The Archdiocese of Santa Fe is a study in contrasts. Its offices are actually located in Albuquerque, a city much larger than Santa Fe with all the familiar urban stresses: poverty, crowding, poor housing, drugs and gangs. Rural northern New Mexico is high desert, a stark, breathtaking tumble of steep canyons and sharp peaks set against a brilliant sky. Almost half of the archdiocese’s Catholics are Hispanic, and that percentage rises almost to 100 in the little churches that anchor isolated mountain towns. Many of Santa Fe’s priests say Mass monthly at four or five of these mission churches, many of them maintained by the people themselves, in addition to serving their own parishes. Access to some remote missions is by winding dirt road, and winter travel can be treacherous. The archdiocese is experiencing strong growth and its future is promising. For now, though, it must minister to an expanding Catholic population, maintain the mission places, and serve Native Americans in 19 pueblos scattered across the land.
The Archdiocese of Santa Fe has:
- 304,455 Catholics (24% of total population)
- 309 parishes and missions (221 without resident pastor)
- 81 active priests
2010 Grant
$20,000
Contact Information
4000 Saint Joseph's Place NW
Albuquerque, NM 87120-1714
505.831.8100
Website
