The story of the early centuries of the Catholic Church in Florida, the oldest establishment of the Christian faith in the United States, is one of the most remarkable in Florida s more than 400 years of history. Michael Gannon first traces Florida s discovery by Catholics, their subsequent explorations, the Spanish settlements, and the evangelization of the Indians, followed by the tragic end of the missions and the temporary collapse of Catholic ascendancy during the British period. The story continues with the reappearance of Catholicism among Minorcan immigrants; the establishment by...