Vatican: Canonizing controversial friar doesn't mean he's "without sins"
When Pope Francis celebrates Mass Wednesday afternoon at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, the first Hispanic head of the Catholic Church will also canonize the first Hispanic missionary.
The elevation of Junipero Serra to sainthood marks the first canonization in the United States. While this reflects the important role of Spanish-speaking Catholics in the country--Latinos make up 34 percent of Roman Catholics in the U.S.--some say Junipero Serra is no saint.
The Franciscan missionary, who introduced Christianity to much of California as he marched north with Spanish conquistadors in the 18th century, has also been portrayed as a "brutal" missionary. Many Native Americans have protested his canonization, saying that he helped wipe out native populations, enslaved converts and spread disease.
Vatican officials defended Serra, saying that he worked in defense of Native Americans, often intervening to spare them from the more brutal colonial officials.
"Canonization does not proclaim someone perfect without blemish, without sins... I think we should be careful in terms of the judgments that we're passing on him," Father Thomas Rosica, a deputy Vatican spokesman, told "CBS This Morning" on Wednesday. "There were difficulties, there were challenges, but he did immense good in bringing the gospel to these shores."
Father Thomas Rosica also discussed the significance of the canonization in the U.S., saying, "His memory lives among many people here, many Hispanic people and especially among the Franciscans who have labored here for several hundred years. It's important because it's unique."
A crowd of 30,000 is expected to show at the National Basilica for the outdoor Mass and law enforcement officials have beefed up the largest security operation in U.S. history.
"There must be some sense of wonderment and awe at the welcome reserved for him and the welcome he's going to experience today on the South Lawn of the White House and also in the Oval Office with the president," Father Rosica said.