On Saturday, during a homily that took place at a Rome seminary for the training of future priests from North America, Pope Francis praised the work and spiritual qualities of Rev. Junipero Serra. The Pontiff is set to elevate the Spanish native to the level of sainthood in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 23.

The 18th-century Franciscan missionary is a figure of controversy.

As reported by Blaze, Native Americans have held protests in California, voicing their contention that rather than being honored, Serra should in fact be criticized for his role in wiping out native populations in a campaign to impose Catholicism on native peoples.

Pope Francis disagrees and maintains that Serra defended natives against “abuses by the colonizers.”

Msgr. Francis Weber has also expressed his admiration for the soon to be sainted Serra, telling the National Catholic Reporter, “He traveled to the periphery of the world -- California was the end of world back then -- to share his love of God with the Native Americans, whom he deeply loved and they loved him in return.”

The Catholic Church’s effort to canonize Serra comes at a time when the California state Senate has just voted to remove Serra’s statue from the U.S. Capitol’s statuary hall.

Elias Castillo, author of "A Cross of Thorns: The Enslavement of California's Indians by the Spanish Missions,” feels that Californians have been lied to regarding the figure of Sierra.

As quoted in the San Jose Mercury News, Castillo was shocked by the move to canonize Sierra: "I'm astounded. I couldn't believe the pope was doing this. There was an attempt to canonize him in the '40s and '50s, and that was stopped cold by the Indians. I think there will be protests."