The Historic Account of the Life and Apostolic Work of the Venerable Fray Junipero Serra was written by Francisco Palou. Francisco Palou was born in Palma de Mallorca in 1723. He met Junipero Serra in 1740, at the Lullian Franciscan Seminary in Palma. To Francisco Palou, Junipero Serra was a friend and lifelong inspiration. Serra was one of California’s most important missionaries. This story is about his mission to San Diego, California. Francisco Palou died in 1789.

       Serra’s mission was a little difficult from the beginning. Junipero Serrra departed from Spain and went to San Diego, California. His mission was to tell god’s word. He also gave high mass and other ceremonies, and with him were Fray Fernando Parron and Fray Luis Jayme. When they were ready to give mass, the pagans (people who didn’t believe in god) were passing by the Fathers. The pagans didn’t understand what the Fathers were saying because they didn’t speak their language. The Fathers gave them gifts and food, but the pagans only accepted the gifts they didn’t accept the food. The pagans believed that Spaniards got sick because of the food that they ate. The pagans desired the Spaniards’ possessions like clothing, etc. So, when one of the Fathers was ready to celebrate mass the Father was in company of two soldiers in case the pagans got violent.

       The pagans attacked the Spaniards when the Fathers were giving mass. One day when two soldiers were protecting Father Fray Fernando when he was ready to give mass the pagans attacked and stole everything they found, even in the hospital they stole the patient’s sheets. The rest of the soldiers fought back to defend their possessions. A servant whose name was Joseph Maria was killed. The Fathers kept his death secret and the pagans never knew about his death. The soldiers also kept in secret how many people died in this battle. When the mission in San Diego almost got to the end the Fathers baptized 1046 people including children and adults. The Father Fray Luis Jayme was murdered. Those responsible for his death went to jail and once they were there Father Fray Junipero visited them hoping to give them comfort and convert them to be Christians. One of the prisioners commited suicide. This guy was the same guy who seven years before tried to kill Father Junipero and those who were with him at that time.

       I think that the pagans felt intimidated when the Spaniards tried to convert them to Christianity and to make them believe in god. Even today when someone tries to talk to somebody about religion the other person may feel uncomfortable.

       This story about the Father fray Junipero Serra was written by his friend Francisco Palou.