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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 December 2015
Padre Junípero Serra, O.FM., Apostle of California and candidate for sainthood, is a many-sided personality. His reputation for sanctity alone has caused one of the greatest research projects in Spanish mission history in this century. His activity as an empire-builder and administrator is a fascinating theme for many writers. Best known as an apostolic missionary among the Indians, he was also a penetrating professor and a much-sought preacher. It would be impossible, even in a more extended paper, to consider every facet of the personality and all the interests of the apostolate—ranging from mail routes to mission methods—of this remarkable, dynamic man. His writings include the whole gamut of existence from rocks to the Holy Trinity. He moved as easily on the frontier as in the classroom. Though he aspired to high sanctity, he could remain quite human, even indulging in an occasional pleasantry.
1 This date and year are found in the baptismal records of St. Peter’s Parish Church, Petra, Mallorca, and in Palóu’s Relación Histórica, 1 (hereinafter referred to as Vida). Serra was confirmed at Petra, May 26, 1715 (“Libro de Confirmaciones,” Petra, and Vida, 2).
2 Neither the Vida nor any other record found to date reveals the exact time when Serra came to Palma. We know that Serra became a Franciscan novice at Palma, September 14, 1730 (Vida, 3), after petitioning the Very Rev. Antonio Perelló, O.F.M., who had become Provincial of the Mallorcan Province for the second time (Vida, 3); this latter event took place on January 4, 1730 (“Crònica” of Francisco Bordoy, O.F.M., 1814). Serra was refused admission after his first request because the Provincial misjudged his age. This much is certain, therefore, that Serra’s requests were made to the Provincial after January 4, 1730. Nor does it follow, because he was finally accepted, that he entered the Order immediately. In such, cases he would have waited till a regular class was invested. Palóu states that Serra attended the philosophy course at San Francisco de Palma as a secular, prior to his entering the Order (Vida, 2). Undoubtedly Serra left Petra for Palma in time for the opening of school at the latter place which was September, 1729. At that time he was short of sixteen years of age by about two months.
3 The data on Serra’s early life may be followed in Vida, 1–11.
4 Palóu merely states that after Serra’s novitiate, he entered the Convent of San Francisco to pursue the courses of philosophy and theology (Vida, 4). From here on he omits any chronology until 1749. We know, however, that the philosophy course for Franciscan students to the priesthood lasted three years. “Lo eligió la Provincia Lector de Filosofía para el mismo Convento, en donde leyó los tres años con grande aplauso” (Vida, 4). This agrees with the “Compendium Scoticum” of San Felipe, Palma, which is Serra’s complete philosophy course as taken down by Francisco Nogueyra, a student, who was a classmate of Palóu and Crespi. That course lasted three years, as the dates in the “Compendium Scoticum” reveal. Moreover, the student lists for Scotistic philosophy, still extant in the Instituto Nacional Ramón Lull, Palma, mention first, second and third year students for the philosophy course. See Maynard Geiger, O.F.M., “The Scholastic Career and Preaching Apostolate of Fray Junípero Serra, O.F.M., S.T.D., (1730–1749)” in THE AMERICAS, IV, 1, 65–82 (hereinafter this article will be referred to as ‘“The Scholastic Career”).
5 The theological course at San Francisco lasted three years and followed immedi ately after the course of philosophy: hence the years are 1734–1737 (see note 18, p. 69, of “The Scholastic Career”).
6 Serra received these orders on December 21. He received the sub-diaconate December 18, 1734, and the diaconate March 17, 1736 (“The Scholastic Career,” 70).
7 November 29 (Ibid., 71).
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.
10 In “The Scholastic Career,” 71, the writer stated that Serra taught the three-year philosophy course twice or for a period of six years, 1737–1743, and this contrary to a statement of Palóu (Vida, 4). Yet another statement by Palöu on the same page led the writer to believe that Serra began to teach in 1737. Palóu states “antes de ordenarse de Sacerdote, ni tener tiempo para ello, lo eligió la Provincia Lector de Filosofia” (Vida, 4). Since Serra was ordained probably by March, 1738, and since the records of the Convento de San Francisco state he entered the competitive examinations for the lectorate in November, 1737, it was reasonable to suppose that lectors were needed and Serra, being chosen one of them, began his teaching career in 1737, “antes de ordenarse de Sacerdote.” However, a further scrutiny of the records in the case reveals that while Serra at that time took the examinations and successfully passed them, and received immediately the title of lector, he did not begin to teach until September, 1740. It was the custom of the Province of Mallorca to have on hand a number of lectors, who were capable and fit, and then to assign them when vacancies arose. All this is made clear in the ‘“Libro Sexto de los Capítulos,” formerly belonging to the Convento de San Francisco and now in the custody of the Desbrull family of Palma. The “Compendium Scoticum” gives the date of September 9, 1740, as the beginning of the philosophy course Serra taught. The “Libro Sexto de los Capítulos” states that on January 9, 1740, the Provincial and Definitors of the Mallorcan Province decreed that Serra was to teach the course of philosophy at San Francisco. “El M. R. P. Provincial mandó convocar en la celda de su habitación los PP. del M. R. Diffinitorio, y les propuso instava el tiempo de definar lectores para el curso de Filosofía.” Con cerning Serra, the following was detemined: “Para el Curso que ha de leerse en este año en el Convento de San Francisco de la Ciudad, se eligió unanimi consensu al P. Fr. Junípero Serra.” The same book in various places states that on October 26, 1740, October 21, 1741, and on June 8, 1743, Serra was employed as lector of philosophy. The above dates represented chapter assignments. Serra’s lectorship of philosophy may therefore be summed up by saying that he passed his examination and reecived his title of lector, November 29, 1737, that he was assigned to teach, January 9, 1740, and actually began to teach, September 9, 1740. He taught till June 23, 1743.
11 “Compendium Scoticum.”
12 There are two documents that deal with Serra’s appointment to the lectorship of theology at the Lullian University, the first the “Libro Sexto de los Capítulos,” the second the official transcripts made by Fray Antonio Ramis, O.F.M., Secretary of the Province of Mallorca, in March, 1772, from the official books of the Convent of San Francisco concerning the appointments of professors to the Lullian University. This Ramis document is in the Biblioteca Provincial, Palma. The first document states that because of the resignation of Fray Juan Homar, O.F.M., who held the chair of Scotus at the University, a successor had to be appointed. This was done on October 16, 1743, by the Provincial and Definitorium of the Province of Mallorca, who declared: “y vacando en consequência de esto la cathedra que regentava el sobredicho N. M. Rdo. Pr. Fr. Juan Homar, propuso para ella su Paternidad M. Rda., al Rdo. Padre Fr. Junípero Serra, Lector de Philosofía, el qual fué electo para dicha cathedra por los PP. del M. Rrdo. Diffinitorio, nemine discrepante, y en confirmación de todo lo dicho y determinado, fué la dicha resolución cellada con el cello menor de la Provincia y firmada de todos los PP. del Muy Rdo. Diffinitorio, dicho día, mes y año.” The document in the Biblioteca Provincial states: ‘“Item consta de la misma pàgina 133 que en el día 19 de Mayo del mismo año 1733, nombró el M. Rdo. Difirió, para regentar dicha Cathedra de Prima de Escoto, al Rdo. Padre Lector Juan Homar quien la regentó hasta el día 25 de Enero de 1744: como se puede ver en la página 232. Y vacando en consequência de esto dicha Catha. como consta de la misma página del Libro sexto; eligió el M. Rdo. Difirió, para regentarla, al Rdo. Padre Lector Junípero Serra, el que la regentró hasta el año de 1749.” The facts therefore are: Homar asked to be relieved of his university chair, October 16, 1743. This was granted At the same time Serra was appointed to succeed him. Homar, however, continued to teach until January 25, 1744. This may then be considered the date when Serra began his university career. The “Libro Sexto de los Capítulos,” giving the appointments of the Chapter of August 29, 1744, mentions Serra as the Lector of Theology at the Lullian University; and again on February 10, 1746.
13 Palóu states that Serra received his own doctorate in theology from the Lullian University, the year before he finished teaching his three-year course of philosophy at the Convento de San Francisco (Vida, 4). Since Serra finished teaching his philosophy course in June, 1743, he therefore received his doctorate in 1742. A search through the records of the Lullian University, which are incomplete, failed to disclose a record of the day and year in which Serra received his doctorate, though these same records show him assisting at the examinations of nearly 100 degrees for the baccalaureate and doctorate between the years 1744 and 1749, and they always refer to him as Dr. Junípero Serra (“Actes de Bachille y Graus de Theologia de la Universidad Litteraria y Estudio General Lulliana desde 1738 fins en 1751.” Tomo 33, Instituto Nacional Ramón Lull).
14 In 1744 (parish records of Petra); in August, 1745 (Francisco Torrens y Nicolau, Bosquejo Histórico, [Felanitx, 1913], 12); in 1748 (parish records of Petra); and during the Lent of 1749 (Vida, 9).
15 March, 1739, and April, 1740 (“Libro de Entradas y Gastos del Convento de San Francisco de Palma” [hereinafter, “Entradas y Gastos”]).
16 January, 1740 (“Entradas y Gastos”).
17 February, 1740 (Ibid.).
18 September, 1742 (Ibid.).
19 April, 1748 (Ibid.).
20 May, 1748 (Ibid.).
21 December, 1748 (Ibid.).
22 February 24, 1749 (“Llibre de actes de ca’n Riutort,” Petra).
23 March 2, 1749 (Ibid.).
24 Vida, 6. The year is not given.
25 The shrine of Bonany (Nuestra Señora del Buen Año), a few miles south of Petra, according to tradition is where Serra preached before he left for Palma and the Indies, in April, 1749.
26 Vida, 14. Also “Compendium Scoticum,” title page.
27 Palóu states that he and Serra arrived at Malaga, “a los quince días de navegación y en el que la Santa Iglesia celebra el Patrocinio de Sr. S. Joseph” (Vida, 13). From 1689, the Carmelites in Spain had celebrated the feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph (on which day Serra arrived at Málaga, Vida, 13), on the third Sunday after Easter. This observance was soon adopted by the entire Spanish nation. See Souvay, Charles L., “Joseph, Saint,” in The Catholic Encyclopedia (1910), VIII, 504 Google Scholar. Serra and Palóu left Palma on a Sunday, two weeks before, Dominica in Albis, White or Low Sunday, the Sunday immediately following Easter.
28 Vida, 13.
29 See Maynard Geiger, O.F.M., “The Franciscan ‘Mission’ to San Fernando College, Mexico, 1749,” THE AMERICAS, V, 1, 53–55.
30 According to Palóu, Serra and his companions embarked at Cádiz, August 28, 1749 (Vida, 13). According to Serra, they embarked on August 29, late in the evening (Letter by Serra to Fray Francisco Serra, O.F.M., Vera Cruz, December 14, 1749 [Capuchin Convent, Barcelona]). The Contratación document, 5546, Seville, Archivo de Indias, Seville, states that the ship sailed on August 31: “20 Religiosos Sacerdotes en el Navio nombrado Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Maestre Don Juan Manuel de Bonilla, que salió a navegar a la Veracruz, en 31 de Agosto de 1749.” Palóu’s date must be rejected, since he wrote in the years 1784–1785 at San Francisco in California, thirty-five years after the event took place. The only differences in the documents causing difficulty are between the Contratación and the Serra letter. The Contratación document definitely states the ship sailed on August 31. Serra in his letter of
31 Vida, 14. Serra merely calls it “a long and tedious voyage.” (Serra letter, ut supra).
32 Serra letter, ut supra, named the ship Villasota; the Contratación document called it Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. See Maynard Geiger, O.F.M., THE AMERICAS, V, 1, 53, note 7.
33 Serra letter, ut supra. September 8 was the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. Serra mentions this.
34 Ibid.
35 According to Serra, in his letter, it was the feast of All Saints, which always falls on November 1. Palóu (Vida, 16) says the ship left Puerto Rico, November 2.
36 Vida, 16.
37 Ibid. Serra in his letter states the ship anchored at Vera Cruz on December 6, a Saturday, again a correct juxtaposition of day and date. He further states that on December 10, the friars celebrated their safe arrival, at the Franciscan Convent there, and thanksgiving was given to God. Serra preached on that occasion.
38 Vida, 20–21. San Fernando, now in the heart of a city of about 2,000,000 inhabitants, even in the middle of the last century but fringed its western end. See map and sketch of city, showing location of church and college, in J. de Decaen, México y sus Alrededores (Mexico, 1864), 41.
39 Bull of Pope Innocent XI, “Ad Perpetuam Rei Memoriam,” in Collectio Statutorum, Gratiarum, et Indulgentiarum pro Missionibus Earumque Collegiis de Propaganda Fide (Rome, 1778), 64.
40 Vida, 21–22.
41 Palóu states that he and Serra started out for the Sierra Gorda “a principios de Junio del año de 1750” (Vida, 28). The Sierra Gorda is in the northeastern part of the modern state of Querétaro. A description of its eighteenth-century atmosphere is given in Vida, 23.
42 Serra to Miguel de Petra, O.F.M. Cap., Mexico, September 29, 1758 (Capuchin Convent, Barcelona).
43 Vida, 28, 294.
44 Ibid., 294. “Libro de Decretos.” The first instance of Serra’s description of his office in any official document found to date occurs in an Inquisition document, Vol. 854, Sección de Inquisición, Archivo General, Mexico. It is as follows: “Fray Junípero Serra…Presidente de las Misiones de Infieles que a su cargo tiene dicho Colegio en la Sierra Madre vulgo la Sierra Gorda y Ministro Misionero de la del Santo Apostol Sant Jago de Xalpam, cabezera que es de todas ellas” (September 1, 1752). A similar expression occurs in the decree of Serra’s appointment, September 4, 1752 (Ibid.).
45 Inquisition document, Ibid., September 1, 1752.
46 Inquisition document, Ibid., September 4, 1752.
47 “Caja de Manuscritos del Colegio de San Fernando,” Biblioteca Nacional, Mexico.
48 Most of the church registers of the Sierra Gorda for Serra’s period are destroyed or lost, and only a few pages remain. One of these few fragments permits us to say that Serra was at Tilaco, April 7, 1756 (“Libro de Entierros”).
49 Vida, 39; also, see the description of the state of the Sierra Gorda Missions, San Fernando, January 11, 1762 (Biblioteca Nacional, Mexico).
50 Palóu merely states: “en el tiempo de siete años quedó concluida una Iglesia” (Vida, 34). Serra was in the Sierra Gorda for eight years commencing with midyear, 1750, and ending with September, 1758. Hence, the date of finishing the church is 1757. Because his stay there was a little over eight years, Palóu refers to the period as nine years (Vida, 35–36).
51 Vida, 34–35. The praise bestowed upon Serra for his Sierra Gorda work does not stem from the pen of Palóu alone. Fray Pedro Pérez de Mezquía, O.F.M., in a letter to Pedro Romero de Terreros, March 28, 1758, amply praises Serra and Palóu for their abilities and accomplishments (copy in the University of Texas, Austin).
52 The payment was made on September 30, 1758. “Se le dio vale de ocho pesos a los Indios que vinieron con el P. Lector Fr. Junípero Serra para la comida de mulas, etc.,” in “Libro de Rezibo y Gasto Perteneciente a la Misión de Santiago de Xapla” (Papeles sueltos, Archivo General, Mexico).
53 Serra to Miguel de Petra, Mexico, September 29, 1758, writes that he had returned from the Sierra Gorda three days before.
54 Vida, 40–53.
55 “Libro de Decretos.”
56 Ibid. Also San Fernando College to the Inquisition, November 25, 1758 (Vol. 956, Sección de Inquisición, Archivo General); and San Fernando College to the Viceroy, November 25, 1758 (Archivo General).
57 “Libro de Decretos,” and Vida, 47. Palóu, however, merely states the fact without giving the years.
58 “Libro de Recepción y Profesión de Novicios” (San Fernando Archives, Mexico).
59 “Libro de Decretos.”
60 Biblioteca Nacional, Mexico.
61 Vida, 46.
62 This document of 196 pages is entitled: “Santiago de los Valles. Año de 1766…María Pasquala Mulata libre Natural del Valle del Maiz. Por Malifica” (Vol. 1009, Sección de Inquisición, Archivo General, Mexico).
63 Chapters X and XI, 43–53.
64 Vida, 44–46.
65 Ibid., 54.
66 Ibid., 46, 56.
67 Ibid., 44.
68 Ibid., 44–45.
69 “María Pasquala de Nava,” etc. (Inquisición, 1009).
70 Vida, 45.
71 Ibid., 46.
72 Testimony of the notary, Manuel Roldan, copied from Libro 4 of the Gobierno Episcopal of Antequera, February 15, 1787 (Vol. 1362, Sección de Inquisición, Archivo General).
73 Vida, 51–52.
74 Page 166 of Vol. 1362, Sección de Inquisición.
75 Vida, 46.
76 “Collectio Statutorum,” p. 83; Vida, 46–47.
77 Vida, 47.
78 Ibid., 54.
79 Ibid.
80 Vida, 54–55, states that Serra and his companions were to be ready to leave San Fernando by July 14. Palóu in his Noticias (1, 5) states definitely that they left on July 16. The writer when citing from the Noticias will employ the English translation edited by Bolton, Herbert E., Historical Memoirs of New California (Berkeley, 1926)Google Scholar, though all citations have been checked against the Figueroa MS. of the Noticias (1792), (Archivo General, Mexico).
81 Vida, 55; Noticias, I, 5. The western portion of the Camino Real of Mexico in colonial days. This road together with the eastern part from Mexico to Vera Cruz through Puebla and Jalapa, united the Atlantic with the Pacific.
82 Vida, 55.
83 Vida, 55; Noticias, I, 5.
84 Noticias, I, 12–13. Also, Palóu to Fray Joseph García, O.F.M., Tepic, October 12, 1767 (Biblioteca del Museo Nacional, Mexico).
85 Vida, 56; Noticias, I, 18.
86 Noticias, I, 18.
87 Vida, 46.
88 Ibid., 56.
89 Noticias, I, 19.
90 Ibid., I, 21. Palóu (Vida, 56) States: “salimos día 12 de Marzo de dicho año habiendo anochecido ya.”
91 Noticias, I, 21–22. In Noticias, 22, Palóu states that he and Serra went ashore that night; in Vida, 56, he states that all the missionaries went ashore on April 2.
92 Vida, 28.
93 José Mariano Beristain y Souza, Biblioteca Hispano Americana Setentrional (1883, Amecameca), III, 139.
94 They are listed in Noticias, I, 25–27.
95 Ibid., I, 22–24.
96 Ibid., I, 31.
97 Ibid., I, 25.
98 Ibid., 27–28.
99 Palóu merely states: “se puso luego en camino para visitar las misiones mas inmediatas a Loreto” (Vida, 57–58). In his diary Serra states that on a previous trip he had gotten as far north as Mission Guadalupe. On September 15, 1768, Gálvez, acknowledging a letter of Serra’s and writing to him, refers to Serra’s visit to four missions (Biblioteca del Museo Nacional, Mexico). Guadalupe was the fourth mission from Loreto by way of San Xavier. Serra, then, must have made his visit about July or August, 1768.
100 Serra Diary from Loreto to San Diego, 1769. The original is in the Archivo General, Mexico.
101 Noticias, I, 30.
102 Ibid., I, 33.
103 Vida, 58.
104 Palóu to Fray Juan Andrés, O.F.M., Loreto, November 4, 1768 (Archivo General, Mexico). Palóu writes: “el día 28 salió el P. Presidente para el Sur, llamado del Señor Visitador.”
105 Gálvez to Palóu, Santa Ana, October 31, 1768 (Biblioteca del Museo Nacional, Mexico). Gálvez wrote: “acaba de llegar bueno el Rdo. Padre Presidente.” Taking Palóu’s date of Serra’s departure from Loreto, October 28, and Gálvez’s date of Serra’s arrival at Santa Ana, October 31, the distance being 100 leagues (Vida, 58) or about 275 miles, the journey was made in four days. Palóu was substituting for Serra at Loreto and was in a position to know when he left. Gálvez was writing his letter to Palóu when Serra arrived. That Serra went overland is evident from Vida, 58. Serra must have left with the mail courier who had brought the message from Gálvez. Palóu says: “emprendió luego aquel viage que es doscientas leguas en ida y vuelta.” Gálvez sent his letter only on October 22, and it would have taken till about the 26th to arrive at Loreto. Serra’s return journey from La Paz, further south, to Loreto, took from January 10 until January 31.
106 This is evident from both the context of the Noticias and the Vida.
107 Noticias, I, 47. Serra made an entry, No. 443, in the Book of Baptisms of Mission Santiago, November 16, 1768. The original is in the Chancery Archives, Los Angeles, Calif.
108 Vida, 60; Serra Diary.
109 Noticias, I, 48.
110 Noticias, I, 48; II, 26; Vida, 66; Serra Diary. In the first instance (I, 48), Palóu writes March 27; in the second (II, 26), he has the correct date, March 28; the Vida and Serra’s diary give the 28th.
111 Noticias, I, 49.
112 Serra Diary.
113 Noticias, I, 215 (where May 15 is mistakenly given by Palóu); II, 30 where the date is correct); Vida, 69–70; Serra Diary.
114 Serra Diary.
115 Vida, 76; Serra Diary.
116 Mission Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Mission San Diego, Calif.; Vida, 82, 83; Noticias, II, 267.
117 Vida, 84.
118 Vida, 88; Original Crespi Diary (Archivo General, Mexico); Constansó Diary (Archivo General); Portola Diary. (published by Smith and Teggart, in Publications of the Academy of Pacific Coast History, [Berkeley, October, 1909], 50–51).
119 Original Crespi Diary of the Second Portola Expedition (Archivo General, Mexico); the edition of a contemporary copy in the New York Public Library may be found in THE AMERICAS, III, 1. The dates in question may be found on pp. 6 and 35.
120 Serra to Andrés, Monterey, June 12, 1770 (Biblioteca Nacional, Mexico).
121 Ibid.; Vida, 100; Noticias, II, 281, 287; Armona to Viceroy, June 30, 1770 (Museo Naval, Madrid). Portola writing to De Croix, San Diego, April 17, 1770 (Archivo General, Mexico), says: “al escrivir ésta… se hace a la vela el Príncipe.”
122 Noticias, II, 287.
123 Vida, 101; Noticias, II, 287–288; Serra to Gálvez, Monterey, July 2, 1770 (Archivo General de Indias, Seville); Serra to Andrés, Monterey, June 12, 1770 (Biblioteca Nacional); Crespi Diary of the Second Portola Expedition, he. cit., 37.
124 Crespi Diary, Second Portola Expedition, Ibid.
125 Official Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Mission San Carlos, inscribed by Serra (in the Chancery Archives, Fresno, Calif.); Serra-Noriega Informe, San Carlos, July 10, 1784 (Archivo General, Mexico); Vida, 101–102; Noticias, II, 290–291, 294; Serra to Andrés, Monterey, June 12, 1770 (Biblioteca Nacional, Mexico); Serra to Gálvez, Monterey, July 2, 1770 (Archivo General de Indias, Seville); Crespi Diary, Second Portola Expedition, 37–38.
126 Noticias, II, 294. The formal document of taking possession of Monterey is in the Archivo General, Mexico, dated June 3, 1770, and is signed by Portola, Fages, Pérez and Del Pino.
127 Baptismal Register, Mission San Carlos.
128 Vida, 120; Noticias, II, 314, has June instead of July. The Figueroa MS. in the Archivo General, Mexico, has July.
129 Vida, 121.
130 Vida, 121: “a los dos días después de la salida del Paquebot San Antonio…pasó el V. Padre a reconocer las Vegas y Cañada del Río Carmelo.” Also Noticias, II, 315. This would have been on July 9. However, Serra writing to Verger, Monterey, August 8, 1772 (Biblioteca Nacional, Mexico), says he left Monterey to found San Antonio as early as July 8.
131 Vida, 121; Serra to Verger, Monterey, August 8, 1772.
132 Palóu Informe, December 31, 1784. In this informe, Palóu gives the distances in leagues between the missions. The original is in the Santa Barbara Mission Archives (SBMA).
133 Serra to Verger, Monterey, August 8, 1772.
134 Official Book of Marriages, Mission San Antonio (Chancery Archives, Fresno); Vida, 122; Noticias, II, 316; Serra to Verger, Monterey, August 8, 1772.
135 Serra to Verger, Monterey, August 8, 1772; Vida, 124, 127.
136 Serra-Noriega Informe, Monterey, July 10, 1784; Vida, 127, gives no date; Noticias, II, 318, merely states: “he moved to the banks of the Carmelo in the early part of August, 1771.”
137 Serra-Noriega Informe.
138 Ibid. Vida, 129, merely states that the Mission was finished “a fines del año de 1771.” Noticias, II, 319, states: “The work was not concluded and the complete transfer effected until the latter part of December of the same year 1771.”
139 “Y quedó integramente establecida acá la Misión desde aquel día” (Serra-Noriega Informe).
140 Neither Serra himself nor any contemporary writer mentions the President’s departure from San Carlos Mission during this period. Moreover, all his letters of this period are dated from the Mission. This same norm of deduction will be followed in regard to intervals at home between his various travels.
141 Serra-Noriega Informe.
142 Vida, 140.
143 Ibid., 140–141; Noticias, II, 361; Serra-Noriega Informe; Registers of Baptisms and Marriages, Mission San Luis Obispo (Chancery Archives, Fresno).
144 Vida, 141; Noticias, IL 362, 363.
145 Vida, 131; Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Mission San Gabriel (San Gabriel Mission, Calif.).
146 Noticias, II, 363. Vida, 144, gives no date.
147 Noticias, II, 363.
148 Vida, 144; Noticias, II, 363.
149 “A las 5 de la tarde fué a bordo el R. P. Presidente que va para San Blas” (Cañizares Log, 1772 [Archivo General, Mexico]). Noticias, II, 365, and III, 1, says Serra embarked on October 19.
150 Vida, 147. Serra-Noriega Informe merely states: “a mediados de Octubre.”
151 Cañizares Log; Vida, 147; Noticias, III, 1.
152 Vida, 148.
153 Noticias, II, 365.
154 Vida, 150; Serra to Miguel de Petra, Mexico, August 4, 1773 (Capuchin Convent, Barcelona).
155 Vida, 151; Noticias, II, 36.
156 Noticias, III, 366. The Representación is translated in the Noticias, III, 2–36.
157 This document will be found in the Archivo General, Mexico (a photograph of the same is in the SBMA). It is dated April 22, 1773.
158 May 19, 1773. Noticias, III, 77.
159 Bucareli to Arriaga, Mexico, September 26, 1773, says: “el Padre Presidente, Fr. Junípero Serra, ha salido ya de este capital para las Misiones de San Diego y Monterey” (Archivo General). Also, the same to Losada, Mexico, September 26, 1773 (Archivo General de Indias).
160 This is evident from an account book formerly of San Fernando (now in the Archivo General, Mexico), wherein there is a record of the price given to the coachman for taking Serra from Mexico City as far as Guadalajara. Vida, 157, merely states Serra left San Fernando: “con la salud tan quebrantada, que casi no se podía tener en pie; rezelándose todos no muriese en el camino. Pero…emprendió su viage…por tierra.” Yet, in Noticias, III, 125, Palóu states Serra’s health was improved.
161 Serra to Verger, Guadalajara, November 11, 1773 (Biblioteca Nacional).
162 Serra wrote to the Viceroy from Tepic, January 7, 1774 (Archivo General).
163 Serra states he expected to leave for California on the 20th (Biblioteca Nacional). Vida, 157, merely states Serra arrived at San Bias with Mugártegui and remained there until January, 1774. Noticias, III, 125, says the same. Palóu gives no dates.
164 Serra to Peramás, Islas Isabelas, January 27, 1774 (Stevens Collection, University of Texas, Austin).
165 Ibid., Serra to Zamudio, San Diego, March 26, 1774 (Biblioteca Nacional); Serra to the Guardian, San Diego, March 31, 1774 (Biblioteca Nacional); Serra to the Viceroy, San Diego, April 5, 1774 (Stevens Collection); Hijosa to the Viceroy, San Bias, January 28, 1774 (Archivo General); Serra-Noriega Informe; Vida, 158, gives January 24; Noticias, III, 125, the same.
166 Serra to the Viceroy, Islas Isabelas, January 27, 1774 (Archivo General); Serra to Peramás, Islas Isabelas, January 27, 1774 (Stevens Collection).
167 Vida, 158; Noticias, III, 126; Serra-Noriega Informe; Serra to Zamudio, San Diego, March 26, 1774; Serra to the Guardian, San Diego, March 31, 1774; Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, July 18, 1774 (Biblioteca Nacional).
168 Serra to the Viceroy, San Diego, April 5, 1774, states he was soon to leave with Garcés for San Diego; Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, June 14, 1774 (Biblioteca Nacional); Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, July 18, 1774 (Biblioteca Nacional).
169 Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, June 14, 1774. Garcés to Bucareli, Rio Colorado, April 27, 1774 (Archivo General).
170 Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, June 14, 1774. Anza reports the same in his diary, Anza to Bucareli, Terrenate, June 8, 1774 (Biblioteca Nacional). He says he met Serra “como a sesenta leguas antes de Monterey.” It was after he had crossed the Santa Rosa River, today the Santa Inez: “a las dos de la tarde me encontré con el P. Presidente de los establecimientos de esta California.”
171 Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, June 14, 1774.
172 Baptismal Register, Mission San Luis Obispo (Chancery Archives, Fresno); Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, June 14, 1774.
173 Vida, 159; Noticias, III, 343; Serra to Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, June 14, 1774; Serra to Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, July 18, 1774 (Biblioteca Nacional); Serra to Peramás, San Carlos de Monterey, June 14, 1774 (Biblioteca Nacional).
174 Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, June 14, 1774.
175 Vida, 176–190.
176 Ibid., 184–185.
177 Serra to Bucareli, San Carlos de Monterey, June 27, 1776 (Stevens Collection).
178 Serra to Pangua, San Diego, October 7, 1776 (Biblioteca Nacional); Vida, 191, says Serra embarked on the 30th.
179 Vida, 191; Noticias, IV, 141; Serra to Pangua, San Diego, October 7, 1776.
180 Vida, 191. Palóu writes: “con doze días de navegación llegó a San Diego.” However Serra to Pangua, San Diego, October 7, 1776, states that he was at San Diego from July 11.
181 Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Mission San Diego (Mission San Diego, Calif.).
182 Serra to Bucareli, San Juan Capistrano, November 1, 1776 (Stevens Collection).
183 Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, Mission San Juan Capistrano (Capistrano, Calif.); Noticias, IV, 151; Serra to Bucareli, San Juan, November 1, 1776; Vida, 198, does not give the date.
184 The dates given for the founding of Mission San Francisco vary. A discussion of every phase of the matter may be found in The Date of the Founding of San Francisco, by Peter Thomas Conmy (Oakland, Calif., 1947). 22 pp. Mimeographed edition. Palóu, who inscribed the Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, gives the date as August 1, 1776. Engelhardt, Dolores or Mission San Francisco, 58, gives June 29, as the date. See Vida, 207; Noticias, IV, 120, 121, 122; 126; 132–133.
185 Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, February 26, 1777 (Biblioteca Nacional); Serra to Bucareli, San Carlos de Monterey, March 1, 1777 (Biblioteca Nacional).
186 Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, February 26, 1777 (Biblioteca Nacional).
187 Baptismal Register, Mission San Gabriel.
188 At San Luis Obispo, Serra wrote out a mission report, December 27, 1776, “donde me hallo de paso” (Archives, Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana).
189 Serra baptized at San Antonio, January 12, 1777, according to the Baptismal Register, Mission San Antonio (Chancery Archives, Fresno); Serra to Bucareli, March 1, 1777.
190 Vida, 201, 224, states merely “por el mes de enero.”
191 Vida, 223–224.
192 Ibid., 224. However the Baptismal Register of Mission Santa Clara states he baptized at Santa Clara on the 9th.
193 Vida, 224–225.
194 The original sent to Serra from Querétaro and sealed with the seal of the College bearing Arrecivita’s signature is in the SBMA.
195 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra (Chancery Archives, Fresno).
196 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra; Noticias, IV, 172; Serra to Bucareli, San Diego, October 4, 1778 (Archivo General). The Vida, 228, says he embarked on the 25th.
197 Noticias, IV, 172.
198 Vida, 228; Noticias, IV, 172; “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
199 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra; Serra to Viceroy, San Diego, October 4, 1778.
200 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
201 Ibid., also Title Page of “Libro de Confirmaciones,” Mission San Gabriel, November 4, 1778 (Mission San Gabriel). Serra kept his own record of confirmations in his own hand, noting, by name and date, confirmation administered at his own mission San Carlos. For the other missions he merely notes the dates of his arrival and departure, and the number of confirmations administered there. Each mission had its own Book of Confirmations and the names of those confirmed were inscribed by a padre of the mission. Serra inscribed the title and a few subsequent pages.
202 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Also “Libro de Confirmaciones,” Mission San Luis Obispo, November 30 (Chancery Archives, Fresno).
203 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Vida, 228, states he arrived on January 5, 1779.
204 Vida, 231; Noticias, IV, 185. Serra baptized at Mission Santa Clara also on October 13 (Santa Clara Baptismal Register [Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, Calif.]).
205 Vida, 232; Noticias, IV, 185; “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
206 Vida, 232; Noticias, IV, 185.
207 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Vida, 233, states he left San Francisco on November 6; also the Noticias, IV, 187.
208 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra; “Libro de Confirmaciones,” Mission Santa Clara (University of Santa Clara).
209 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
210 Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, July 17, 1782.
211 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Vida, 236–237, merely states: “a principios de Octubre.”
212 Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, July 17, 1782.
213 Vida, 237; “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
214 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
215 Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, July 17, 1782.
216 Ibid.
217 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Vida, 244, merely states he confirmed at San Luis Obispo and San Antonio.
218 Vida, 244.
219 Palóu is the authority for the statement that Los Angeles was founded towards the end of December (Vida, 243).
220 vida, 244–245; Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, July 17, 1782.
221 Serra to Lasuén, San Gabriel, March 19, 1782 (SBMA).
222 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
223 Ibid.; Noticias, IV, 211; Vida, 245, 246.
224 Registers of Mission San Buenaventura (Ventura, Calif.); Noticias, IV, 212–213; Vida, 246–247; Serra to Lasuén, San Buenaventura, March 31, 1782 (SBMA); Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, July 17, 1782, says it was Easter Sunday.
225 Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, July 17, 1782.
226 Register of Deaths, Presidio-Mission Santa Barbara (SBMA); Serra to De Croix, Santa Barbara, April 28, 1782 (Archivo General); Serra to Lasuén, Santa Barbara, April 29, 1782 (SBMA); Vida, 255, gives no date.
227 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Vida, 256, merely states he returned to Carmel “a mediados del mes de Junio.”
228 Serra gives no date for leaving Monterey (“Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra).
229 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
230 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. He baptized at San Diego on October 2, 1783 (Baptismal Register, Mission San Diego).
231 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. A whole leaf is missing after his confirmations at San Gabriel.
232 Vida, 264.
233 Baptismal Register, Mission San Luis Obispo (Chancery Archives, Fresno).
234 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Vida, 264, says “por Enero de 1784.”
235 “A últimos de AbriL” Vida, 265.
236 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Vida says he arrived at San Francisco on the 4th. Serra left Santa Clara on the afternoon of the 4th.
237 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra.
238 Vida, 267.
239 Vida, 267. The Baptismal Register, Mission Santa Clara, which Serra signed, contains the description of the dedication. The “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra states the church was blessed or dedicated on the 15th and began to be used for services, Mass and confirmation, on the 16th.
240 “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra. Vida, 268, states Serra arrived “a principios de junio.”
241 “Libro de Decretos.”
242 Baptismal Register, Mission San Carlos (Chancery Archives, Fresno).
243 Biblioteca Nacional, Mexico.
244 Vida, 269.
245 Ibid., 276.
246 Ibid., 279; “Libro de Difuntos,” Mission San Carlos (Chancery Archives, Fresno).
247 “Libro de Difuntos,” Mission San Carlos.
248 Data in SBMA.
249 Vida, 276, 285; “Libro de Difuntos,” Mission San Carlos.
250 Vida, 276.
251 See note 8, above.
252 Vida, 285.
253 Ibid. The “Libro de Confirmaciones” of Serra gives 5,309.
254 Serra’s total land mileage in New Spain and the Californias according to Palóu was 4,050 leagues or 11,147 miles. In this computation he probably included the leagues Serra traveled as Commissary of the Inquisition, which mileage Palóu does not give in a separate category. Subtracting the 650 land miles Serra traveled in Mallorca, this writer’s computation of Serra’s land travel in America comes to 11,750. Vida, Carta Dedicatoria, iv and 46. In the former place Palóu gives 2,050 leagues, in the latter 2,000. In the latter he adds up merely the trips taken by Serra in giving missions.
255 The Martyrs of Florida (1513–1616) by Fray Luis Geronimo de Oré, O.F.M. (transl. by Maynard Geiger, O.F.M.) in Franciscan Studies (No. 18, July, 1936), 125 ff.; Maynard Geiger, O.F.M., The Franciscan Conquest oj Florida (1513–1618) (Washington, D. C, 1937), 257. The original text of de Oré, Relación histórica de la Florida en el siglo XVII, was published at Madrid by Atanasio López, O.F.M., in 1931. The citation in question may be found on p. 120 of this edition.
256 The “Método de Misionar” may be found in José Francisco Sotomayor, Historia del Apostólico Colegio de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Zacatecas (Zacatecas, 1874), 237–255.
257 Vida, 255.
258 Ibid., Carta Dedicatoria.
259 The virtues are arranged in order after the biography in Vida, 287–330.
260 Vida, iv and 46.
261 Ibid., 68.
262 Ibid.
263 Ibid., 58.
264 Archivo General, Mexico.
265 Vida, 43.
266 Ibid., 58.
267 Palóu to Andrés, Loreto, November 4, 1768.
268 Ibid.
269 Gálvez to Palóu, Santa Ana, October 31, 1768.
270 Vida, 58.
271 Ibid.
272 Archivo General, Mexico.
273 Serra to Miguel de Petra, Mexico, August 4, 1773.
274 Verger was elected Guardian, December 1, 1770, and remained in office till May 14, 1774. Maynard Geiger, O.F.M., “The Internal Organization and Activities of San Fernando College, Mexico City (1738–1858),” in THE AMERICAS, VI, 1, 21.
275 Ibid., 5.
276 Verger to Casafonda, Mexico, August 3, 1771 (Biblioteca del Museo Nacional).
277 Vida, 300; Serra to the Guardian, San Carlos de Monterey, August 22, 1775 (Biblioteca Nacional, Mexico); also, same to same, April 13, 1776.
278 Serra to Pangua, San Carlos de Monterey, July 17, 1782.
279 Vida, 143–144.
280 Ibid., 224.
281 Serra and his companion walked about 18 miles a day from Vera Cruz to Mexico City, 1749, between December 15 and January 1. The group of friars who left San Fernando for Tepic in 1767, during 39 days, made about 13 miles a day.
282 Vida, 67.
283 Ibid., 68.
284 Ibid., 73.
285 “Always to go forward and never to retreat” (Serra to Francisco Serra, Cádiz, August 20, 1749).
286 Vida, 73; 93; 147–156 et passim.
287 Serra’s beatification cause was instituted in 1937. The Diocesan Court process in California lasted from December 12, 1948, until July, 1949.
288 Vida, 16; 45.
289 Vida, 11–12; 49–50; 84–85; 198; 308–309; 318–319.