Pope Francis’ decision to canonize the 18th century Spanish missionary, Junípero Serra, has drawn strong protests from many indigenous groups.
According to historian Alvin Josephy, thousands of native Indians perished after the missionaries arrived on what he described as genocide. Soldiers were employed to kidnap children and when their parents came looking for them they too were captured and used as slaves. Escapees would be severely punished. Fathers and mothers would be separated from their children. The women were separately housed and used as sex slaves by the soldiers. Living conditions were appalling and an epidemic of disease would result in the death of thousands. Over150,000 California Indians died under the system that Junípero Serra developed.
Serra justified the savage beatings as a small price to pay for the joy of moving Indians out of their ‘dark past’ to become ‘enlightened Christians’.
To canonize Junípero Serra, would be an affront to native Indians and a terrible stain on Pope Francis’s legacy. In keeping with his laudable messages of love and compassion, Pope Francis should assuage the sentiments of native Indians by seeking their forgiveness for the appalling crimes committed by Junípero Serra.
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