Hitler, Jefferson Davis, Stalin and Pol Pot should demand the same honor.
Like his successors, Father Serra sought to bring his civilization to the barbarians. As the American Revolution was being fought here. Spain’s hegemony over Mexico was on the wain. Spain turned north toward California. the Franciscans sent to lead the conquest and settlement. This holy army was led by Serra, an experienced evangelist with an inquisitorial spirit. Father Serra championed corporal punishment as part of evangelizing native converts living in the missions.
Serra’s priests and Spain’s soldiers captured indigenous converts and imprisoned them in the missions. Births were so encouraged that native Christian women were beaten or publicly shamed and berated if they miscarried. Of course there was no respect for the native culture or religion.