-Christianized.” This process — being carried out by governing and cultural elites — raises grave questions about America’s national identity and its historic commitment to freedom of conscience, religious liberty and to a civil society that respects the rights of believers and religious institutions to help shape the common good. Junípero Serra Serra played a decisive role in the European settlement of the New World. Fr. The rich symbolism of his canonization matches a time of deep uncertainty and social change in the United States. In my opinion, his writings and example should be studied right along with the great Dominican friars, Bartolomé de Las Casas and Antonio de Montesinos. When he is declared a saint later this year, Father Serra will be the latest in a line of “missionary saints” from the Americas that Pope Francis has elevated during his pontificate. Who was Junípero Serra? Sor María held up the missionary as the highest form of discipleship. I’m so sad to hear of her passing, Saddened to hear of her passing. Look forward to meeting you in person soon. The missionary, she said, follows the “vocation of the Apostle” in “imitation of the Master.” Washington, DC 20064 Contact Us, © 1887-2021 The Catholic University of America. Significance: He helped us win the Revolution and establish a government afterward, improved and/or saved the lives of many people, and was one of the most … A mission, San Fernando de Velicata, was founded in Baja or Lower California as part of the expedition to establish the Alta California missions. By age 24, he was officially Father Junipero Serra. Father Serra will become the first saint canonized on U.S. soil. www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/southern-california-catholics-pray-for-kidnapped-bishop-moses... www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-12/pope-francis-proclaims-year-of-st-joseph.html. But we need to remember — in the beginning, the idea of America was rich with utopian expectation! In Father Serra’s writings we find him returning again and again to this noble ideal of the missionary. Priests and parishioners in Southern California are praying for the safe return of Bishop Moses Chikwe, the auxiliary bishop of Owerri Archdiocese in Nigeria, who served for several years in the Diocese of San Diego as a priest before returning to his country. Using a missionary strategy that had been developed in Mexico, Serra envisioned the missions as centers of evangelization for the Amerindian population of California. In the months following the announcement of Serra's canonization, three basic accusations against Serra surfaced in the news media: cultural deprivation, disease, and enslavement. He needs our prayers for a safe return.www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/southern-california-catholics-pray-for-kidnapped-bishop-moses... ... Southern California Catholics pray for kidnapped Nigerian Bishop with strong ties to the area. Happy birthday Father. All of this prevents us from making an honest appraisal of Father Serra and America’s religious beginnings. Of course, he survived one attack in which his assistant was shot through the head with an arrow and died in his arms as he gave him the last rites of the Church, Writing about that later, Father Serra said: He was a problem-solver, not a prophet or philosopher of human rights. © 2021 Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá. youtu.be/Z8f1jz55tZo. As we have seen, Father Serra had great compassion and love for the native peoples. My friends, this is the only way to truly understand Father Serra — and it’s the only way to truly understand the first missionaries to the Americas. In this, again, we see that Father Serra was far from a “man of his times.” For even though the popes had long before condemned slavery and the slave trade, the world of “his times” still considered the native peoples, along with African Americans, to be less than fully human. Serra's canonization is a recognition of his personal holiness: he was a person of prayer and penance; his entire life was dedicated to preaching the Gospel and calling people to a life of holiness. It is clear that Pope Francis — the first pope from the New World — understands the Christian “roots” of the Americas and the continent’s importance for the Church’s mission in the 21st century. . Thank you for sharing your talents. A year later, on December 24, 1771, Father Junipero Serra decided to relocate the Mission close to the banks of the Carmel River. Happy birthday Father. by Kevin Jones Denver Newsroom, Jul 21, 2020 / 05:40 pm MT (CNA).- A proposal to remove St. Junipero Serra from Ventura County’s official seal is unwarranted, and elected officials need to know Serra’s true story, according to the priest who heads the final mission the sainted Spanish missionary founded in California. Please pray for this bishop, some may know him from his time at St. Joseph Cathedral. We will miss such a lovely lady. This is an 8-1/2 x 11 Letter size document with blank lines for students to write about Father Serra. Glad I could be there to celebrate such a wonderful faithful servant of God. Again, this document contains no beautiful poetry or rhetoric. There is so much more to say! St. Junípero Serra, pray for this land that you helped to found. As we know, Hispanic immigration — and especially immigration from Mexico — is changing the face of the Church and the broader society in the United States. . Peter M. Escalante is the celebrant and homilist. Surrounded by violence and bloodshed, staring his own death in the face — his only concern is for the souls of the people who are trying to kill him, the native people he came to the New World to evangelize. In his letters, he writes of their “gentleness and peaceful dispositions,” he records their acts of kindness and generosity toward him. At the time, the Spanish government and the Catholic Church were working side by side; therefore, to occupy this new land (California), the Spanish sent missionaries to start up missions. Life is precious and a gift worth celebrating.Also, 4 months of the priesthood to the day, Laus Deo!I haven't been on social media much at all - but I just want to update you that I am enjoying the ministry at Mission San Diego.I love getting to serve this fantastic community. He needs our prayers for a safe return. On June 30, the vigil of St. Junípero’s feast day, the mission’s pastor received the news he’d spent years praying to the saint for. Happy Birthday to you FA. . Serra and the Grace of Guadalupe. As Pope Francis pointed out in his homily at Serra's canonization here on campus: "A Christian finds joy in mission: so go out to people of every nation!" Father Serra seemed to understand the rage that drove native violence and resistance to the missions. His father sent him off to a Franciscan school where Serra received high grades, convincing him to join the Franciscan order. Bill following after St. Junipero Serra as (literally) a San Diego Padre.God Bless you and please feel free to stay in touch via www.missionsandiego.org/contact-us ... Féliz cumpleaños, Dios lo bendiga siempre. Community Discussion on the Father Serra Statues July 7, 2020 Page 2 3of There are two Father Serra statues on display in and around City Hall. In my opinion, Father’s Serra’s famous Representación of 1773 deserves to be studied as a landmark of Catholic social teaching and a primary document in the history of human rights. Was this the first mission in the chain of 21? We are so glad you are at our Parish. For example, California selected Serra as one of two persons to be honored by the state with a statue in the U.S. Capitol. http://www.angelusnews.com/voices/archbishop-gomez/the-spiritual-discovery-of-the-new-world-7874/#.VVJMR_lViko, www.channelstv.com/2021/01/01/breaking-kidnapped-catholic-bishop-rescued-in-imo/. Father Serra believed — with all his heart — that the Gospel was true. Please watch to get the latest information. Rarely mentioned, however, was a fourth aspect: the protests against Serra often replicate the "Black Legend" - a prejudice against the Spanish-speaking world in general and Catholicism in particular; this legend has recurred in various forms since the middle of the 16th century. Junipero Serra - Spanish missionary who founded Franciscan missions in California Miguel Rev. Please send our condolences to Deacon Ernie. For those of us from America, the canonization holds a rich symbolism and spiritual significance — it is even more powerful and more personal for those of us who are Hispanic and Mexican. Unfortunately, a lot of the arguments out there resort to old stereotypes that can be traced back to the anti-Spanish and anti-Catholic propaganda of the “black legend.” Even in the best scholarly writing, we can detect strong prejudice against Catholic beliefs and deep skepticism about the Church’s missionary project. LEGACY OF SAINT SERRA EXHIBIT Presented in the Sala, circa 1800 Open Daily 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saint Junípero Serra, a Franciscan missionary born and raised in Mallorca, Spain, was appointed the Father President of the Alta California Mission’s inRead more And so we look upon him as a father looks upon his children.”. But let me try to suggest a few conclusions. It is sometimes said that Father Serra was “a man of his times.” But to tell the truth, he really wasn’t. As a way to begin that conversation, I want to offer some pastoral reflections on Father Serra’s life and ministry this morning. For practical purposes, the missions needed to be as self-sufficient as possible, since supplies from Mexico arrived only infrequently. Serra moved the Mission to Carmel. As a teenager, Serra entered the Franciscans in 1730 and after his ordination to the priesthood in 1737, he served as a professor at the Llullian University in Palma de Mallorca for a dozen years. Third, I think Father Serra shows us “a way” for the Church — and especially for the Church in America. Right now, as we know, American society is caught up in a divisive political and cultural debate over immigration and the future of its historic identity as a multicultural nation of immigrants. Santa Barbara’s Mission was founded on … Cap. Today that beautiful Mission is Why did some people protest Serra's canonization? As we know, the pope’s announcement has opened old wounds and revived bitter memories about the treatment of Native Americans during the colonial and missionary period of America’s history. He will be the first American saint to be canonized on American soil. What was meant by the accusation of "cultural deprivation"? What is the significance of Serra's canonization? at the end of seven years the church was finished. Still the exchange of shots — bullets and arrows — went on. However, the death rate was much higher in the 18th century than it is today; for example, in Mallorca, where Serra was born, one out of every three infants died before the age of one. Vincenzo Criscuolo, O.F.M. Beautiful Christmas gift. Our steps should be in conformity with the vocation to which God has called us; let us work out our spiritual salvation with fear and trembling, and with a burning love and zeal seek for the salvation of our brethren and neighbors. Enjoyed listening to your violin presentation yesterday...absolutely beautiful. In a way, the protests against Serra's canonization exemplify what has been called "the last respectable prejudice in the United States in the 21st century" - a prejudice against both Hispanics and Catholics. Bill celebrates Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints, November 2020. Mass at Mission San Diego for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Post of thanks from our new Associate Pastor Fr. So as his canonization gets closer, we should try to learn more about him. Concluding the simple account in his diary, he wrote: “May his soul rest in heaven!”. He complained bitterly that they were men “without any fear of God whatever in their hearts.” He decried the systematic rape of indigenous women and fought for the removal of military officers who did nothing to stop it. It then became Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Rio Carmelo. We see the same love, the same tender mercy and zeal for souls, in the famous story of the burning of the San Diego Mission in 1775. He was born Miquel José Serra in Petra on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca on November 24, 1713. And out of love, he was willing to give up everything — family and home, security and fortune, even his very life — to bring the truth of this salvation to people living on the other side of the world; people he did not know, people who did not share his language or customs. God bless you Linda Grosso! Please watch to get the latest information.youtu.be/T7RbUp6xPnQ ... Sisters & Brothers, PROJ-14599 HPC/07/01/2020 Page 1 of 2 ` PROJECT DESCRIPTION Discussion of the landmark status of the 1989 Father Serra Statue located in front of City This item is informational, to clarify the public record that It is clear that Pope Francis — the first Pope from the New World — understands the Christian “roots” of the Americas and the continent’s importance for the Church’s mission in the 21st century. It's also a delightful honor to be with Fr. Second, in the witness and writings of Father Serra, we meet a man who was one of the true “founders” of America. Once, he came upon a native grave and found that the bones had been unearthed and scattered, probably by wild animals. And finally, I hope these reflections will lead those of us in the Church to a better appreciation of the Church’s mission in the years ahead. Father Serra was a realist. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us all!! Father Serra helps us to appreciate in a new way that the missionaries were America’s true “founders.” In him we see that America’s origins were not about politics, conquest or plunder. If every saint has a spirituality, what was Serra's? In our secular, “post-Christian” age, it is perhaps an inconvenient truth to remember that — from the beginning, America was a spiritual project. Father Serra offers the Church an inspiring missionary spirituality, one that is rooted in the Church’s missionary identity and the missionary identity of every disciple. A year later, Fr. Wednesday night, the Pope will hold a mass to declare father Junipero Serra a saint. Thank you for this beautiful gift, Merry Christmas! Fr. Both the Franciscans and the Amerindians who lived at the missions were aware of the frequency of deaths. In our secular, “post-Christian” age, it is perhaps an inconvenient truth to remember that — from the beginning, America was a spiritual project. 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