July 1, Thirtheenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fourth from left: Fray Serra's giant monument in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
BLESSED JUNIPER SERRA (b Mallorca 1713, d California, 1784), Franciscan, Professor, Missionary, Father of the California Missions
Born Miquel Josep Serra, this Catalan native joined the Franciscan order where he took the name of St. Francis's childlike companion, Brother Juniper. Until he was 35, he was an important professor of philosophy who was also famous for his preaching. Then he decided to become a missionary to the New World, arriving first in Mexico where for 18 years he worked in central Mexico and what is now known as Baja California. In 1769, when the Spanish territories in central America were threatened by a Russian invasion from the north, Serra and a fellow missionary headed north to California and founded the first Catholic mission in what is now San Diego. In the next two decades, despite unending physical and material difficulties, 8 more missions were founded, including the famous ones in Monterrey/Carmel, San Luis Obispo, San Juan Capistrano and San Buenaventura. (Twelve more would be founded after his death.) Serra also fought for and gained from the Spanish military commander of the region the first Bill of Rights for native Americans which protected the Indians by making the friars their legal guardians. Serra, who suffered until the end of his life from the consequences of a badly infected wound leg when he first arrived in Mexico, was sustained by prayer, often from midnight till dawn. He was an indefatigable traveller, mostly on foot, and personally baptized over 6,000 individuals and confirmed just as many. He brought native Americans not just the gift of faith but a decent standard of living, thus winning their love. He is buried in the San Carlo Borromeo mission in Carmel. He was beatified in 1988.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/070112.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
Sunday Angelus - The Holy Father reflected on the two healings by Jesus recounted in today's Gospel,
saying the healings were not only physical but spiritual, "an invitation to grow in our own faith,
to trust in the Lord’s promise of abundant life, and to pray for all those in need of his healing touch".
THE POPE'S PRAYER INTENTIONS
FOR JULY 2012
General intention:
That everyone may have work in safe and secure conditions.
Mission intention:
That Christian volunteers in mission territories may bear witness to the love of Christ.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 02/07/2012 21:08]