Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe

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The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the southwestern region of the United States in the state of New Mexico. While the motherchurch, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, is in the City of Santa Fe, its administrative center is in the City of Albuquerque. The Diocese comprises the counties of Rio Arriba, Taos, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, Los Alamos, Sandoval, Santa Fe, San Miguel, Quay, Bernalillo, Valencia, Socorro, Torrance, Guadalupe, De Baca, Roosevelt, and Curry.

The Archdiocese has 93 parishes. The Dioceses of Gallup, Las Cruces, Phoenix, and Tucson are suffragan to the Archdiocese.

The current Archbishop is Michael Jarboe Sheehan.

1 History
- 1.1 Archbishops
2 Motherchurch
3 High schools
4 See also
5 External links

History

Pope Pius IX created the Apostolic Vicariate of New Mexico on July 19, 1850 and installed its first bishop. Three years later, it became a full diocese taking the name of its principal city home. In response to the growth of Catholicism in the area, the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese on February 12, 1875.

Archbishops

Archbishop Born Ordained Priest Ordained Bishop Appointed Archbishop Vacated throne Died Jean Baptiste Lamy October 11, 1814December 1838 November 24, 1850 February 12, 1875 August 18, 1885 February 13, 1888 Jean Baptiste Salpointe February 22, 1825 December 20, 1851 June 20, 1869 August 18, 1885 January 7, 1894 July 15, 1898 Placide Louis Chapelle August 28, 1842 June 28, 1865 November 1, 1891 January 7, 1894 December 7, 1897 August 8, 1905Peter Bourgade October 17, 1845 November 30, 1869 May 1, 1885 January 7, 1899 May 17, 1908 May 17, 1908John Baptist Pitaval February 10, 1858 December 24, 1881 July 25, 1902 January 3, 1909 July 29, 1918 May 23, 1928Anthony Daeger March 5, 1872 July 25, 1896 May 7, 1919 March 10, 1919 December 2, 1932 December 2, 1932Rudolph Gerken March 7, 1887 July 10, 1917 April 26, 1927 June 2, 1933 March 2, 1943 March 2, 1943Edwin Byrne August 9, 1891 May 22, 1915 November 30, 1925 June 12, 1943 July 26, 1963 July 26, 1963 James Peter Davis June 9, 1904 May 19, 1929 October 6, 1943 January 3, 1964 June 1, 1974 March 4, 1988Robert Sanchez March 20, 1934 December 20, 1959 July 25, 1974 June 1, 1974 April 6, 1993Still living Michael Sheehan July 9, 1939 July 12, 1964 June 17, 1983 August 17, 1993Still serving Still living

Motherchurch

St. Francis Cathedral

Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy started construction on the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (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 constructed by Franciscan Friars in 1610 which was destroyed in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the second was an adobe church built in 1717 which St. Francis Cathedral replaced. Construction was not finished until 1884, by which time, the Diocese had become the Archdiocese, and the Cathedral - dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi - became its motherchurch. Archbishop Lamy is entombed in the sanctuary floor of the Cathedral, and a bronze 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 - 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 and Loretto 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 in the United States brought by Franciscan Friars in 1625.

The Archdiocese is also the home of the Loretto Chapel--which contains an ascending spiral staircase--the building of which the Sisters of Loretto consider to be a miracle due to the unusual construction of the staircase (see Loretto Chapel for a more detailed discussion).

Elevation to a Basilica

On June 15, 2005, Archbishop Sheehan announced that Pope Benedict XVI had designated the Cathedral a Basilica. 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. [1]