Revisiting St. Junipero Serra on his first feast day

Sep 23, 2015

A statue of St. Junipero Serra sits among flowers outside San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo Mission in Carmel, Calif. The Spanish missionary was canonized by Pope Francis last year under the title of "apostle of California." St. Junipero's feast is July 1. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

On St. Junípero Serra's feast day, we're looking back at coverage of the 18^th-century Spanish Franciscan missionary whom Pope Francis canonized in Washington, D.C. on September 23, 2015 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It was the first canonization on U.S. soil, and Junipero's path to sainthood was not without dispute. Following is a collection of articles written by NCR about the saint and controversy surrounding his sainthood.

New documentary explores Junípero Serra sainthood controversy

Cloying book skirts damage Serra wrought

Fr. Luis Olivares: A better choice for sainthood than Serra

Program launched in California to address critiques of Serra

What is driving Pope Francis’ canonization of Junípero Serra?

How tarnished is Serra’s halo?

Colonial wrongs cloud sainthood cause of Junipero Serra

You Don't Have to be a Saint to be a Saint

Junipero Serra: saint or not?

Blessed Junipero Serra to be made a saint

Doctrine of Discovery: A scandal in plain sight