The History of Father Junipero Serra Authority to Confirm

Jun 8, 2015

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

WITH the arrival of the Santiago at Monterey, in June of 1778, Fray Junípero Serra received authorization from Pope Clement XIV to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to the neophytes of Alta California. It was a privilege the Presidente had sought in view of the precedent in Baja California. 

Serra also learned that California and the other northern provinces in the viceroyalty of New Spain had been erected into a separate political unit called a commandancy general. Teodoro de Croix had been named to head the new entity. 

The new commandant general was to control the military, political, judicial and financial affairs of the jurisdiction. From then onwards, Serra would make his appeals to headquarters in Sonora instead of to Viceroy Bucareli. California and Serra would now be deprived of Bucareli's generosity and sympathy toward the mission enterprise. 

This latest division of government complicated the structure of church-state relations. The College of San Fernando remained in Bucareli's jurisdiction and the supply ships provisioning California still sailed out of San Blas, also within the viceroy's command. The new governor, Felipe de Neve, served directly under de Croix who was starting afresh as far as knowledge of the area was concerned, a fact that would necessarily cause delay in rendering decisions. 

De Croix was a quick study. He soon came to realize that Fray Junípero Serra had zeal, true religious spirit, prudence in governing the missions and treating with the Indians, as well as solicitude for the general welfare. 

At Carmel and Monterey, Serra announced receipt of the faculty to confirm and set a date for the ceremonies - the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29th. The adults were to be instructed as to the nature of the sacrament and sponsors were to be sought among the soldiers, servants, workmen and Baja California Indians living in the area. 

On the morning of June 29th, Serra sung a High Mass, had the doctrina recited and preached on the nature of the sacrament. He carefully explained how he, a simple priest, had been specially empowered to confirm in the absence of a bishop. Then the Presidente proceeded to administer the first confirmations within the limits of the present State of California. 

After the ceremonies, he started a new book of records, his Libro de Corfirmaciones, in which he inserted a copy of the decree authorizing him to confirm. Then, in his own hand, Serra entered the facts of each individual, giving the name, age, place of origin and name of sponsor. 

Meanwhile, the governor added a "little grain of pepper ... as a condiment" to the occasion by questioning whether the missions were canonically subject to the bishop of Durango or Guadalajara. The suggestion would later blossom into a full blown controversy. 

On August 24th, the seventh anniversary of the planting of the cross in the Carmel Valley, Serra set out by sea for San Diego. It was a long voyage which ended only in mid September. Though the Presidente went south primarily to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation, he was also there to console and aid the missionaries in their many problems. Theirs were uphill labors, trying to rebuild the Christianity that had almost been wiped out and attempting to make the economically poor mission prosper.