From the Heart
The Taos News
By Denise M. Spranger
Photo by Megan Bowers
Following the path of tradition, community poured spirit into renovation of its church
"We like to say that with this restoration we were trying to bond more than just the adobes, we were trying to bond a community."- Larry Herrera
ARROYO HONDO -- Bells rang as the congregation of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores poured through the doors of the newly renovated church Sunday (Dec. 16). Archbishop Michael Sheehan waited to greet church members, who had gathered to celebrate the rededication mass. Father Terrence Brennan, pastor of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, Father Vincent Chavez of Las Vegas and Deacon Michael Kittredge assisted the archbishop in officiating the morning mass.
The extensive renovation of the church started with a conversation 13 years ago between Lawrence Ortiz, Archie Trujillo and Larry Herrera.
"We sat down for coffee one day," said Trujillo, "and I said, 'Well, how about starting?'"
The men had observed that the church, first dedicated in 1833, was in desperate need of repairs.
Trujillo was the first chairman of the restoration committee formed to handle the monumental task.
"A lot of engineering has gone into this project," said Trujillo, describing the "contrapader," a concrete wall added to the foundation in an effort to keep out water. Renovators discovered that the contrapader was, in fact, keeping moisture in, thereby deteriorating the walls. Committed to preserving the historical integrity of the church, renovation followed in the path of tradition.
"The original foundation of this church was stone and mud and we restored it accordingly," said Trujillo.
Herrera described the plastering process that also dates back to former times.
"Some of the ladies here remember when they were younger and people would get together and use a "zalea," or sheepskin, to apply the color," said Herrera. "One of those ladies, Pat Trujillo, is still in the neighborhood. She was one of the people in the late 70s that revived those techniques. She still remembered the formula."
Herrera explained that renovators had found pieces of the original "alize," or plaster slip, and they sought the proper "tierra blanca" and "tierra amarilla" samples of earth to best match that color.
Such careful attention to the methods of the original builders created a deeper appreciation for those founding members of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.
"When we first stripped these walls," said Trujillo, "I'd say, 'Remember, we think we're doing a lot of work, but imagine -- our ancestors were not only building this church, they were building their houses, they were building the acequias. And they were still farming because they had to eat. Just imagine their labor.'"
Exterior renovations also included a new roof, added several years ago, along with a sloping sidewalk that should prove more easy to traverse by the elderly or disabled members of the congregation. In the east wall alone, 2,000 adobe bricks were replaced. Landscaping and completion of walls surrounding the church premises are slated for the future.
Nearly all of the exterior renovations were accomplished by volunteers, with funding primarily raised by the reinstitution of the church's fiesta celebration.
"In taking the initiative to do the work on the building," said Hererra, "we also restored our Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows, which is Sept. 15."
The fiesta is held annually in conjunction with the feast day.
It is Trujillo's task to line up entertainment for the event, which draws residents from Taos, Questa, Arroyo Seco, Ranchos de Taos and San Cristobal.
"I tell the guys from the bands," said Trujillo, 'When you donate your time to this it's like your hands are full of mud plastering the church."
Ortiz, current president of the restoration committee, thanked the many people involved in the project.
"Our strength is that we are a united community," he said. "With the help of the Archdiocese, it has been a total community effort. And it has come from the heart."
The pastor of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, Father Brennan, agrees.
"The satisfaction that a priest gets from working with a community in such a true spirit of giving and cooperation is not only what builds a priest, it is also what builds a church. It has been a total joy," Fr. Brennan said.
Funding for the extensive interior renovations was obtained through grants from the Healy Foundation, the Maloof family in Albuquerque, and the Extension Society, a nonprofit group that supports church activities. Seed money was granted by Cornerstone in Santa Fe, a group that is a point of technical resources and financial help for area churches.
The congregation continued its celebrations by sharing an ample breakfast at the Arroyo Hondo Community Center. Among the many plates of brownies and cookies on the dessert table, one cake demanded particular attention. In a sugared photo image from 1915, the Nuestra de Dolores Church appeared above the inscription, "Congratulations on a Job Well Done."
As Herrera handed a plate to one of his neighbors, he added, "We like to say that with this restoration we were trying to bond more than just the adobes, we were trying to bond a community."
During Sunday's rededication mass, Archbishop Michael Sheehan welcomed some of the newest members to the church by performing the sacrament of baptism for several children.
Baptized were: Desiree Mystiquee; Elijah Lucas Reyes Vigil, with parents Leslie and Rodney Vigil and godparents Rick and Nadine Vigil; Laura Lea Odelia Trujillo, with parents Ruben and Dorotea Trujillo and godparents Olivia Ortiz and Raymond Trujillo; Nicholas Aarón Trujillo with parents Mateo and Miranda Trujillo and godparents Ursula Salazar and Alfred Trujillo.
James and Rosa Schwarz had driven all the way from Silver City to have their daughter, Desiree Mystiquee, baptized by the archbishop.