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 18th-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
