The often difficult but always fascinating and colorful experience of Boston Catholics is recounted in this history of the Archdiocese of Boston. Thomas H. O'Connor traces the growth and development of the Church over the course of two centuries, from the early days as a missionary dependent of the See of Baltimore, through times of struggle and success, to the current administration of Bernard Cardinal Law. Placing his account of the Archdiocese within the context of national and regional events, O'Connor discusses Puritan Boston's animosity toward all things Roman Catholic, describes the inevitable clashes between native Bostonians and waves of Irish Catholic immigrants, and examines the rise of Catholics from oppressed minority to influential players in shaping the character of twentieth-century Boston. He also analyzes contemporary problems of ethnic diversity, declining attendance, diminishing vocations, and divisive social issues.