Death Comes For the Archbishop by Willa Cather

This book is loosely based on the life of the first Bishop of the New Mexico Territory, Jean-Baptiste Ramy.  It is 1851 and Jean Marie Latour has just been named Vicar Apostolic of New Mexico and Bishop of Agathonica in partibus. The New Mexico Territory is vast and new to the United States having just been won from Mexico in the war, so his diocese is a large one.  The seat of it is located at Sante Fe. The Bishop did not come alone, though. He was followed once again by his longtime friend Father Joseph Valliant whom he met in Seminary back in France and with whom he has been doing mission work with in America ever since. 

The two are an unlikely pair as Valliant has always been sickly, yet hardy in his faith.  He is able to raise money for the things the church really needs but basically never takes anything for himself with only a rare occurrence.  Latour is hardy in health by his faith has doubts at times.  He is good at running the churches and organizing things and does accept the odd nice gift from a parishioner.  They compliment each other nicely.  I really prefer Father Valliant over Bishop Latour. He's a much more likable fellow and in the book, he has many more friends.  

They both have their work cut out for them as the Mexican priests don't want to be under the rule of the Americans.  And they have no interest to be under the rule of a new French Bishop. There are some good priests and there are some churches that are in need of priests so Valliant and Latour must travel to them to do Mass.  Some of these churches are Native American churches and they must contend with their dual religions of Catholicism and the old ways.  The author also deals with, to some small extent, how the Native Americans have been treated by both the Americans and the Mexicans, which is interesting considering this book was published in 1927.  

The problem priests believe in being able to run wild and have sex with whatever woman they choose and pick up money from ventures that are not necessarily legal or morally right.  Latour sends Valliant out to one of the churches to preach for a while and bring the congregation back to the righteous path rather than the party path and gives the priest a rest so he can reflect on what he did wrong.  But the other two priests prove more wily and harder to deal with and a different solution must present itself.

This book is not really a novel with a plot so much as a collection of vignettes.  With this title, I must admit I was hoping for something a bit, well, sexier, like a murder mystery or a suspense novel.  But instead I got a good, but a not too exciting book, about a Bishop and a priest who tries to set up an American diocese in the old west. The descriptions will make you really feel as though you are there, but they can also go on and on in excruciating detail.  Overall this wasn't a bad book if it's your cup of tea.   

Link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Archbishop-Annotated-Cathers-Classics-ebook/dp/B00OJJI2DK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511962311&sr=8-1&keywords=death+comes+for+the+archbishop+by+willa+cather