St. Junipero Serra Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Junipero Serra was a Franciscan priest who lived in the 1700s. He was originally from Spain. He came to America to work among the Native Americans. He dedicated his life to preaching and ministering to the Native Americans in modern California.
You can use this novena to seek intercession from this holy priest in your life!
About St. Junipero Serra
St. Junipero Serra was born in 1713, as Miquel Josep Serra i Ferrer. His parents were farmers, and he assisted them with farm work as a child.
There was a Franciscan church and friar very near Miquel’s childhood home. He enjoyed visiting the friars frequently with his father, and he attended the parish school there. His education from the Franciscan friars consisted in mathematics, reading, writing, Latin, and Gregorian Chant.
When Miquel was sixteen years old, he began studying philosophy at a Franciscan school in Palma de Majorca.
At age seventeen, Miquel chose to join the Franciscan order. He took the name Junipero, and he was ordained a priest in 1737. For the next twelve years, he taught philosophy at the University of Padua. During this time, he became well-known for his preaching.
Then in 1750, he decided to follow God’s call to missionary work. He set off for North America to work converting the native peoples there.
He and a companion arrived in Vera Cruz, Mexico. They then had to walk two hundred fifty miles to Mexico City. During the journey, a bug bite on his leg became infected. The infection never healed completely and continued to occasionally hurt him for the rest of his life.
For the next eighteen years, Father Serra worked on the Baja Peninsula and in Central Mexico, preaching and working to convert the Native Americans.
Then Charles III of Spain sent a conquistador to modern California to confront a political threat. The conquistador, Jose de Galvez, asked Father Serra to travel with him to Monterey, California.
In 1769, Father Serra established the mission of San Diego. Despite a severe shortage of food, Father Serra vowed to remain with the people there. After praying a novena to St. Joseph, a ship with supplies came to relieve the shortage.
In the years that followed, Father Serra established the missions of Monterey, San Antonio, San Gabriel, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Clara, and San Buenaventura.
Father Serra’s life of missionary work was full of sufferings from cold, hunger, and sometimes danger of death from hostile non-Christians. He sustained himself with a vigorous prayer life, often praying from midnight until dawn.
Apart from working for the conversion of the Native Americans, Father Serra also worked for their protection. He was able to secure what was essentially a bill of rights for Native Americans from the government. Though the Native Americans were still legally considered nonhumans and the friars were appointed their legal guardians, this legislation protected the Native Americans from being abused by Spanish soldiers.
Father Serra eventually baptized more than three thousand Native Americans and brought a higher standard of living to their lives.
St. Junipero Serra’s Feast Day: July 1st
Why Pray the St. Junipero Serra Novena?
St. Junipero Serra is the patron saint of vocations. You can ask him to pray for you if you are discerning your vocation, or you can ask him to pray for someone you know who is discerning their vocation. You can also ask him to pray for an increase in vocations to the religious and priestly life.
St. Junipero Serra is also the patron saint of Hispanic Americans. You can ask him to pray for you if you are a Hispanic American. You can also ask him to pray for any Hispanic Americans you know.
Additionally, St. Junipero Serra is the patron saint of California. You can ask him to pray for you if you live in California, or you can ask him to pray for someone you know who lives in California.
You can pray the St. Junipero Serra Novena for any intention!
St. Junipero Serra Novena Prayers
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed from the time he was a young boy growing in the Faith in his holy home.
St. Junipero Serra, you grew up with the influence of Catholic parents to assist you as you grew in the Faith. Your parents helped you to begin on the path to holiness, and you continued seeking to serve God for the rest of your life.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you sought to serve!
You often visited a nearby Franciscan friary with your father during your childhood. Influenced by these holy men, you continued seeking holiness yourself.
Pray for me, that I may be as eager to serve God as you were. Pray that I may always take every opportunity to grow in my relationship with God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in choosing to serve You as a priest.
St. Junipero Serra, you began your education under the instruction of Franciscan friars. As a young man, you chose to serve God wholeheartedly by becoming a Franciscan priest yourself.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so wholeheartedly!
You were ordained a priest and began your devoted service to the Church. You became well-known for your eloquent preaching. Then, you followed God’s call to missionary work and set off for North America.
Pray for me, that I may always be open to serving God in whatever ways He calls me to. Pray that I may be as devoted a servant of God as you were.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in choosing to serve Your Church as a priest.
St. Junipero Serra, you followed God’s call to the priesthood and religious life at a young age. Despite your youth, you began a life of devoted service to God and continued faithfully in your vocation for the rest of your life.
Please bring my petitions before God with such faithfulness!
You worked as a teacher for many years, and you became well-known for your preaching. Then, when God called you to travel to North America as a missionary, you responded generously.
Pray for me, that I may always be a willing servant of God. Pray that I may never hesitate to do whatever God is asking of me.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in his choice to enter religious life.
St. Junipero Serra, you were greatly influenced by the Franciscans during your youth. Following the example of the holy men who educated you, you chose to devote your life to God as a Franciscan priest yourself.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served with such devotion!
You served God faithfully in your vocation as a Franciscan priest for the rest of your life. Despite many difficulties and trials, you never wavered in your faithful service.
Pray for me, that I may always be eager to serve God in whatever ways He calls me to. Pray that I may be as devoted a servant of God as you were.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the deep love of You he showed in leaving behind his old life in order to serve You as a missionary.
St. Junipero Serra, you had a secure life as a priest and a teacher in Spain when you felt God calling you to become a missionary. You willingly chose to leave behind your old life in order to follow God’s call.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
You served as a missionary in North America for many years. You endured many hardships. You worked tirelessly for the conversion of the Native Americans and to improve their quality of life.
Pray for me, that I may always answer God’s call generously in my life. Pray that I may never hesitate to do what God asks of me.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in working tirelessly for the welfare of the Native Americans.
St. Junipero Serra, you worked as a missionary among the Native Americans of Mexico and California for many years. You often ministered to people in poor living conditions, and you worked to bring relief to their sufferings out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you loved so dearly!
After establishing the mission of San Diego, your people there endured a severe shortage of food. You chose to suffer along with them and prayed for help for them.
Pray for me, that I may always be open to serving Christ through meeting the physical needs of those around me. Pray that I may grow in charity towards my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in the deep faith he showed despite great difficulty.
St. Junipero Serra, you willingly chose to devote your life to serving as a missionary far from your home. Though you endured many hardships in this missionary work, you never wavered in your faith.
Please never waver in bringing my petitions before the throne of God!
You endured cold, hunger, and sometimes the danger of being killed by hostile non-Christians. Despite these many trials, you placed your faith in God and continued to serve Him as He was calling you to.
Pray for me, that I may grow in faith and trust each day. Pray that my faith in God may never waver, even when I endure great sufferings.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in working to bring about justice for the Native Americans whom he served.
St. Junipero Serra, you devoted many years of your life to missionary work among the Native Americans in Mexico and California. You saw that, despite your many efforts, the Native Americans continued to suffer from unjust treatment from others. You did all you could to alleviate this problem.
Please do all you can to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
Through your efforts, you were able to secure a bill of rights for the Native Americans and to reduce their unjust ill-treatment from others.
Pray for me, that I may always be aware of the needs of those suffering around me. Pray that I may always see and treat others as my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Junipero Serra Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Junipero Serra as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in choosing to devote his life to the service of Your Church as a priest and a missionary.
St. Junipero Serra, you chose to become a Franciscan priest early on in your life. After years of faithful service as a priest, you chose to answer God’s call to become a missionary in North America.
Please continue to bring my petitions before God Whom you chose to serve so selflessly!
You devoted the rest of your life to preaching and ministering to Native Americans. You endured many sufferings and trials, but you never wavered in your faith or your devotion to God.
Pray for me, that I may always be eager to serve God and His Church in whatever ways He calls me. Pray that I may be as devoted a servant of God as you were.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Junipero Serra, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.