Member Log InNews
Born in 1713 on the island of Majorca off the east coast of Spain, Miguel José Serra was ordained a Franciscan priest in 1737, taking the name Fr. Junipero Serra. At age 37, he landed in Mexico City, beginning the missionary work that would consume the rest of his life. Read on for more about the history of Fr. Serra's missionary work, and the development of the mission bells.
A reference to a collection of bells, made at a Serra club Board meeting, triggered the discovery of not only the collector, but also the intermediary and benefactor who ultimately gave the collection to our club, and opened the door to a bit of the history of Johnson and Wyandotte counties, our patron Saint Junipero Serra, the El Camino Real and the original plan for preserving the historic southern California trail through the early 20th century placement of bells along its route.
