The following book covers the work done by Spanish Franciscan missionaries in California during the 19th century. Franciscans are a group of related mendicant Christian religious orders, primarily within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi, these orders include three independent orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest contemporary male order), orders for women religious such as the Order of Saint Clare, and the Third Order of Saint Francis open to male and female members. They adhere to the teachings and spiritual disciplines of the founder and of his main associates and followers, such as Clare of Assisi, Anthony of Padua, and Elizabeth of Hungary.
