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The Archdiocese of Santa Fe ( la, Archidioecesis Sanctae Fidei in America Septentrionali, link=no, es, Arquidiócesis de Santa Fe, link=no) is a
Latin Church , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Jo ...
ecclesiastical territory or
diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associ ...
of the southwestern region of the United States in the state of
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...
. While the
mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral or a metropo ...
, the
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi ( es, Catedral basílica de San Francisco de Asís), commonly known as Saint Francis Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is the mother church of the Arc ...
, is in the city of Santa Fe, its administrative center is in the
city of Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
. The Diocese comprises the counties of Rio Arriba,
Taos Taos or TAOS may refer to: Places * Taos, Missouri, a city in Cole County, Missouri, United States * Taos County, New Mexico, United States ** Taos, New Mexico, a city, the county seat of Taos County, New Mexico *** Taos art colony, an art colo ...
, Colfax, Union, Mora,
Harding Harding may refer to: People *Harding (surname) *Maureen Harding Clark (born 1946), Irish jurist Places Australia * Harding River Iran * Harding, Iran, a village in South Khorasan Province South Africa * Harding, KwaZulu-Natal United St ...
, Los Alamos, Sandoval, Santa Fe, San Miguel,
Quay A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths ( mooring locatio ...
, Bernalillo,
Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...
, Socorro, Torrance, Guadalupe, De Baca,
Roosevelt Roosevelt may refer to: *Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), 26th U.S. president * Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945), 32nd U.S. president Businesses and organisations * Roosevelt Hotel (disambiguation) * Roosevelt & Son, a merchant bank * Rooseve ...
, and
Curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in trad ...
. The current archbishop is
John Charles Wester John Charles Wester, (born November 5, 1950) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New Mexico since 2015. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Salt ...
, who was installed on June 4, 2015. The Archdiocese announced it would file for bankruptcy protection on November 29, 2018, in the face of dozens of ongoing lawsuits stemming from a sexual abuse scandal that stretches back decades and a new investigation by the state's attorney general into the Catholic Church's handling of misconduct by its clergy. Bankruptcy was then filed in June 2019.


History


Origins of Catholicism in New Mexico

The History of Catholicism in the Santa Fe area began in the mid 16th century, with the arrival of the Spanish to the area. While conquistadors had already passed through what is now known as New Mexico in search of gold and silver as early as 1527, the first permanent settlement did not arrive in the area until 1598. In that year,
Juan de Oñate Juan de Oñate y Salazar (; 1550–1626) was a Spanish conquistador from New Spain, explorer, and colonial governor of the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México in the viceroyalty of New Spain. He led early Spanish expeditions to the Great ...
arrived from New Spain with 500 Spanish settlers and nearly 7,000 head of livestock that. With him came ten
Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...
priests, that established the first
Spanish missions in New Mexico The Spanish Missions in New Mexico were a series of religious outposts in the Province of ''Santa Fe de Nuevo México'' — present day New Mexico. They were established by Franciscan friars under charter from the monarchs of the Spanish Empire ...
. One in particular, the
San Miguel Mission San Miguel Chapel, is a Spanish colonial mission church in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Originally built around 1610, it is often referred to as the oldest church in the United States (excluding Puerto Rico). The church was rebuilt twice, once in t ...
, is considered one of the oldest church structures originally built in the continental United States. The original adobe walls and altar were built by the Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico in 1610, but much of the structure was rebuilt in 1710 (See
List of the oldest churches in the United States The designation of the oldest church in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving ''building'', and the oldest in the sense of oldest Christian church ...
). In 1608, the Franciscans converted over 7,000 natives to Catholicism. While the natives attended mass and behaved like Catholics, the native Pueblo people continued practice their local customs and beliefs, much to the chagrin of the missionaries. Despite attempts to outlaw the use of
entheogenic drugs Entheogens are psychoactive substances that induce alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior for the purposes of engendering spiritual development or otherwiseRätsch, Christian, ''The Encyclopedia of Psychoact ...
, and the seizure of masks, prayer sticks, and effigies used in religious ceremonies, the attempts to fully convert the natives was never fully successful. While the missionaries' early attempts to convert the Pueblo Indians can be seen as a failure, the proselytizing aspect of Spanish colonization, and the power of the mission, persisted. This eventually led to tension between the civil administration and the clergy. A Spanish Governor,
Bernardo López de Mendizábal Bernardo López de Mendizábal (1620 – September 16, 1664) was a Spanish politician, soldier, and religious scholar, who served as governor of New Mexico between 1659–1660 and as alcalde mayor in Guayacocotla (on the Sierra Madre Oriental, in ...
, attempted to protect native rights by enforcing labor rights and allowing natives to practice native religious ceremonies. The missionaries responded by having the governor arrested and turned over to the
Mexican Inquisition The Mexican Inquisition was an extension of the Spanish Inquisition into New Spain. The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire was not only a political event for the Spanish, but a religious event as well. In the early 16th century, the Reforma ...
, where he was found guilty of
heresy Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important relig ...
. This ensured the power of the Missionaries, who imposed their strict rules upon the native population. This strict theocratic rule imposed on the Pueblo natives culminated in what is now known as the
Pueblo Revolt The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, also known as Popé's Rebellion or Popay's Rebellion, was an uprising of most of the indigenous Pueblo people against the Spanish colonizers in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, larger than present-day New Mex ...
. In response to the arrest of 47 Pueblo medicine men, and the execution of four, a Pueblo Indian named "
Popé Popé or Po'pay (; c. 1630 – c. 1692) was a Tewa religious leader from Ohkay Owingeh (renamed San Juan Pueblo by the Spanish during the colonial period), who led the Pueblo Revolt in 1680 against Spanish colonial rule. In the first successfu ...
" led an uprising to expel the Spanish from the area in 1680. 400 Spanish settlers were killed, including 21 of the 33 Franciscan missionaries. The rest, including many Indian slaves, retreated south to
El Paso del Norte EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...
. Following the revolt, the natives destroyed all elements of Catholicism in the area, and cleansed themselves in a ritual bath. Their independence was short lived, and the Spanish returned in 1692. After the Franciscan priests returned, the natives were able to practice their traditional rituals, ceremonies, and religion. In the words of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, the period following the reconquest of New Mexico until Mexican Independence was a time of reconciliation and growth. While there were still abuses and reprisals on both sides, the centuries that followed produced a "truly unique" form of Catholicism that reflects the cultural and historical circumstances of the area.


Mexican–American War, Zubiría and the Santa Fe ring

In 1833, José Antonio Laureano de Zubiría y Escalante was appointed archbishop of Durango. A large part of Zubiría's mission as bishop was to enhance the connection between Catholicism and Mexican nationalism. Zubiria planned to enforce this connection by reasserting the institutional hierarchy of the church. While he did carry notable success, the annexation of New Mexico to the United States following the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the ...
(1846–1848) complicated his plans. Large parts of territory that once fell under his jurisdiction suddenly became a United States territory, complicating the notion the national, racial, and religious identity. There was an effort to introduce Euro-American clergy to the region, as a way to displace Mexican priests and "Americanize" the Catholic Church there, which created tension between the Mexican Americans and Euro-Americans. At the time, a large amount of Euro-Americans viewed Catholicism as a "superstitious" church and felt that Mexicans were racially inferior for believing in this. There was a disconnect between the Euro-Americans and the Mexican Americans living in New Mexico and other parts of the Southwest that caused many issues for the Mexican Americans that identified with Catholicism. The Euro-Americans that had replaced the Mexican priests felt that assimilation to American culture was vital, and they used racist ideas to justify the changes that they were making to the Catholic Church. However, Zubiria still had jurisdiction over Doña Ana, La Mesilla, and Las Cruces which kept the newly appointed bishop of Santa Fe Jean Lamy and his clergymen out of Southern New Mexico until 1868. José Jesus Baca, a priest originally appointed by Zubiria, asked transfer to the archdiocese of Durango after following the change. In response, Zubiria appointed him to supervise all of the major parishes in southern New Mexico (Mora). Baca felt most comfortable in one of the parishes, named Mesilla, where he decided to take a political position as a part of the Church, continuing Zubiria's mission of resistance. Baca became politically active in the area, lending his support to the
Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...
. He supported the Republican candidates because he felt that it aligned with his Catholic faith, and that Mexicans who supported Democrats were "betraying" their religion. Despite his support for Republicans, in 1871, Baca and
José Manuel Gallegos José Manuel Gallegos (October 30, 1815 – April 21, 1875) was a delegate to the US Congress from the Territory of New Mexico. Biography Born in Abiquiú, in what is now Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, Gallegos attended parochial schools ...
, who was a Democrat, shared an intense opposition to French control over New Mexico's parishes. Gallegos went on to lose an election because his alignment with Catholicism seemed to suggest to his opponents that his loyalty was to Mexico rather than to the United States. After this, Baca viewed Gallegos as a threat to Mexican Catholics due to his political stance. Baca encouraged "loyal Catholics" to vote for Gallegos' opponent, believing that this would allow Baca and the other Mexican American priests to continue to hold jurisdiction over the southern New Mexico parishes. Unfortunately for Baca, the Republican win did not ensure that he and the other Mexican priests would maintain control over these parishes. The election of 1872 set the stage for the Santa Fe Ring. The
Santa Fe Ring The Santa Fe Ring was a group of powerful attorneys and land speculators in the United States during the late 19th century and into the early 20th century. It amassed a fortune through political corruption and fraudulent land deals. Many prominen ...
was a group of influential and powerful elites in New Mexico who manipulated the communal land grant system in order to accumulate land. Although Baca hadYur predicted that the Mexicans would lose control over the parishes in southern New Mexico with the election of a Democrat, the loss of land occurred anyway due to the immense amount of power that the Santa Fe Ring held. The Mexican Americans who held control over the southern New Mexico parishes gradually began to lose power to the Euro-Americans. This time period proved to be a time of intense conflict between the Mexican Americans and the Euro-Americans. The Mexican Americans living in this area dealt with extreme difficulties as a result of their faith. The attempts by the Euro-Americans to assimilate the Mexican Americans created discord between the two and led to the continued silencing of Mexican American populations in the United States.


Establishment of the Archdiocese with Jean Lamy

Following the Mexican–American War, the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...
gave the United States authority over a large territory that was previously under Mexican control, including New Mexico. The area that now encompasses the archdiocese of Santa Fe was originally part of the archdiocese of Durango in Mexico, under the authority of bishop José Antonio Laureano de Zubiría. Following this annexation, the territory fell under the jurisdiction of the
Catholic Church in the United States With 23 percent of the United States' population , the Catholic Church is the country's second largest religious grouping, after Protestantism, and the country's largest single church or Christian denomination where Protestantism is divided in ...
. In 1851,
Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
created the Apostolic Vicariate of New Mexico, and appointed Jean-Baptiste Lamy as its first Bishop. Before his appointment in Santa Fe, Lamy had been assigned to
Danville, Ohio Danville is a village in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,044 at the 2010 census. History Modern Danville had its start in 1923 by the merging of two neighboring villages called Buckeye City and Rosstown (Rossville). The ...
in 1839 after accompanying
John Baptist Purcell John Baptist Purcell (February 26, 1800 – July 4, 1883) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833 to his death in 1883, and he was elevated to the rank of archbishop in 1850. He formed the b ...
to the United States from southern France. Jean Lamy played a crucial role in the establishment of the Archdiocese Santa Fe. Named its bishop, Jean Lamy had traveled and eventually arrived in Santa Fe in the summer of 1851. Once there, Lamy was informed that the clergy did not yet recognize him as bishop because the previous bishop, Zubiría, had not yet confirmed the change. Lamy took it upon himself to visit Zubiría in Durango to confirm this switch. Even after this visit, the conflict between Lamy and Zubiría continued. Zubiría remained the bishop of
Durango Durango (), officially named Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Durango; Tepehuán: ''Korian''; Nahuatl: ''Tepēhuahcān''), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in ...
, although the territory was much smaller after the Treaty of Guadalupe. The main conflict between Zubiría and Lamy was over who would administer southern New Mexico. Once Lamy returned to Santa Fe in 1852, it became apparent that his woes had just begun. With Lamy as bishop, a lot of controversy throughout Santa Fe arose. Many of the initial actions Lamy had taken as bishop did not sit well with the parishioners of New Mexico and his decisions had contradicted many of the bishops before him. For instance, Lamy outlawed the Penitente Brotherhood and excommunicated 5 priests who were cohabiting with women outside of marriage. Furthermore, Lamy had a known dislike of New Mexican culture, and this became evident with his treatment of Mexican clergymen. Lamy expressed his dislike first through his appointment of clergymen. Not only were they non-native, but he had chosen to appoint both French priests and Europeans which did not sit well with the Mexican Catholics living in New Mexico. He continued to express this dislike through a dismissal of dissident priests, and his orders to build a cathedral that followed western architecture as opposed to the more common Mexican style of churches. This attitude of "Americanizing" the Catholic Church in New Mexico created tension between the mostly Mexican clergy and the now western administration. A Mexican priest from the parish of
Taos Taos or TAOS may refer to: Places * Taos, Missouri, a city in Cole County, Missouri, United States * Taos County, New Mexico, United States ** Taos, New Mexico, a city, the county seat of Taos County, New Mexico *** Taos art colony, an art colo ...
,
Antonio José Martínez Antonio José Martínez (January 17, 1793 – July 27, 1867) was a New Mexican priest, educator, publisher, rancher, farmer, community leader, and politician. He lived through and influenced three distinct periods of New Mexico's history ...
, compiled a list of complaints against Lamy, cosigned by many of the other clergymen. One particular complaint centered on Lamy's suspension of the priest
José Manuel Gallegos José Manuel Gallegos (October 30, 1815 – April 21, 1875) was a delegate to the US Congress from the Territory of New Mexico. Biography Born in Abiquiú, in what is now Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, Gallegos attended parochial schools ...
, which sparked controversy among both the clergy and the parishioners, who submitted a further petition in support of Gallegos. Gallegos then went on to run for office in New Mexico as a Democrat. More controversy arose when Lamy had appointed Damaso Taladrid to replace Martínez as priest in Taos. Taladrid was not well-liked among the clergy, and many questioned Lamy's decision to appoint a non-native as priest. In the 1927 novel ''
Death Comes for the Archbishop ''Death Comes for the Archbishop'' is a 1927 novel by American author Willa Cather. It concerns the attempts of a Catholic bishop and a priest to establish a diocese in New Mexico Territory. The novel's U.S. copyright expired on January 1, 2023 ...
'', Willa Cather writes about a character representative of Lamy's role. His portrayal of the original priests in New Mexico negatively reflects New Mexican culture, and describes Lamy's actions to appoint French and European men as an act of suppressing Mexican influence in the church. Lamy's tenure as archbishop of Santa Fe had started off with a series of delays and controversies, and only worsened with his decision to outlaw the
Penitente Brotherhood ''Los Hermanos de la Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno'' (Spanish language, Spanish: 'The Monk, Brothers of the Pious Fraternity of Our Father Jesus the Nazarene'), also known as ''Los Penitentes'', ''Los Hermanos'', the ''Broth ...
, which eventually became known as his largest initial reform.


Initial reforms

The neglect of
Mexican Americans Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexica ...
by the Catholic Church paved the way for the Penitente Brotherhood in New Mexico. The Penitente Brotherhood is a catholic lay confraternity that is still active today. The Penitentes believe in three core principles; charity, prayer, and being the good example. In addition to providing for the community's religious needs, mutual aid and community charity were at the forefront of their beliefs. The Penitentes came to popularity in New Mexico in the 1820s following Mexican independence. Following independence, the Catholic Church withdrew its clergymen and priests from the area, creating a religious void for the people of New Mexico, which the Penitente Brotherhood filled. The Penitentes have long been a source of tension within the Catholic church, well before their establishment in New Mexico. A lot of this tension comes from the practice of flagellation, which has historically been a very important idea in folk Catholicism. Flagellation can be defined as flogging or beating, either as a religious discipline, or for sexual gratification. (google definitions)
Flagellation Flagellation (Latin , 'whip'), flogging or whipping is the act of beating the human body with special implements such as whips, rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails, the sjambok, the knout, etc. Typically, flogging has been imposed on ...
can also be done to oneself by oneself, which further complicates the discussion. The Penitente Brotherhood were known for acts of violence against themselves, especially wearing only white cotton trousers with a scarf to hide the lower part of their face, dragging heavy crosses, and whipping themselves. Many of these acts of flagellation occur on each Friday of
Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Jesus, temptation by Satan, according ...
, throughout
Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...
, and Fridays between the Holy Week and
Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day (the seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers ...
. Furthermore, as the end of Lent nears, these acts of Penitence become more open to the public, primarily at their meeting houses, called Moradas. Well before their establishment in New Mexico, the brotherhood and their belief of flagellation received criticism by religious leaders and governments.
Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI ( la, Clemens VI; 1291 – 6 December 1352), born Pierre Roger, was head of the Catholic Church from 7 May 1342 to his death in December 1352. He was the fourth Avignon pope. Clement reigned during the first visitation of the Bl ...
issued a bull against flagellation in the 1300s, and the German bishops forbade the assembly of German flagellants in this time period as well. In Spain, the royal cedula of 1777 forbade certain types of Penitente behavior, especially flagellation. This reform would be brought by Spain to Mexico and would come into effect in New Mexico as well. Even Mexican Priests wanted to keep the Brotherhood private. In February 1833 the Parish Priest
Antonio José Martínez Antonio José Martínez (January 17, 1793 – July 27, 1867) was a New Mexican priest, educator, publisher, rancher, farmer, community leader, and politician. He lived through and influenced three distinct periods of New Mexico's history ...
, with the tacit approval of the Bishop Zubiria, forbade the public acts of Penitence, but still allowed for the practice to be carried out at night and in private. He understood the power the Penitente had, and allowed the group to exist as long as the practice of flagellation were kept private. Priest Martinez would then go on to receive notoriety in 1847, when he led a revolt that included the killing of governor
Charles Bent Charles Bent (November 11, 1799 – January 19, 1847) was an American businessman and politician who served as the first civilian United States governor of the New Mexico Territory, newly acquired by the Military Governor, Stephen Watts Kearny, ...
, the first American governor of the newly acquired territories in New Mexico. Following the annexation of the territory by the United States, the isolated Mexican clergy and devout Catholics further turned to the Penitente. In 1851,
Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
created the Apostolic Vicariate of New Mexico, and appointed Jean Lamy as its first Bishop. Joseph Lamy, a Frenchman, would strongly disapprove of the brotherhood and further act to outlaw it. The Penitente Brotherhood disobeyed their bishop and transformed into a more secretive society, where it is today.
Another area where the Catholic Church and specifically Lamy worked on ending is Concubinage, defined as "a relationship between persons who are cohabiting without the benefit of marriage." This activity is disavowed by the Catholic Church. One way that Lamy looked to end these types of relationships was by ex-communicating 5 Spanish speaking clergy men for concubinage. For example, one clergymen that Lamy expelled was Jose Manuel Gallegos. Some would even argue that ending concubinage was one reason the Jean Lamy was sent to New Mexico. For example, one missionary who argued for Lamy to be sent to the United States is quoted as saying in regards to New Mexico, it "still pitifully calls itself a Catholic country, …. The few priests are without guidance or discipline. They are lax in religious observance, and some of them live in open concubinage."


Sex abuse claims and bankruptcy

The Archdiocese announced it would file for bankruptcy protection on November 29, 2018, in the wake of dozens of ongoing lawsuits stemming from a sexual abuse scandal that stretches back decades. A new investigation was also ordered by the state's attorney general into the Catholic Church's handling of misconduct by its clergy. On June 21, 2019, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe officially filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, whe ...
after it was announced that there were 395 individuals suing the Archdiocese for past sex abuse. Prior to filing for bankruptcy, the Archdiocese transferred assets worth over $150 million into trusts and its incorporated parishes. In October 2020, a bankruptcy judge ruled that abuse survivors could file lawsuits alleging these transfers were a fraudulent attempt to avoid bigger payouts to victims. It has also been alleged that such a strategy fits into a larger pattern of similar asset-shielding from abuse-related bankruptcy filings nationwide by the Catholic Church.


Bishops


Vicar Apostolic of New Mexico

# Jean-Baptiste Lamy (1850–1853), title changed to Bishop of Santa Fe with erection of diocese


Bishop of Santa Fe

# Jean Baptiste Lamy (1853–1855) elevated to Archbishop


Archbishops of Santa Fe

# Jean-Baptiste Lamy (1855–1885) # Jean-Baptiste Salpointe (1885–1894; Coadjutor Archbishop 1884–1884) # Placide Louis Chapelle (1894–1897; Coadjutor Archbishop 1891–1894), appointed
Archbishop of New Orleans The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans ( la, Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, french: Archidiocèse de la Nouvelle-Orléans, es, Arquidiócesis de Nueva Orleans) is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church spanning Jeffers ...
and later
Apostolic Delegate An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international ...
to Cuba and Puerto Rico and Extraordinary Envoy to the Philippines #
Peter Bourgade Peter Bourgade (October 17, 1845 – May 17, 1908) was a French-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Tucson (1885–1899) and Archbishop of Santa Fe (1899–1908). Biography Early life and priesthood Bourgade was ...
(1899–1908) # John Baptist Pitaval (1909–1918) #
Albert Daeger Albert Daeger (born Anthony Thomas Daeger; March 5, 1872 – December 2, 1932) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. A member of the Order of Friars Minor, he served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Archbishop of Santa Fe ...
, OFM (1919–1932) #
Rudolph Gerken Rudolph Aloysius Gerken (March 7, 1887 – March 2, 1943) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New Mexico from 1933 until his death in 1943. He previously served as bisho ...
(1933–1943) #
Edwin Byrne Edwin Vincent Byrne (August 9, 1891 – July 26, 1963) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served in Puerto Rico, as Bishop of Ponce (1925–1929) and Bishop of San Juan (1929–1943), before returning to the United St ...
(1943–1963) #
James Peter Davis James Peter Davis (June 9, 1904 – March 4, 1988) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop (later Archbishop) of San Juan (1943–1964) and Archbishop of Santa Fe (1964–1974). Biography James Davis was born in H ...
(1964–1974) # Robert Fortune Sanchez (1974–1993) #
Michael Jarboe Sheehan Michael Jarboe Sheehan (born July 9, 1939) is a retired American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the eleventh Archbishop of Santa Fe. He was the Bishop of Lubbock from 1983 to 1993. Early life and ministry Michael Sheehan was bor ...
(1993–2015) #
John Charles Wester John Charles Wester, (born November 5, 1950) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in New Mexico since 2015. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Salt ...
(2015–present)


Auxiliary Bishops

* John Baptist Pitaval (1902–1909), appointed Archbishop of this archdiocese * Sidney Matthew Metzger (1939–1941), appointed Bishop of El Paso


Other priests of this diocese who became Bishops

* Arthur Tafoya, appointed Bishop of Pueblo in 1980 *( Jeffrey Neil Steenson, former Episcopal bishop and later priest of this archdiocese, was appointed Ordinary of the Chair of St. Peter in 2012 but could not become a Catholic bishop)


Churches


Cathedral

Bishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy started construction on the Cathedral
Basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its nam ...
of
Saint Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...
(commonly known as the ''St. Francis Cathedral'') in 1869. It would be the third church to occupy the portion of land. The first was a
chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common type ...
constructed by
Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...
Friar A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ...
s in 1610 which was destroyed in the
Pueblo Revolt The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, also known as Popé's Rebellion or Popay's Rebellion, was an uprising of most of the indigenous Pueblo people against the Spanish colonizers in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, larger than present-day New Mex ...
of 1680; the second was an adobe
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
built in 1717 which St. Francis Cathedral replaced. Construction was not finished until 1884, by which time, the
diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associ ...
had become the
archdiocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...
, and the
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...
– dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi – became its
mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral or a metropo ...
. Archbishop Lamy is entombed in the
sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a sa ...
floor of the cathedral, and a
bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids suc ...
statue, dedicated in 1925, stands in his memory outside the front entrance of the cathedral. It was built in a Romanesque style found in Bishop Lamy's native France. The interior reflects the pastel colors of New Mexico; The pews are made of blonde wood, and the walls and columns are painted a dusky pink with pale-green trimmings. Stone for the building was mined from what is now
Lamy, New Mexico Lamy is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States, south of the city of Santa Fe. The community was named for Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy, and lies within the ''Bishop John Lamy Spanish Land Grant'', which ...
- named in the Archbishop's honor – and the stained glass was imported from France. The cathedral was originally intended to have two spires rising up from its landmark bell towers, but due to costs, this was delayed, and finally canceled, giving the bell towers a very distinctive look.


Conquistadora Chapel

The adjoining Conquistadora Chapel is all that remains of the second Church. Built in 1714, this tiny Chapel houses ''La Conquistadora'', the oldest
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
in the United States, brought by Franciscan Friars in 1626.


Elevation to a basilica

On June 15, 2005, Archbishop Sheehan announced that
Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereig ...
had designated the
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...
a
basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its nam ...
. The cathedral was officially elevated on October 4, 2005. Its full name, the ''Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi'', was consequently changed to the ''Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi''
Elevation of Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis - Archdiocese of Santa Fe


Loretto Chapel

The archdiocese is also the home of the
Loretto Chapel The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States, is a former Roman Catholic church that is now used as a museum and a wedding chapel. It is known for its unusual helix-shaped spiral staircase (the "Miraculous Stair"). The Sisters of ...
, which contains an ascending spiral staircase—the building of which the
Sisters A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to ...
of Loretto consider to be a
miracle A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divi ...
due to the unusual construction of the staircase (see
Loretto Chapel The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States, is a former Roman Catholic church that is now used as a museum and a wedding chapel. It is known for its unusual helix-shaped spiral staircase (the "Miraculous Stair"). The Sisters of ...
for a more detailed discussion).


Education

; High schools *
St. Michael's High School St. Michael's High School is a private Catholic junior/senior high school located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is privately run under the auspices of the international Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, better known as the De ...
, Santa Fe * St. Pius X High School, Albuquerque


Suffragan sees

*
Gallup Gallup may refer to: * Gallup, Inc., a firm founded by George Gallup, well known for its opinion poll * Gallup (surname), a surname *Gallup, New Mexico, a city in New Mexico, United States ** Gallup station, an Amtrak train in downtown Gallup, New ...
* Las Cruces *
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
*
Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...


See also

*
Anton Docher Anton Docher (1852–1928), born Antonin Jean Baptiste Docher (pronounced ɑ̃tɔnɛ̃ ʒɑ̃ batist dɔʃe), was a French Franciscan Roman Catholic priest, who served as a missionary to Native Americans in New Mexico, in the Southwest of ...
*
Catholic Church by country The Catholic Church is "the Catholic Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (the pope)." The church is also known by members as the People of God, the Body of Christ, the ...
*
Catholic Church in the United States With 23 percent of the United States' population , the Catholic Church is the country's second largest religious grouping, after Protestantism, and the country's largest single church or Christian denomination where Protestantism is divided in ...
* Ecclesiastical Province of Santa Fe *
Catholic Church by country The Catholic Church is "the Catholic Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (the pope)." The church is also known by members as the People of God, the Body of Christ, the ...
* Jean-Baptiste Lamy * List of Catholic archdioceses (by country and continent) * List of Catholic dioceses (alphabetical) (including archdioceses) *
List of Catholic dioceses (structured view) As of October 5, 2021, the Catholic Church in its entirety comprises 3,171 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, including over 652 archdioceses and 2,248 dioceses, as well as apostolic vicariates, apostolic exarchates, apostolic administrations, apos ...
(including archdioceses) * List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States * List of Catholic dioceses in the United States *
Loretto Chapel The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States, is a former Roman Catholic church that is now used as a museum and a wedding chapel. It is known for its unusual helix-shaped spiral staircase (the "Miraculous Stair"). The Sisters of ...


References


External links


Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe Official Site
{{authority control
Archdiocese of Santa Fe The Archdiocese of Santa Fe ( la, Archidioecesis Sanctae Fidei in America Septentrionali, link=no, es, Arquidiócesis de Santa Fe, link=no) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the southwestern region of the United States in ...
Religious organizations established in 1850 Santa Fe 1850 establishments in New Mexico Territory Santa Fe Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022