MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles®) – Visiting Pope Francis will canonize Franciscan friar Junípero Serra in Washington, D.C. today — the first to be granted sainthood on U.S. soil.

Serra’s sainthood comes with huge controversy.  The founder of California’s first mission in San Diego in 1769 is seen by many as largely responsible for the enslavement, malnutrition and introduction of diseases, resulting in the deaths of 62,000 indigenous Californians.

In letters attributed to Serra himself, the Spanish friar considered the indigenous population to be “barbarous pagans,” and that only Catholicism could save them from evil.

Across the Pacific ocean, the Philippine Catholic Church is urging Pope Francis to fast-track the canonization of their hope for a third Filipino saint, in addition to Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod.

Members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are encouraged by the canonization of Junípero Serra and are urging the Pope to make another Spanish friar the third Filipino saint.

This friar has, for centuries, been a familiar figure in Philippine history and is largely responsible for the Christianization of Filipino natives (called Indios) back in the 1500’s. His name is Dámaso Verdolagas, more popularly known as Padre Dámaso.

Readers can learn more about the life of Padre Dámaso by reading the novel Noli Me Tangere, authored by Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero.