St. Junipero Torres Research Papers

St. Junipero Serra was an eighteenth century saint, born and raised in Europe. He later ventured overseas to construct missions along North America’s Pacific coastline. Born on November 24, 1713 to farmers Antonio Nadal Serra and Margarita Rosa Ferrer, Miguel Jose Serra was baptized at birth, in Majorca, Spain. Two years later, in 1715, he was confirmed by the Most Rev. Atanasio Esterripa y Tranajauregui, bishop of Palma. As a child in Petra, he attended elementary school at the friary of San Bernadino, run by the Franciscans. Later, when he was age 15, he parents took him to Palma to begin assisting in teaching philosophy classes at the Franciscan monastery of San Francisco. At this point, he had decided to join the priesthood. At age 17, Miguel Jose joined the Franciscan order at Convento de Jesús, just outside of Palma, and simultaneously taking the name Junipero, St. Francis’s brother’s name. He chose to later study philosophy and theology and the Convento de San Francisco. Junipero’s ordination date is unknown, though believed to be in 1737, at age 24. In 1742, he obtained a doctorate in theology from Lullian

He was later welcomed to the capital of Baja California by the governor. After this, in 1769, he and other friars boarded a ship to San Diego, 900 miles away. This trip took approximately six months. A month after arrival, Junipero was planning his first of many missions. The friars became friendly with nearby native villages. When more supplies arrived, Junipero began further planning to expand missions up the coast. Later, in 1771, a third mission was founded in Santa Lucia, called San Antonio de Padua. The mission of San Gabriel followed close behind. After this, in Mexico, missions in San Antonio and San Luis Obispo were established. In preparation of returning to California, Junipero was quoted, “California is my life and, I hope to God, where I will