Junipero Serra
Copyright Michael D. Robbins 2005
Astro-Rayological Interpretation & Charts
Quotes
Biography
Images and Physiognomic Interpretation
Father Junipero Serra—Spanish Missionary
November 24, 1713, Petra, Majorca, Spain, 1:00 AM, LMT (rectified to 12:53:20 AM, LMT) Died, August 28, 1784, Monterey, California.
(Source: The Spirit of Serra by Thomas Cullen) (Ascendant, Virgo, with Uranus, Saturn and Pluto all in Virgo all loosely conjunct; MC in Gemini; Sun and Mercury in Sagittarius; Moon in Aquarius; Venus in Libra; Mars in Capricorn; Jupiter in Pisces conjunct Vertex; Neptune in Taurus)
(Look into this as the chart is tremendous for martyrdom and death)
As, however, the port in reality lies in thirty-two degrees thirty-four minutes, according to the observations that have been made, they went much beyond it, thus making the voyage much longer than was necessary.
Father Fernando did every thing in his power to assist the sick; and although he arrived much reduced in flesh, he did not become ill, and is now well.
For they were quite unable to launch the boat to procure more water, or to do anything whatever for their preservation.
Here are also the two vessels, but the San Carlos without sailors, all having died of the scurvy, except two.
Here I found those who had set out before me, both by sea and land, except those who have died.
I pray God may preserve your health and life many years.
In consequence of this loss, it has been resolved that the San Antonio shall return to San Blas, to fetch sailors for herself and for the San Carlos.
Thank God I arrived the day before yesterday, the first of the month, at this port of San Diego, truly a fine one, and not without reason called famous.
The people got daily worse from the cold and the bad water, and they must all have perished if they had not discovered the port about the time they did.
The San Antonio, although she sailed a month and a half later, arrived twenty days before the San Carlos, losing on the voyage eight sailors.
The tract through which we passed is generally very good land, with plenty of water; and there, as well as here, the country is neither rocky nor overrun with brush-wood.
We found on our journey, as well as in the place where we stopped, that they treated us with as much confidence and good-will as if they had known us all their lives.
We found vines of a large size, and in some cases quite loaded with grapes; we also found an abundance of roses, which appeared to be like those of Castile.
We have not suffered hunger or other privations, neither have the Indians who came with us; all arrived well and healthy.
We have seen Indians in immense numbers, and all those on this coast of the Pacific contrive to make a good subsistence on various seeds, and by fishing.
“Always forward, never back” was his motto.
(Sun & Mercury in Sagittarius. Uranus conjunct Ascendant.)
Fray Junípero Serra
Born November 24, 1713 in Petra, Majorca
Died August 28, 1784 in Mission Carmel, California
Venerated in Roman Catholicism
Beatified September 25, 1988 by John Paul II
Feast
Saints Portal
Blessed Junípero Serra (November 24, 1713 – August 28, 1784) was a Majorcan Franciscan friar who founded the mission chain in Alta California.Biography
Born under the name Miquel Josep Serra i Ferrer (catalan: ) in Petra, on the Balearic Island of Majorca on 24 November, 1713, he renamed himself in honor of Saint Juniper, who had also been a Franciscan and a follower of St. Francis of Assisi. On 14 September 1730 he entered the Order of Friars Minor (O.F.M.). For his proficiency in studies he was appointed lector of philosophy before his ordination to the priesthood. Later he received a doctorate in theology from the Lullian University in Palma, where he also occupied the Duns Scotus chair of philosophy at the College of San Fernando until he joined the missionary college of San Fernando, Mexico in 1749.That year he travelled to North America, first to Mexico City, where he taught. While travelling on a mule from Vera Cruz to the capital, he had injured his leg in such a way that he suffered from it throughout his life, though he continued to make his journeys on foot whenever possible. He requested a transfer to the Sierra Gorda Indian Missions some thirty leagues north of Queretaro where he spent nine years, including time as the mission's superior, learned the language of the Pame Indians, and translated the catechism into their language. Recalled to Mexico, he became famous as a most fervent and effective preacher of missions. His zeal frequently led him to employ extraordinary means in order to move the people to penance. He would pound his breast with a stone while in the pulpit, scourge himself, or apply a lighted torch to his bare chest.
In 1767 Serra was appointed superior of a band of fifteen Franciscans for the Indian Missions of Lower California. The Franciscans took over the administration of the missions on the Baja California Peninsula from the Jesuits after King Carlos III ordered them forcibly expelled from "New Spain" on February 3, 1768 with Father Serra serving as "Father Presidente." On March 12, 1768 Serra embarked from the Pacific port of San Blas on his way to the Californias. Early in 1769, he accompanied Governor Gaspar de Portolà on his expedition to Nueva California. On the way he established the Misión San Fernando Rey de España de Velicatá on May 14 (the only Franciscan mission in all of Baja California). When the party reached San Diego on July 1, Serra stayed behind to start the Mission San Diego de Alcalá, the first of the twenty-one California missions (including the nearby Visita de la Presentación, also founded under Serra's leadership) which accomplished the conversions of all the natives on the coast as far as Sonoma in the north. When Monterey was reached and Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo founded, Serra remained there as "Father Presidente" of the Alta California missions. In 1771, he relocated the mission to Carmel, which became known as "Mission Carmel" and served as his headquarters. Under his presidency were founded Mission San Antonio de Padua, Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Mission San Juan Capistrano, Mission San Francisco de Asís, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and Mission San Buenaventura. Serra was also present at the on founding of the Presidio of Santa Barbara on 21 April 1782 and was prevented from locating the mission there at the time only through the animosity of Governor Felipe de Neve.
In 1773, difficulties with Pedro Fages, the military commander, compelled Father Serra to travel to Mexico City to argue before Viceroy Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursua for the removal of Fages as the Governor of California Nueva. At the capital of Mexico, by order of Viceroy Bucareli, he drew up his Representación in thirty-two articles. Bucareli ruled in Serra's favor on 30 of the 32 charges brought against Fages, who removed him from office in 1774, after which time Serra returned to California. In 1778, Serra was given dispensation to administer the sacrament of confirmation for the faithful in California. After he had exercised his privilege for a year, governor Felipe de Neve directed him to suspend administering the sacrament until he could present the papal Brief. For nearly two years Father Serra refrained, and then Viceroy Majorga gave instructions to the effect that Father Serra was within his rights. During the remaining three years of his life he once more visited the missions from San Diego to San Francisco, travelling more than 600 miles in the process, in order to confirm all who had been baptized. He suffered intensely from his crippled leg and from his chest, yet he would use no remedies. He confirmed 5,309 persons, who, with but few exceptions, were Indians {"neophytes") converted during the fourteen years from 1770.
On 28 August 1784 at the age of 70, Father Serra died at Mission Carmel and was buried there under the sanctuary floor.
Legacy and Veneration
A statue of Father Junípero Serra and an Indian boy, sculpted by Tole van Rensalaar. The work was commissioned in 1914 by Father St. John O'Sullivan to depict the meeting of the two cultures.Serra was beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 25, 1988 this being the first step towards canonization, or promotion to sainthood in the Catholic church. Some Native American groups are opposed to this, claiming that the missions seriously mistreated their people.The chapel at Mission San Juan Capistrano, built in 1782, is believed to be the oldest standing building in California. Known as "Father Serra's Church," it has the distinction of being the only remaining church in which the padre is known to have officiated (he presided over the confirmations of 213 people on October 12 and October 13, 1783). A bronze statue of heroic size represents him as the apostolic preacher at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Besides extraordinary fortitude, his conspicuous virtues included his zeal, love of mortification, self-denial, and absolute confidence in God. His executive abilities were especially noted by non-Catholic writers. The wide esteem for him by Californians may be gathered from the fact that Mrs. Leland Stanford, not a Catholic, had a granite monument erected to him at Monterey.
In 1884 the Legislature of California passed a concurrent resolution making 29 August of that year, the centennial of Father Serra's burial, a legal holiday. Many of Serra's letters and other documentation are extant, the principal ones being his Diario of the journey from Loreto to San Diego, which was published in Out West (March to June, 1902) along with Serra's Representación.
A statue of Friar Junipero Serra represents the state of California in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol Building. It was sculpted by Ettore Cadorin and depictes Serra holding a cross and looking toward the sky.
Junípero Serra
Born at Petra, Island of Majorca, 24 November, 1713; died at Monterey, California, 28 August, 1784.On 14 September, 1730, he entered the Franciscan Order. For his proficiency in studies he was appointed lector of philosophy before his ordination to the priesthood. Later he received the degree of Doctor of Theology from the Lullian University at Palma, where he also occupied the Duns Scotus chair of philosophy until he joined the missionary college of San Fernando, Mexico (1749). While traveling on foot from Vera Cruz to the capital, he injured his leg in such a way that he suffered from it throughout his life, though he continued to make his journeys on foot whenever possible. At his own request he was assigned to the Sierra Gorda Indian Missions some thirty leagues north of Queretaro. He served there for nine years, part of the time as superior, learned the language of the Pame Indians, and translated the catechism into their language. Recalled to Mexico, he became famous as a most fervent and effective preacher of missions. His zeal frequently led him to employ extraordinary means in order to move the people to penance. He would pound his breast with a stone while in the pulpit, scourge himself, or apply a lighted torch to his bare chest. In 1767 he was appointed superior of a band of fifteen Franciscans for the Indian Missions of Lower California. Early in 1769 he accompanied Portolá's land expedition to Upper California. On the way (14 May) he established the Mission San Fernando de Velicatá, Lower California. He arrived at San Diego on 1 July, and on 16 July founded the first of the twenty-one California missions which accomplished the conversions of all the natives on the coast as far as Sonoma in the north. Those established by Father Serra or during his administration were San Carlos (3 June, 1770); San Antonio (14 July, 1771); San Gabriel (8 September, 1771); San Luis Obispo (1 September, 1772); San Francisco de Asis (8 October, 1776); San Juan Capistrano (1 Nov. 1776); Santa Clara (12 January, 1777); San Buenaventura (31 March, 1782). He was also present at the founding of the presidio of Santa Barbara (21 April, 1782), and was prevented from locating the mission there at the time only through the animosity of Governor Philipe de Neve. Difficulties with Pedro Fages, the military commander, compelled Father Serra in 1773 to lay the case before Viceroy Bucareli. At the capital of Mexico, by order of the viceroy, he drew up his "Representación" in thirty-two articles. Everything save two minor points was decided in his favour; he then returned to California, late in 1774. In 1778 he received the faculty to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. After he had exercised his privilege for a year, Governor Neve directed him to suspend administering the sacrament until he could present the papal Brief. For nearly two years Father Serra refrained, and then Viceroy Majorga gave instructions to the effect that Father Serra was within his rights. During the remaining three years of his life he once more visited the missions from San Diego to San Francisco, six hundred miles, in order to confirm all who had been baptized. He suffered intensely from his crippled leg and from his chest, yet he would use no remedies. He confirmed 5309 persons, who, with but few exceptions, were Indians converted during the fourteen years from 1770. Besides extraordinary fortitude, his most conspicuous virtues were insatiable zeal, love of mortification, self-denial, and absolute confidence in God. His executive abilities has been especially noted by non-Catholic writers. The esteem in which his memory is held by all classes in California may be gathered from the fact that Mrs. Stanford, not a Catholic, had a granite monument erected to him at Monterey. A bronze statute of heroic size represents him as the apostolic preacher in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. In 1884 the Legislature of California passed a concurrent resolution making 29 August of that year, the centennial of Father Serra's burial, a legal holiday. Of his writings many letters and other documentation are extant. The principal ones are his "Diario" of the journey from Loreto to San Diego, which was published in "Out West" (March to June, 1902), and the "Representación" before mentioned.
