AdvertisementVatican Affirms Plan To Make Missionary Junipero Serra A SaintMay 06, 2015Bill ChappellfacebookEmailPope Francis will canonize Junipero Serra this fall. This weekend, the pope met with rector of the Pontifical North American College James F. Checchio (left), Cardinal Marc Ouellet (right) and Joseph Edward Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. (AP)