St. Francis Borgia Church
The St. Francis Borgia Church was established in 1927 by Father Antonine Willenbrink, one of several small Franciscan missions established on the desert south of Phoenix. From 1930 until 1969, the Sacate Catholic Day School operated here.
In 1940, Fr. Antonine approached mural artist Jim Stevens, an Apache, about beautifying the missions. At St. Francis Borgia, a scene was painted depicting Indians attending Mass in a forest. In addition, there were murals of Christ and his apostles. Unfortunately, the church and its murals were destroyed by fire sometime before 1993, and only ruins remain.
