St. Junipero Serra

“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Matthew 8:19

Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Junipero Serra. He really followed Jesus with zeal and dedication. He was a Franciscan missionary who went to California from Mexico at the advanced age of 56. You would think he was ready to retire and rest, especially as he was suffering in pain from a chronic ulcerated leg sore, but no! Father Junipero walked hundreds of miles to evangelize, to bring the gospel where he could. Beginning in 1769, he established eight of the 21 Spanish missions in California from San Diego to San Francisco. He converted thousands of Indians. He also initiated efforts to protect the natives from abuse under the Spaniards by writing the grievances of the population. This led to a document which laid out the rights of the Native Americans in Spanish California and protected them under the governance of the Spanish monarchy. 

St. Junipero lived by his motto, “Siempre adelante! Keep moving forward and never turn back.” May we too keep moving forward with the cross before us, the world behind us!

https://youtu.be/teUxQpnhezY?si=Vo-TJ1ygsxSWZ_zA