A single man can make an enormous difference within his community through his various works; Archbishop Latour does just that within Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop. According to R.J. Kupke, New Mexico is admitted into the union in 1912 and is known for its three geographic areas, cultures, and flags; however its diocese begins to become fairly unethical within its conception. Because of this, it takes French missionaries like Bishop Latour to build the diocese up to its fullest potential(284). However, in the beginning of the mission, the missionaries are not perceived very well by the native people. As a result, Archbishop Latour is tasked with finding a more efficient way to connect with the community. As a result of his travels over to New Mexico, the reader gains a clearer understanding of the Bishop’s main characteristic that is illuminated throughout the novel. Through his various encounters and struggles with others to establish a strong diocese, the reader learns that …show more content…
He uses his humility to make connections with others in his everyday life. Although being an Archbishop of an entire diocese is not an easy job, Bishop Latour provides many accomplishments that later benefit the Church in New Mexico. He reclaims the diocese after its contamination with sin, builds a Cathedral to show the glory of the diocese and as a sign of praise toward God, and he quietly inspires his congregation to relinquish themselves from sin all while remaining humble. However, even before his great success, he remained humble towards the people of his diocese. Bishop Latour never envisions himself as a superior but as a servant for others; he never condescends upon anyone’s way of life whether he approves of it or not. It is a common notion that one never remains humble after a certain amount of success; however, Bishop Latour does so with grace and