Mandatum Missionale: Defending the Legacies of Serra and Columbus

“The greatest event since the creation of the world

(excluding the incarnation and death of Him who created it)

is the discovery of the Indies.”

~ Francisco López de Gómara,

Primera Parte de la Historia General de las Indias, vol. 22, p. 156

California Mission Rejects St Junípero Serra?

Did one of the California Missions recently reject its own founder, Saint Junípero Serra? One might think so, given the post shared on Monday, 14 October 2024, by Old Mission Santa Barbara on its Facebook page: 

“Today, on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we recognize and celebrate all Native Peoples, their cultures, and their histories. It is our responsibility to also acknowledge that the overall impact of the Mission Era on Indigenous communities in California was devastating. As a Franciscan organization, in the spirit of reconciliation, we continue learning from the experiences of those affected by the Mission Era. We commit to recognizing our past and learning from it, while creating spaces to honor and amplify Native voices.”

It is inconceivable and disheartening that a Catholic parish known as the “Queen of the Missions” and one of the California missions founded by Fr Fermín de Lasuén, OFM—St Junípero Serra’s successor as Father-President of the Alta California Mission system—would post such a misrepresentation and disparagement on social media.

The post describes the “overall impact of the Mission Era on Indigenous communities in California” as “devastating.” This strong language is troubling, especially considering that the Mission Era was led by St Junípero Serra, who was beatified in 1988 by Pope St John Paul II and canonized in 2015 by Pope Francis. It raises the question: can we describe this period as purely “devastating” without acknowledging Serra’s efforts to both evangelize and defend the rights of Native communities?

The Missionary Spirit of St Junípero Serra 

As Catholics, we can acknowledge that history is complex. While the Mission Era brought hardships, the efforts of the Apostle of California cannot be dismissed as “devastating”.

It was Christ Himself who left His Church with the mandatum missionale or missionary mandate: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). As I wrote in the preface to my 2017 book, Grace Upon Grace: A History of the Diocese of Monterey in California, “[i]t was in obedience to this ‘missionary mandate’ that Franciscan friars, led by Saint Junípero Serra, set out under the banner of the Blessed Virgin Mary as La Conquistadora to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to what we now call California over 200 years ago.” 

St Junípero Serra worked tirelessly to spread the Gospel and protect the dignity of the Indigenous people. During his canonization Mass, Pope Francis acknowledged that the Mission Era had its problems but emphasized that St Junípero Serra “sought to defend the dignity of the native community, to protect it from those who had mistreated and abused it… mistreatment and wrongs which today still trouble us, especially because of the hurt which they cause in the lives of many people” (Homily for the Holy Mass of Canonization of Blessed Fr Junípero Serra, 23 September 2015).

Placing Serra in the Broader Context of Evangelization 

When we consider St Junípero Serra and the Mission Era, we must place them in the broader context of the Church’s evangelization efforts in the New World. This brings us to the figure of Christopher Columbus, whose historical legacy, like Serra’s, has faced intense scrutiny in recent years. Notably, Indigenous Peoples’ Day originated as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day, which has been observed on the second Monday of October in the United States since 1934.

The Missionary Vision of Christopher Columbus 

Until recently, Christopher Columbus was praised for discovering a new world where the Gospel of Jesus Christ had not yet been proclaimed. His voyages, commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs King Ferdinand II of Aragon and the Servant of God Queen Isabella I of Castile, were motivated by a desire to spread Christianity and opened the door to the evangelization of millions. In 1892, Pope Leo XIII recognized Columbus’s religious devotion and intent to bring the light of Christ to the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. He wrote:

“Columbus resolved to go before and prepare the ways for the Gospel… his first act was to set upon the shore the standard of the holy Cross: and the name of the Divine Redeemer, which he had so often sung on the open sea... he conferred upon the new islands” (Encyclical Letter on the Columbus Quadricentennial "Quarto Abeunte Saeculo", 16 July 1892, n. 6).

While modern interpretations of Columbus often emphasize the negative consequences for Native populations, we must not lose sight of the religious context in which these expeditions were undertaken. The evangelization of the Americas was part of the Church’s mission to fulfil Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations.

Columbus and Serra: Two Sides of the Same Coin 

Both Columbus and Serra have come under attack, particularly from movements that seek to reframe historical narratives through a lens that often overlooks their religious motivations. Serra’s missions and Columbus’s explorations are now frequently cast solely as instruments of colonialism and oppression, ignoring their intent to spread the Gospel and defend the dignity of Native peoples. 

In many ways, Serra and Columbus represent two sides of the same coin—the missionary zeal of the Church to bring Christ to the Americas. Both men believed they were fulfilling Christ’s mandate, even if the world they helped shape was sometimes marred by sin and human failings.

As Catholics, we must acknowledge the historical complexity of their legacies without succumbing to oversimplified or revisionist readings. The harm done to Native communities must be remembered, but so too must the genuine efforts of Serra and Columbus to share the Gospel and defend those they served.

Reconsidering the “Devastating” Narrative 

To describe the entire Mission Era as “devastating” overlooks the nuances of Serra’s work. It disregards his dedication to the Indigenous peoples of California, whom he served as both spiritual father and protector. Pope Francis made this clear in his homily at Serra’s canonization, noting that Serra “learned how to bring to birth and nurture God’s life in the faces of everyone he met; he made them his brothers and sisters”. Serra’s mission was one of evangelization, protection, and service. 

In 1987, during his visit to Mission Basilica San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo—popularly known as Carmel Mission Basilica—, Pope St John Paul II said that St Junípero Serra “not only brought the Gospel to the Native Americans but… became their defender and champion” (Address at the Basilica of San Carlos in Carmel, 17 September 1987). This bold advocacy highlights the depth of Serra’s concern for the native peoples.

Christopher Columbus and the Mandatum Missionale

Just as Serra’s legacy has been subject to revision, Columbus’s reputation has suffered similar treatment. While Columbus was flawed as an administrator, his religious motivations were sincere. Pope Leo XIII emphasized that Columbus’s voyages were driven by a desire to spread the Gospel, not by curiosity or imperial ambition alone.

A Call for Balanced Reflection 

As we discuss the legacies of Saint Junípero Serra and Christopher Columbus, we must strive for balance. Yes, the Age of Exploration and the Mission Era brought profound changes, some harmful to Native peoples, but we cannot overlook the sincere faith that motivated both men to bring the Gospel to new lands, often at great personal cost. 

Pope Francis called Saint Junípero Serra “the embodiment of ‘a Church which goes forth,’” and Christopher Columbus helped pave the way for the evangelization of an entire continent. Both men responded to the mandatum missionale, the missionary mandate given by Christ. This mandate remains in effect even to this day, as taught by the Second Vatican Council:

“Having been divinely sent to the nations that she might be ‘the universal sacrament of salvation’, the Church, in obedience to the command of her founder and because it is demanded by her own essential universality, strives to preach the Gospel to all men” (Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church "Ad Gentes", 7 December 1965, n. 1, 7).

Let us honour the true legacies of Saint Junípero Serra and Christopher Columbus—men who, despite their imperfections, dedicated their lives to spreading the Gospel and defending the dignity of those they served—as we are all called to do.