The Missions of Father Serra
Father Junipero Serra was born on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Majorca in 1713. This dedicated Franciscan friar distinguished himself as a teacher and scholar during his first thirty-six years. But he had dreamed of becoming a missionary and in 1749 he set sail for New Spain. In the new world he felt he could achieve his life's ambition of spreading the Christian gospel to the uninitiated.

For the next two decades, Serra worked with the Indians of Mexico. From the Apostolic College of San Fernando in Mexico City, he and his fellow missionaries fanned out to the far-flung churches and missions of Mexico.

Finally, in 1769, Father Serra was handed the greatest challenge of his very full life. He was sent to the northern frontier, the land known as Alta, or Upper, California. This area was basically undeveloped at the time and the plan was to build a chain of missions from San Diego Bay to San Francisco Bay, and "civilize" this vast segment of the Pacific Coast. Sometimes on horse- or muleback, most often on his own two feet, Serra traveled with a handful of Spanish troops, a few Francisan missionaries and Christianized Indians and between 1769 and 1784 gradually set up the first nine California missions.

The DVD, "The Missions of Father Serra," follows the trail of Father Serra and shows his nine missions as they are today and tells the stories of how they got there. It also includes two bonus missions, Santa Barbara and Soledad. Contact us to order this 37 minute DVD. Discounts for church groups, gift shops, etc.

The following excerpt from the film shows the famous Mission Dolores in San Francisco. At the heart of what has become the "Mission District," Mission Dolores boasts the oldest building in San Francisco, as well as the oldest graveyard.

The Missions of Father Serra: Serra statue at Mission San Antonio.