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September 24, 2015

Holy Mass and Canonization of Blessed Junípero Serra

Holy Mass and Canonization of Blessed Junípero Serra
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington
Wednesday September 23, 2015

Published in Reflections
September 24, 2015

Junipero Serra a trailblazer, Pope says at canonization Mass

Pope Francis walks through the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception as he arrives to celebrate Mass and the canonization of Junipero Serra Sept. 23 in Washington.

WASHINGTON - Canonizing the 18th-century Spanish missionary Junipero Serra, Pope Francis insisted a person's faith is alive only when it is shared.

Published in Francis in America
August 30, 2015

Serra’s canonization triggers controversy

A baptism conducted by California mission friars is shown in a sketch displayed at the Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala in San Diego, one of the missions founded by Blessed Junipero Serra. This drawing is part of a collection of sketches depicting mission life by California artists A.B. Dodge and Alexander Harmer.

Blessed Junipero Serra’s motto was “always forward, never back.” But as the date nears for his canonization by Pope Francis, Serra’s life of faithful evangelization is being fiercely — and many say unfairly — questioned by detractors who insist on looking back into the life and times of the 18th-century missionary priest.

Published in International
August 3, 2015

Serra canonization should be call to respect cultures, superior says

U.S. Franciscan Father Michael Perry, minister general of the Order of Friars Minor, is pictured at the Franciscan headquarters in Rome June 12. Fr. Perry says the canonization of Blessed Junipero Serra is a chance to enter into a dialogue with all cultures and people, especially the Californian native peoples.

ROME - The canonization of Blessed Junipero Serra honours a famous missionary who was motivated by love of God, but it also is a call to recognize how the process of evangelization must respect peoples and their cultures, said the head of the Franciscan order.

Published in International
May 4, 2015

Pope defends Blessed Serra, prays for missionary zeal in Americas

Pope Francis accepts a relic of Blessed Junipero Serra from Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles at the conclusion of Mass celebrated at the Pontifical North American College in Rome May 2. It was the first papal visit to the U.S. seminary since 1980. The Pope said that while some people seem to relish the idea of listing Bl. Serra's defects, he wondered how many would have the courage he had to leave everything and preach the Gospel.

VATICAN CITY - People seem to enjoy finding the shortcomings of candidates for sainthood like Blessed Junipero Serra, but they should ask themselves if they would have his generosity and courage to leave everything behind to care for the poor and bring them the Gospel, Pope Francis said.

Published in Vatican
May 1, 2015

Vatican pushes ahead with sainthood for Junipero Serra

A statue of Blessed Junipero Serra is seen in 2012 outside Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Pope Francis has announced that the friar will be canonized this year.

Despite growing resistance from some Native Americans and U.S. Catholics, the Vatican on May 2 will host an event to celebrate the life of Junípero Serra, the Spanish missionary priest whom Pope Francis plans to canonize during his upcoming American tour.

Published in International
April 24, 2015

Ambiguities about Serra should not discount sainthood, panelists say

Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., speaks April 22 at The Catholic University of America in Washington as a member of a panel of historians and other clergymen who came together to discuss the significance of the upcoming canonization of Blessed Junipero Serra.

WASHINGTON - Although the upcoming canonization of Blessed Junipero Serra has stirred mixed reaction, a group of panelists said the ambiguities around the friar should not discount the good work he did or the positive dialogue and reconciliation that could result from his sainthood.

Published in International
January 16, 2015

Pope's canonization announcement surprises Franciscan's promoters

Blessed Junipero Serra, a Spanish Franciscan who ministered in U.S. and Mexico, is pictured in an undated painting. During his flight from Sri Lanka to Manila, Philippines, Jan. 15, Pope Francis said he would canonize Blessed Junipero in September.

WASHINGTON - Surprising even the people who have been promoting the sainthood cause of Blessed Junipero Serra, Pope Francis announced Jan. 15 that in September, he hopes to canonize the 18th-century Spanish Franciscan who founded a string of missions across Mexico and California.

Published in International
January 15, 2015

Pope says respect for religion should limit freedom of expression

Pope Francis answers questions from the media aboard his flight to Manila, Philippines, Jan. 15.

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Commenting on recent killings by Islamist terrorists at a Paris newspaper, Pope Francis condemned killing in the name of God, but said freedom of expression should be limited by respect for religion and that mockery of faith can be expected to provoke violence.

Published in International