Wood Plaque - St. Junipero Serra by B. Nippert

Miguel Jose Serra was born in Majorca, Spain in 1713. His parents were farmers and as Miguel grew, they noticed he was a gifted child as he excelled in his studies, especially Latin. He also had a strong singing voice and a knack for creative problem solving, all of which would serve him well in his future adventures. He became a Franciscan priest and excelled as a teacher, becoming a professor at only 24. Because of his obvious gifts in academics, everyone was surprised when his extraordinary zeal for spreading the Gospel inspired him to become a missionary in the new world.