St. Francis in the Desert

The Gila River Indian Reservation, most of which is in Pinal county, consists of the desert; that river of moods and history, the Gila; and Pima and Papago farms on the banks of the river where there is water and the soil is rich. This is the land of the peaceful Indian peoples whose forbears greeted Father Kino, the Jesuit, and Father Garces, the Franciscan, in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today two Franciscan missionaries, Father Antonine and Father Mathias, carry on the work among the peaceful ones started so long ago by the padres from Old Spain. The former is in charge of the St. Francis mission at Akchin, the St. Francis mission at Sacate, the Holy Family mis-sion at Blackwater, and the mission at St. Augustine at Chuechaw. The latter is priest for St. Peter's at Bapchule, St. Anne's mission at Santan, and the missions of St. Anthony and St. Michael at Sacaton and Sacaton Flats.

The days come and go on the desert and life is serene. Life is also serene for the good Franciscan Friars who quietly and gently go about their work in their missions in the desert, dedicated to God and their Church.

In the chapels of the Franciscan missions at Bapchule, Sacate and Akchin, a young artist, of Apache descent, has this past year painted murals of such vigor, such strength The Franciscan Mission at Bapchule on the Gila Indian Reservation, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. In this and other missions noteworthy murals have been painted by James Stevens, an Apache artist, from San Carlos.A rear view of the Bapchule Mission chapel showing completed murals. Left to right, a copy of Murillo's St. Francis and the Saviour; St. Joseph, with carpenter's square and lily, an original version; Papal coat of arms and text in the Pima language (center) of St. Matthew, chapter 16, v. 18: "Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it;" an original version of St. Paul preaching at the Aeropagus at Athens; and a copy of a traditional picture of St. Anthony.

The sanctuary in the chapel at Bapchule. The mural at the right of the altar represents Christ and St. Peter walking upon the waters of the lake of Galilee (Matthew, chapter 14, vv. 25-33.) The picture to the left of the altar represents Christ conferring the Primacy upon St. Peter by telling him to feed His lambs and sheep. (John, chapter 21, vv. 15-18.) These are original conceptions, the themes worked by the artist and Franciscan Fathers in charge of the missions. The murals show vivid colors and great strength.

This original mural is in the rear of the St. Francis chapel at Akchin, on the Gila River Indian Reservation. St. Francis was a great lover of nature and it is said that when he would preach the animals would gather around him as if to listen. The scene represents the Arizona desert and the desert animals.

Of color, and such worth as to merit the scrutiny of every traveler in the West. The fact that these murals exist will be a surprise to many people. The fact that they are of such indisputable excellence can be learned only by seeing them in these Franciscan missions on the desert. They can truly be said to mark a milestone in the history of art in this state. Photographs of a few of these paintings are reproduced herein, but photographs are inadequate to tell the story of the murals. You miss the feeling of their size, you miss their strong colors, you miss the simple surroundings of the mission chapels where they are painted. And yet even the photographs give you some idea of their vigor, of their glowing religious zeal, and withal the devout simplicity that should characterize Biblical subjects. The existence of these murals bespeak the efforts of Father Antonine and Father Mathias to make their little missions as beautiful as possiblelittle desert shrines of simplicity and nobility. They also bespeak the ability of their creator, Jimmy Stevens, an Indian youth just turned twenty-six years of age. Jimmy Stevens is from the San Carlos Indian Reservation, the son of Will Stevens, noted Gila county pioneer. Of Jimmy's five brothers, three, George, Jessie and Carl, are older, and two, Sam and Henry, are younger. The other Stevens boys are cattlemen and you'd have to look a long time to find better hands than George and Henry. Henry wins prizes regularly in the Indian rodeos in the state, but at this moment he's a soldier in Uncle Sam's army.

The mission of St. Francis at Sacate on the desert. The murals in the sanctuary represent the Universal Church. Paintings show the Savior, the Blessed Virgin, the apostles, the Pope, a cardinal, a bishop, monks, priests and nuns.

are reproduced herein, but photographs are inadequate to tell the story of the murals. You miss the feeling of their size, you miss their strong colors, you miss the simple surroundings of the mission chapels where they are painted. And yet even the photographs give you some idea of their vigor, of their glowing religious zeal, and withal the devout simplicity that should characterize Biblical subjects. The existence of these murals bespeak the efforts of Father Antonine and Father Mathias to make their little missions as beautiful as possiblelittle desert shrines of simplicity and nobility. They also bespeak the ability of their creator, Jimmy Stevens, an Indian youth just turned twenty-six years of age. Jimmy Stevens is from the San Carlos Indian Reservation, the son of Will Stevens, noted Gila county pioneer. Of Jimmy's five brothers, three, George, Jessie and Carl, are older, and two, Sam and Henry, are younger. The other Stevens boys are cattlemen and you'd have to look a long time to find better hands than George and Henry. Henry wins prizes regularly in the Indian rodeos in the state, but at this moment he's a soldier in Uncle Sam's army.

When Jimmy was a mere youngster he was sent out to help his brother, George, with the cattle, but Jimmy would sooner draw pictures and so he was sent to St. John's mission at Komatke for instruction. He finished his grammar school training at Komatke and then went to school for a year at Brophy College in Phoenix. The nuns, who were his teachers at Komatke, encouraged his interest in drawing. They secured crayons and water colors for him and it was through them that he acquired the name "Suncloud" with which he has signed the few paintings he has so far exhibited.

Jimmy Stevens lives on the Gila River Indian Reservation with his family. He is married to a Pima girl, and they have three happy, healthy sons, young toddlers who scramble around the scaffold upon which their father is incessantly painting.

Jimmy Stevens has finished three of the chapels and is now starting on the fourth. He even paints the stencil and decorative patterns in the missions.

When a mural is contemplated Jimmy and the Franciscan fathers discuss the theme. Sometimes a traditional picture is A second striking mural can be seen at the rear of St. Francis chapel at Akchin. This is a copy of a traditional picture. St. Francis, on the verge of death, asked members of his religious order to carry him to a place where he could have a last view and bless his native city of Assisi, Italy. (Photographs of paintings by Father Ronald.) St. Francis Mission at Akchin, with Fathers Mathias and Antonine in the foreground. The mural is on the side wall of the chapel. St. Francis originated the idea of portraying the Christmas crib scene and the celebration of midnight mass on Christmas eve. A copy of an original picture.

Used for the model but often Jimmy's original sketches form the basis of the mural. The artist is fortunate in having a broad knowledge of the Scriptures and an imagination alive to the mural possibilities of Biblical subjects.

While this is written Jimmy is lying on his back on a high scaffold putting on the decorative design on the ceiling of the mission in the desert at Blackwater. His baby boy, Tony, is trying to climb up on the scaffold but his legs won't reach. Jimmy goes on painting. . . R. C.