About Chromo Station Mission Chapel · Chromo, Colorado
Chromo Station is a small Catholic mission chapel in the unincorporated community of Chromo, in southern Archuleta County, Colorado. It is listed as a mission of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Pagosa Springs, within the Diocese of Pueblo. The community's Catholic roots reach back to the pioneer families who settled the valley, originally served by itinerant Theatine priests from Durango beginning in the early 1900s.
- Established
- 1922
- Rector
- Rev. Samuel Auta (pastor of parent parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary / Pope John Paul II, Pagosa Springs)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pueblo
Why belong here
Chromo Station is one of four historic missions served today by the Immaculate Heart of Mary / Pope John Paul II Catholic parish in Pagosa Springs, making it a living link to the pioneer Catholic families who first brought the faith to southern Archuleta County in the late 1800s. Worshippers can connect with a small, mission-rooted Catholic community that shares a pastor and pastoral staff with the larger parish, while remaining part of the broader diocesan family in the Diocese of Pueblo. For Catholics in and around Chromo, the mission chapel is a reminder that their forebears helped build — and continue to care for — the church in this part of Colorado.
Mass times at Chromo Station Mission Chapel
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45–4:45 PM at Pope John Paul II (summer, April–November)
- Saturday 2:45–3:45 PM at Pope John Paul II (winter, December–March)
- Or by appointment, call 970-731-5744
Chromo Station Mission Chapel
Chromo Station is a small Catholic mission chapel in the unincorporated community of Chromo, in southern Archuleta County, Colorado. It is served today as a mission of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Pagosa Springs, within the Diocese of Pueblo. The mission's roots go back more than a century to the pioneer Catholic families of Archuleta County.
History of the Chromo Mission
The Chromo Mission Station was built in 1922 as a schoolhouse and was used by various religious communities, including the local Catholics, until 1955. The original mission building, no longer in active religious use, is still standing on the north side of the road as a visitor enters Chromo from the east. Catholic life in the surrounding valley long predates the mission: ranching and sheepherding families carried the faith from New Mexico into southern Archuleta County as early as 1859, supported by the Penitente brotherhood.
- 1922 — Chromo Mission Station built as a schoolhouse
- Pre-1900 — Catholic families in southern Archuleta County served by Penitentes from New Mexico
- 1906 — Theatine Fathers establish permanent base at Sacred Heart, Durango
- 1955 — Catholic use of the original Chromo mission building ends; structure preserved
- Today — mission is part of the IHM–Pope John Paul II parish in Pagosa Springs
The Theatine Fathers and the Mission Network
In 1906 the Theatine Fathers (Order of Clerics Regular), a religious order of priests largely from Italy and Spain, established a permanent base at Sacred Heart Parish in Durango. From there they staffed a network of small mission churches across Archuleta County — St. James the Apostle in Trujillo (1908), St. Frances in Frances (1908), St. John the Baptist in Pagosa Junction (1911), and the Chromo Mission (1922). Visiting priests were met at the railroad stops in Pagosa Junction and Pagosa and transported out to the missions by horse-drawn wagon, with local ranch families taking turns to drive the priest in and back.
- St. James the Apostle, Trujillo — 1908
- St. Frances, Frances — 1908
- St. John the Baptist, Pagosa Junction — 1911
- Chromo Mission — 1922
- St. Edwards, Pagosa Springs — 1893 (first Catholic church in the county)
Parent Parish: Immaculate Heart of Mary / Pope John Paul II
Chromo Station is a mission of the combined Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) and Pope John Paul II (JP II) Catholic parish in Pagosa Springs. The parish grew out of the pioneer mission network above; St. Edwards (1893) served the area until the larger Immaculate Heart of Mary Church was built by forty-plus families and dedicated on May 21, 1949, by Bishop Joseph Wiliging. As the community continued to grow, the Pope John Paul II West Campus was built beginning in 2000 and dedicated on March 24, 2009, by Bishop Arthur Tafoya. The parish office is at 353 S. Pagosa Blvd., Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
- 1949 — Immaculate Heart of Mary Church dedicated by Bishop Joseph Wiliging
- 2000 — planning begins for the Pope John Paul II campus
- March 24, 2009 — Pope John Paul II Church dedicated by Bishop Arthur Tafoya
- 2018–2019 — Day chapel and meeting space built
- Office: 353 S. Pagosa Blvd., Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
Mission Mayordomos and Pioneer Stewardship
Each of the historic mission chapels in Archuleta County is cared for by a designated mayordomo family — descendants of the original pioneer Catholic families who built and maintained the mission churches. The Bramwell family serves as mayordomos of the Chromo mission today. Other mayordomo families include John and Florian Gallegos (St. Frances), Ben and Lupita Gallegos (St. James), and Joseph and Carrie Espinosa (St. John's).
- Chromo — James and Sandra Bramwell (Ed Bramwell family)
- St. Frances — John and Florian Gallegos (Juan Gallegos family)
- St. James — Ben and Lupita Gallegos (Ben and Gertrude Gallegos family)
- St. John's — Joseph and Carrie Espinosa (George and Bea Espinosa family)
Feast Day and Community Celebrations
The mission churches are celebrated on their patron or patroness feast days with a procession, Mass, and a community meal — a tradition carried forward from the pioneer era. The Immaculate Heart of Mary feast day (June 8) is the largest of these celebrations and draws together Catholics from across the county. After Mass, Las Guadalupanas typically serves a free pozole dinner, followed by a regional street dance with live music.
- Procession — 4:30 PM
- Mass — 5:00 PM
- Community meal — pozole by Las Guadalupanas (~6:30 PM)
- Street dance with regional musicians (e.g., Variety Express and the Rivas Family Spanish Choir)
Visiting Chromo and the Historic Mission Building
Visitors to Chromo can still see the original 1922 mission building, which stands on the north side of the road as you enter Chromo from the east. Although no longer used for regular Catholic worship, the structure is preserved as part of the community's pioneer heritage. For those wishing to attend Mass or arrange sacraments while in the area, the parent parish office in Pagosa Springs can be reached at (970) 731-5744.
- Original 1922 mission building — north side of the road, east entrance to Chromo
- Used by the Catholic community until 1955
- Parent parish office — 353 S. Pagosa Blvd., Pagosa Springs
- Phone — (970) 731-5744
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bernard1951–1976
First permanently stationed priest of the parish.
- Rev. John C. Bowe1976–1984, 1991–2004
Served two tenures.
- Rev. Jose Romero1984–1991
- Rev. Carlos Alvarez2004–2010
- Rev. Don Malin2010–2014
- Rev. Kenny Udumka2014–2020
From Nigeria.
- Rev. Samuel Auta2021–present
Current pastor of the parent IHM–JP II parish.