Vol. XVIII x No. 6
JULY 2006
VOCATION
MISSIONARY MODELS
Express here your views!
CALENDAR FOR THE RECOLLECTIONS AND SEARCH –IN WORKSHOPS 2006-2007
In Manila
May 2-9: Making decisions (Pre-postulancy retreat)
August 6: Human vocation
September 3: Christian vocations
October 20-22: Messengers of life
December 27-29: Mission
2007
January 7: St. Daniel Comboni
IN THE PROVINCES
July 16: Tacloban (Leyte)
September 23: Baguio
October 8: Naga (Bicol)
November 12: Iloilo-Bacolod
November 19: Bohol
2007
February 2-4: Cagayan de Oro
February 9-11: DavaoFebruary 24-25: Cebu
Write to
Fr. Vincent and Fr. Marnie
Vocation team
Comboni Missionaries 282Roosevelt Ave
1105 Quezon City M.M
Philippines
Tel. 414-3164/372-5859
or E-mail:
to WORLD MISSION
Junìpero Serra
The founder
of California
By Marnecio Coralde Cuarteros
Comboni Missionary
The founder of the missions in Sierra Gorda and California, Junìpero Serra, is a model of faith and courage. His physical stamina and willpower made this Franciscan a legend in his own time.
Junipero Serra, a man of faith and courage, who founded the missions in Sierra Gorda and California (Mexico), was ill during his long sea voyage to Spain′s colonies. However, at his arrival in Vera Cruz, he insisted on walking all the way to the capital city – a distance of about 200 miles – to dedicate his mission vocation at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. While traveling on foot, he injured his leg so seriously that maimed him for life. But he persisted in making his journeys on foot wherever possible.
He spent 9 years doing missionary work in Sierra Gorda, in the district now known as the State of San Luis Potosi (North Central Mexico), where he founded 5 missions (Santiago de Jalpan, San Francisco del Valle de Tilaco, Santa Maria del Agua de Landa, Nuestra Señora de la Luz de Tancoyol and San Miguel Concá). Later, he returned to the City of Mexico where he stayed for seven years in the Convent of San Fernando.
In 1767, the Spanish emperor expelled the Jesuits from Spain′s colonies. This prompted the government to ask the Franciscan Order to replace them as missionaries in Baja California and led to the appointment of Serra. In 1768, the Spanish governor started to spread the missions to Alta (Upper) California, the area which is now the state of California. The main purpose was to Christianize the extensive Indian populations and to serve Spain′s strategic interests by preventing Russian explorations and possible claims to North America′s Pacific Coast.
Junipero Serra became president of the 14 missions in Baja, California. He served as Superior, learned the language of the Pame Indians and translated the catechism into their language. He is well remembered by the people as a most fervent and effective preacher. His zeal frequently led him to employ extraordinary means in order to move people. For instance, he would pound his breast with a stone while preaching from the pulpit.
A mission founder
Early in 1769, Junipero Serra accompanied Gaspar de Portola′s land expedition to Upper California. On the way, he established the mission "San Fernando de Velicata" in lower California. He arrived at San Diego on 1st July and, on the 16th, he founded the first of the twenty-one California missions that accomplished the conversion of all the natives on the Coast, as far as Sonoma in the North.
He was also present at the founding of the "presidio of Santa Barbara" but, at the time, was prevented from establishing the mission there due to the animosity of Governor Philipe de Neve. In 1773, difficulties with Pedro Fages, the military commander, compelled Serra to present his case before Viceroy Bucareli. At Mexico City, by order of the viceroy, he drew up his "Representacion" in thirty-two articles. Everything, save two minor points, was decided in his favor. He returned to California late in 1774.
Unstoppable zeal
Junipero Serra was a man to whom faith was everything. Already over fifty years old, dangerously thin, asthmatic and one of his legs seriously injured, he used all his stamina and willpower on missionary work: preaching, hearing confessions and helping to administer a college institution. Even with a chronic leg sore that troubled him for the last 15 years of his life, he walked thousands of miles, traveled on the back of mules for thousands more and sailed many thousand miles more on ships, bringing the Spanish language, as well as the Catholic religion, to California. The chain of nine missions that he founded there became the cities of today′s California.
He also introduced agriculture and irrigation, pressed for a system of law to protect California′s native Americans against the abuses of Spanish soldiers and created a network of roads.
A good leader
Junipero Serra was a good leader. It was his extraordinary administrative ability that allowed him to coordinate the settlement of a whole new frontier. He journeyed with the people and he worked with them in the missions: 18 hours a day! He loved the Indians. He was very strict in a lot of his doctrinal instructions and teachings, but never permitted the enslaving of the Indians. He was a very caring and forgiving person, who wanted that the people under his care would be well educated. Even when the Indians burned the mission in San Diego, he did not want to see them being punished.
Junipero Serra is still a well-known and remembered figure. His statue stands in San Francisco′s Golden Gate Park and in the U.S. capital. In 1987, Pope John Paul II beatified him, the second of the three steps necessary for the Church′s bestowal of formal sainthood. In our time, we need heroes like him. Even ordinary virtues can become extraordinary when one is generous and has a heart ready to respond to mission challenges. <WM
The result of 34 years of work
Junipero Serra was born to a farmers′ family on November 24, 1713 at Petra (on the Island of Majorca, Spain). Jose Miguel, as he was baptized, joined the Franciscan Order in Palma, Majorca′s capital, on September 14, 1730. He chose Junìpero because it was the name of St. Francis′ beloved companion friar.
Because of his proficiency in his studies, he was appointed teacher of Philosophy even before his ordination. Later, he received the degree of Doctor of Theology from the University of Luliana at Palma, where he also occupied the Duns Scotus Chair of Philosophy until he joined the missionary college of San Fernando, Mexico.
In 1774, Father Serra volunteered to serve the Franciscan missions in the new world. He left Cadiz, Spain and sailed for Vera Cruz, Mexico at the age of 36. In 1784, at the age of 70, he died at San Carlos Borromeo Mission. Today, more than 60 percent of the state of California – nearly 26 million people – live in areas surrounding the missions he founded. In 34 years, he had, undoubtedly, achieved much. Priest, explorer and colonizer, he is also known as the "Apostle of California." <WM
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