Mission Church of San Jose in Laguna, New Mexico

About forty miles from Albuquerque is a mission church that is still a functioning parish even though it dates back to 1699. I visited the church in 2010 because in my genealogy research I found out that my ggggrandfather had donated/paid for the large wall hanging over the altar. He also purchased a wall hanging in Acoma Pueblo but I have never seen it. He seemed to be involved in the church and also donated altar cloths and church vessels. I wanted my family to visit the mission and finally this year, 2018, we traveled to Laguna.

As we drove unto the dirt road leading to the church we could see the church sitting on top of the hill. We also needed to find a bathroom and when we saw a Native American woman coming out of a building, carrying plates of food, I asked her for a bathroom and she said, "The Community Center has a bathroom."

Entering the Center, we were surprised by the friendliness of the people milling about in a large room. Immediately we were approached and asked to have something to eat and to drink. Many of the men wore vests or caps with military emblems.  I asked what the celebration was all about and was told, "We are celebrating Memorial Day and the veterans. We went to the cemetery and placed flags on all the graves."

My son-in-law ate what looked like possole and fry bread. My daughter, granddaughter and I had watermelon. They gave each of us a bottle of water. A very welcoming and friendly group and my daughter said, "My, they sure made us feel welcome!"

We walked next door to the white-washed adobe church, a few trees in the yard, a white cross, and a wooden door. A man was watering some plants with water in a coffee can. "Hello," I said, "are you the priest?" He said he was and I explained about my ggggrandfather's altar screen and he asked us into the rectory. He had some 24x18 posters of the altar screen and proceeded to give us two which were carefully rolled up and put into a tube for safety.



The priest told us a story that he had heard about graves being unmarked with no headstones to prevent evil persons from digging up the grave looking for valuables. The Indian motifs on the walls had birds painted and he told us that possibly they were to mark where someone was buried.

Inside the church my daughter commented on the mud-packed floors and she said it reminded her of the missions in California. I thought the vigas (wooden beams on the ceiling) were nice and polished,
and my granddaughter liked a little dog that was running around outside. I have some old pictures of the inside of the church and was surprised with the altar chairs because they are regular kitchen chairs used in the past and also today. It is a fascinating little church and I can imagine my ancestors sitting in the wooden pews.

To me, this was a highlight of my trip to New Mexico and I hope that my daughter and granddaughter felt the same pride I did in visiting the church where our ancestors worshiped!

"Our history begins before we are born. 

We represent the hereditary influences of our race, 

and our ancestors virtually live in us."

James Nasmyth