Junipero Serra the Vatican and

Junipero Serra, a Catholic friar from Spain, founded missions among California Indians from San Diego to San Francisco in the late 1700's. Pope John Paul beatified Serra in 1988, moving him to within one step of sainthood. Franciscan priests promoting Serra toward sainthood praise him for spreading the Catholic gospel into California and saving thousands of Indian souls for God's kingdom in heaven. Fogel presents a critical biography of Junipero Serra, tracing the history of the California missions from 1769 through 1834. He focuses on the Franciscan friars' cultural and psychological impact on the Indians they baptized and brought into the California missions. He also connects the controversy surrounding Serra and the California missions with key issues dividing the Catholic church in both North and Latin America today: liberation theology, birth control and abortion rights, women's role in the church, and gay and lesbian rights.