November 7--St. Diego of Alcalá, Religious

San Diego de Alcalá by Francisco de Zurbarán licensed under PDM 1.0 DEED.

There are 21 Franciscan missions in California stretching from San Diego to Sonoma, 650 miles north. The first nine were founded by St. Junipero Serra, the first being San Diego de Alcalá, named for today’s saint. St. Diego, also known as St. Didacus, was born about 1400 in the Kingdom of Seville in Spain. He wanted to become a hermit as a child and later applied to the Observant branch of the Franciscans. He became a lay brother, that is, he was not ordained. As a friar he would do various trades as well as preach to the people in the surrounding villages. He was then sent to the Canary Islands as part of a missionary group. He became the head of the Franciscan community on one of the islands, which was unusual for a lay brother. He was filled with zeal and holiness and defended the indigenous people against the colonizers, which led to his return to Spain. He visited Rome in 1450 and served the sick during an epidemic. He returned to Alcalá, Spain, where he spent the rest of his life praying and remaining in solitude. He died on November 12, 1463 and was canonized by Pope Sixtus V in 1588, the first lay brother of the Franciscans to be so honored.

St. Diego sounds like your ordinary run-of-the-mill brother, preaching, praying, serving the poor and sick. He would probably approve of that description. But that is precisely the point of discipleship–prayer, worship, and service–the corporal and spiritual works of mercy! We are all called to be missionary disciples by our Baptism and Confirmation, sharing the love and joy of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We are called to holiness in our daily lives by being ambassadors of Christ. St. Diego, pray for us!  Amen!

July 1—St. Junipero Serra, Priest and Missionary

San Juan Capistrano, San Diego de Alcala, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Santa Clara. These are a few of the California missions founded by St. Junipero Serra.  Many of the cities of California started out as missions founded by Serra and the Franciscans as they conducted the last great spiritual conquest of Mexico starting with San Diego in 1769 and ending with the 21st mission in 1823.  

St. Junipero Serra founded the first nine as he trod north and south on the California coast baptizing over 6,000 natives and confirming 5,000.  St. Junipero Serra joined the Franciscan order and for the first years of his ministry he was a college professor in Spain.  He then went to Mexico to become a missionary.  He ministered in central Mexico and Baja California for 18 years, becoming president of the missions in Baja.  He began the "upper" California missions when he was 56 years old and continued for another 15 years. He not only worked among the natives, but also protected them from military leaders who were intent on subjugating the California coast in response to a Russian threat of invasion from Alaska.  His efforts resulted in a "Bill of Rights" for the Native Americans. 

Beatified and canonized saints are those whose lives demonstrate heroic virtue.  St. Junipero Serra showed his love and dedication to God by his love and dedication to the people he served.  He battled with military leaders; he risked death from the natives; he prayed, often throughout the night.  We are called to be saints by loving God through the people we are with daily.  Sometimes that involves heroic virtue as well!