How much we owe to Fray Junipero Serra, O.F.M.
Have you thought lately how much we owe to Blessed Padre Junipero Serra (1713-1784), the apostle of California? After all, in great hardship, pain and sacrifice over many years he led the way in bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Alta California and planting the Faith here forever.We are Father Serra's spiritual children. How can we repay him?
We can defend him from the enemies of the Church who attack him and the missions; we can tell them how much he loved his flock and protected them and sacrificed so much for them.
We can thank him in prayer every day, too. We can also invoke his intercession for the reform and strengthening of the Church in our Archdiocese and throughout California, and ask him to help protect his Catholic flock of today against all enemies, external and internal.
To subscribe to Siempre Adelante!, an occasional official newsletter about Padre Serra, send your e-mail address, and ask for the newsletter online, to Alexis Packard at ofmcadev@att.net
As you might know already, Padre Serra's motto, and did he ever live up to it, was, "Siempre adelante y nunca atras" -- "Always go forward and never turn back."
Click on this post's title to visit a Serra (vocations) Club website about Padre Serra. Among other features, it lists the missions he founded in both Californias and those that his fellow missionary, Padre Fermin Lasuen, O.F.M., founded.
The photo above is of the famous statue of Padre Serra by Ettore Cadorin. The statue was given in 1931 to the National Statuary Hall.
Have you ever received any favors from praying to Padre Serra? It would be wonderful to hear about it!
posted by Quintero at 1:08 PM
3 Comments:
Your neighbors to the east, Arizona, was converted to our Catholic faith by his contemporary, Father Kino (both Arizona, US and Sonora, Mexico).
Both great men of stature and fidelity.
Dear Tito,
Thanks for the reminder! Yes, Italy-born Father Eusebio Kino, S.J. (1645-1711), was an incredible missionary.
To read about him is to thank God for him and to marvel at his holiness, evangelizing zeal, love for and defense of Indians, physical toughness and personal expertise in everything from cowboy-type horsemanship to agriculture to science.
Padre Kino
Quintero,
I lived in Arizona for 12 years and I didn't even know he was Italian. I always assumed he was Spanish.
Another little know fact, Tucson was founded by a Spanish Conquistador by the name of Don Juan Oconner.
His father was shipwrecked off the northern coast of Spain hence his name in English is John O'Connor.
Neat stuff!
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