because for many wise reasons, the church forbids the public veneration
or invocation of a saint until the required process of canonization has
authorized it, however, the allowable private invocation was freely
practiced as it has been done in the case of other saintly missionaries,
namely, Junipero Serra, Magin Catala and others. And the following sweet
legend is told of Padre Sarria. As the Indian carriers lowered the
humble redwood coffin which contained the Father's precious remains into
the mission vaults, the edifice was filled with an exquisite fragrance
as of roses, and this story told with all earnestness was given much
credence about the mission towns. While not authenticated by infallible
investigation, may not this incident be classed at least as a
probability by the spiritual minded? For is it not in the power of the
God of the beautiful in nature to proclaim thus His appreciation for the
heroic charity of one of His servants, especially to strengthen the
faith of the sorely tried convert Indians who clung so lovingly to the
mission in the days of its trials?



Father Junipero Serra's Promise



One beautiful summer day while walking about the San Carlos Mission
Garden, Junipero Serra pondered over the wonderful progress of
California both in the spiritual and material order; filled with joy the
good priest blessed the land, and made a solemn promise to celebrate one
hundred masses for the future peace and prosperity of California,
moreover he promised to begin the fulfillment of his promise on the
following November, twenty-fourth, feast of Saint Charles, the patron