The History of Father Junipero Serra Apostolate in Action

May 7, 2015

This is part of a series on Junipero Serra. To read the full series, click here. 

FERNANDO Rivera arrived at Monterey on May 23, 1774, to assume the commandancy from Pedro Fages. Fray Junípero Serra and Rivera were old acquaintances, having first met in Baja California in 1768. It was a transition that brought fresh hope to the frontier. 

Serra now settled into the daily routine of life along the waters of Carmel Bay. He took special interest in the baptisms at San Carlos. By August 24th, two hundred and forty-five persons had been christened, seventy-two of them children over eight years of age. 

The Presidente's great hope for the future was the children. He noted that "the spectacle of seeing a hundred young children of about the same age praying and answering individually all the questions asked on Christian doctrine, hearing them sing, seeing them going about clothed, playing happily ... is, indeed, something moving, a thing for which God is to be thanked." 

Harvest time for 1774 was approaching and Serra could tell the viceroy that the Indians of Carmel Valley, with a few Baja California natives working among them, were applying themselves in field, orchard and woodland. The collected grain was brought to the mission storehouse from which it was rationed daily to the converts and catechumens. While the harvest was in progress, large schools of sardines appeared in Carmel Bay and it was too good an opportunity for the Indians to miss. After all, they had been fishermen long before they had become farmers. 

So a compromise was arranged. The Indians harvested in the morning and fished in the afternoon, keeping up the double occupation for twenty days. The fish were dried in the sun. 

Juan Evangelista, the faithful companion of Serra during the long journey to Mexico City, wanted to send the viceroy a present in the name of his parents. Serra encouraged the idea and a barrel of dried sardines was dispatched to Antonio Bucareli. The viceroy received the gift, was impressed and acknowledged the kindness of Juan. 

On one of the Sundays during the harvest season, the white sands of Carmel Bay presented a picturesque spectacle. It was a day of rest. The Indians searched the rocks looking for birds that lived on sardines. Describing the scene to Bucareli, Serra said the groups of picnickers looked like gatherings of rancherias; "it was like sitting in a beautiful theatre." 

That summer, the Santiago was sailing north along the coast. The expedition's objective was to reach the sixtieth parallel, but it succeeded in getting only as far as the fifty-fifth. The standard of the cross was placed on Queen Charlotte Island, now part of Canada. Using the language of the naval men in describing the voyage, Serra spoke of the padres aboard the ship as "going to Russia." They were indeed in the sphere of Russian influence. 

Juan Evangelista married, on December 2, 1775, Thomasa Maria of the rancheria of Ichxenta, with Fray Junípero Serra witnessing the ceremony. Their married life was short for Thomasa was buried on August 1, 1778 and Juan followed her to the grave nine days afterward. 

Serra kept himself busy at Carmel. Every phase of mission life called for his time and attention. The Indians, soldiers, colonists, crops, buildings, mules, ships from San Blas, his own missionaries, the military governor, the viceroy - all these matters fell under his guidance in differing ways. 

The Presidente complained that his life was being consumed in writing letters. He was becoming more of a scribe than he should. But, as Presidente, "the solicitude of all the churches" came under his care and this called for the frequent use of quill and paper.