Born on the Spanish island of Majorca in 1713, his Baptismal name was Miguel. 

By the time he was seven, Miquel was helping his parents on the farm and attending school at the Franciscan Friary near his home. 

At 17 he joined the Franciscans and took the name Junipero, who was the brother of St. Francis of Assisi. 

For the next 18 years, Juniper’s life was centered at the school as a student and then a teacher, and along the way he became an outstanding preacher. 

But in his mid 30’s Junipero responded to a call from The Lord he’d heard for many years and went west to the New World. 

His ship landed at Vera Cruz and he and a friend began a long, 250-mile walk to Mexico City. However, his leg became infected after an insect bite and this infection would remain a problem for the rest of his life. 

For most of the next two decades, Junipero worked in Mexico City and on the Baja peninsula, eventually becoming President of all the Franciscan Missions. 

Because of Spanish concerns that other nations were advancing on the west coast of North America, an expedition, led by Junipero and Jose Degalvez, moved north establishing missions in San Diego, Carmel, Monterey, San Louis Obisbo, and more. 

Junipero spent many nights awake in prayer after full days of exhaustive work. Through his efforts more than six thousand were baptized and five thousand confirmed. 

He died in Carmel in 1784 and was Canonized by Pope Francis in 2015. 

St. Junipero Serra, please pray for us.