Junipero Serra: The Story by Barnabas Hughes OFM

Paperback 150 pages perfect bound edition

This biography recounts the life of Junípero Serra from the viewpoint of his health and the rationale for the evangelization of Upper California, themes not stressed so strongly in other accounts. I leave it to the reader to discover and bring specifics to each viewpoint. All the major events in Serra’s life are here together with many minor happenings, both accomplishments and frustrations.

Everything is placed within a frame of two conditions that accompanied Serra throughout his career in New Spain. The subtitle of this biography is an excerpt from a letter Serra wrote to a confrere, Father Fray Francisco Serra (no relation). Referring to his parents, Junípero wrote, “… surely they would encourage me to go forward and never to turn back”