This book is filled with historical information about the mission and mission life in general. Historical perspective also on the reason the missions were built and later secularization.

Extremely detailed plans for your mission and step-by-step instructions on how to assemble the pieces. There are even suggestions as to how to replicate the look of the white Spanish adobe walls.

If your child chooses San Juan Bautista for his mission project, this book is a must have!

Francis Weber has written an informative history of Mission San Miguel which is four hours north of Los Angeles (220 miles) and three and a half hours south of San Francisco (195 miles).

According to Msgr. Weber, the features belonging to Mission San Miguel included: one thousand Indians who lived in the nearby houses; the "most contented" (p. 72) of the 30,000 Indians who lived near the California missions; the title of "The Prince of the Missions"; proximity to the Springs of Santa Ysabel which enabled the Indians to live there; July 25, 1797 as its first day and Franciscan Fr. Bonaventure Sitjar as its first pastor; people in swimsuits who dipped into the Paso Robles Springs for rheumatic discorders; walls with "crude but interesting" designs in light green, pink, blue, and white; and a Wishing Chair built in 1810 (and still on the altar today) for women to sit when wishing for a husband. Concerning the Wishing Chair, Fr. Martin Catala gave a young lady named Conchita the following advice: "If what you want is something very good and if you do all you can to make the wish come true, then wishing in this chair will help it come true." (p. 12). Conchita then wished for twins and got twins (p. 15).

Weber notes two interesting observations about the Indians from the Franciscans. First, the Indians kindly made bargains and kept promises, but the Indians told lies and were inclinded to idleness. Second, a Franciscon oberved that "they know very well and acknowledge that they would have exterminated themselves with arrows if the missionary had not come and induced them to make peace." (p. 20). Thus, the local Indians joyfully welcomed the friars and the mission.

In summary, according to the Pasadena Star Newspaper, July 11, 1929, "The Missions are after all the most precious heritage that history has handed down to us. It will pay anyhone who loves California to stop and see these remarkable frescoes" at Mission San Miguel (p. 100).

weber does an excellent job in compiling and reviewing the work of cardinal mcintyre's tenure as archbishop of los angeles. the man built hundreds of parishes, schools and hospitals in his twenty plus years at the helm.

the author does not shy away from the cardinal's legendary battle with the ihm nuns in the wake of the second vatican council, nor the conflicts with latino militants. the text is fair to both sides.

mcintyre built la into one of the major archdioceses of the american catholic church. eminence is the record of this man's achievements and shortcomings. one of the best books of this kind.

timothy manning was born in ireland and rose through the catholic hierarchy to become the archbishop of los angeles, one of the largest in the world. he was known as a preacher and many of his sermons and addresses are included in the text.

he was devoted to the virgin mary, hence the title of the book taken from the gospels. a good survey of the 15 years timothy manning shepherded the catholics of los angeles.