Death Comes For The Archbishop/Willa Cather ~ Part Two

I took a semi-break from reading over the holidays, mainly because I was receiving so many books as gifts that it was a bit overwhelming. Kid in candy store effect. Anyhow I'm nearing the end of the book and about half way in, I realized (to a certain degree) why people want this book banned. Blatant racism aimed at racial factions and some very unpleasant (although probably true in any century) portraits being painted of how certain priests conducted themselves when drunk on the idea of absolute moral authority. Because the story is told from the Bishop's POV, his preconceived notions are most obvious.  Horse trading Yankees are crooks, Indians never fully accept Catholicism or the French priests (but act as their guides nonetheless) and Hispanics are theatrical in their practice of religion (Bishop Latour is French). Americans are dirty in general and the pioneers of the Ohio Valley are uncouth hicks who couldn't build a decent treehouse. I guess in the 1920s ridiculous stereotypes weren't passe yet but it is really annoying. And it's a two or three way street. The Mexicans don't trust the French, they certainly don't trust Americans and they have an unspoken understanding with the Indians. French priests fear Indians and view their dwellings as demon possessed or at the most generic, evil. Indians are guarded against everyone and pay lip service to Catholicism. They go along to get along because these priests, they're badgery.
What I enjoy most are the rows between priests and the Bishop. Each diocese/parish has their own priest who runs the local show. And the ones in the Southwest have a pretty long leash, no house mom. I kept putting it into today's smarmy vernacular: The Real Priests of Southwest Dio. One priest wants riches so he cheats some of his parishioners out of their farms. He likes pleasures of the flesh so he ignores the celibacy oath. Another doesn't like all of the masses and confirmations and baptismals so he does a one size fits all blessing at birth and sends them out into the world while he remains a cultural icon. Latour is sent in to clean house and crack skulls and hijinks ensue. He's not pristine either. He cajoles a Catholic subject (because let's be real with each other, that's what they are) into giving him his two prized white mules. The guy was set to give him one but one wasn't good enough, he coveted (ooh, I used one of the Big Ten words!) both so he pulled out the old 'God will respect you more if you do me this solid' line. Unbelievable. Or not.