Catholic institutions were an integral part of the Portuguese presence in early modern West-Central Africa. The book explores the economic, political, religious, and social roles of Catholic clerics in eighteenth-century Angola. It shows that ecclesiastical structures were deeply interwoven with Portuguese rule. The book offers a new perspective on the history of Catholic institutions in the region by investigating the social origins of the clergy, the relationship of ecclesiastics to Portuguese secular authorities, the institutional structures of the Inquisition, and the economic activities of the clergy.