About San Ignacio de Loyola (Historic Church) · Albuquerque, New Mexico
San Ignacio Catholic Church is a historic, multicultural parish in the Santa Barbara–Martineztown neighborhood of northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico, founded in 1916 by French Jesuit priest Fr. Joseph Arthuis and built by community money and labor on a hilltop cemetery east of Edith Boulevard. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, the cruciform adobe church — topped by a four-story bell tower — remains the architectural and cultural heart of one of Albuquerque's oldest Hispano neighborhoods. Today the parish serves a diverse community with Sunday Masses in English, Latin, and Filipino, weekday Masses in English and Spanish, and active committees for liturgy, music, family life, and Filipino and Latin ministry under Pastor Rev. Joel O. Bugas.
- Established
- 1916
- Patron
- San Ignacio de Loyola (St. Ignatius of Loyola), founder of the Jesuit order
- Rector
- Rev. Joel O. Bugas
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Why belong here
San Ignacio is a small, historic neighborhood parish where newcomers are welcomed into a community with deep roots and what parishioners describe as 'open hearts striving to be examples of God's love.' Distinctively multicultural, it offers Mass in English, Latin, Filipino (bilingual on the last Sunday of the month), and Spanish, supported by dedicated Filipino and Latin ministry committees and matching music directors for each language community. Outreach — through the Knights of Columbus, the Family Bingo Committee, the Ave Maria Exhibit, maintenance and public-relations committees, and ongoing Announcements via Flocknote — gives every parishioner a place to serve and a way to stay connected.
Mass times at San Ignacio de Loyola (Historic Church)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM (before the 12:15 PM Mass)
- By appointment — call the parish office to schedule with Fr. Joel
Adoration times
- Holy Hour of Adoration on the First Friday of each month (consult the bulletin or contact the office for exact time)
History of San Ignacio Parish
San Ignacio Parish was founded in 1916 by Fr. Joseph Arthuis, S.J., known as 'Padre José,' a French Jesuit born in 1854 who arrived in Albuquerque in 1907 and was assigned to San Felipe de Neri. Catholic families of Santa Barbara and Martineztown had long traveled to Old Town or downtown for Mass, and Padre José quickly recognized the need for a local church. With no funding available from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, he organized the neighborhood's own resources — money and labor — to make the dream a reality. In 1914 the community began to meet for Mass in local halls and homes while preparing the site: an old cemetery on the sandhills east of Edith Boulevard, labeled 'Old Grave Yard' on 1898 city plat maps.
- Church building completed and dedicated on July 31, 1916 — the feast of San Ignacio — by Archbishop John Baptist Pitaval
- Established as an independent parish in 1926, ten years after the building's construction
- 1926 alterations: the Edith Boulevard arch inscribed 'San Ignacio Church, 1926'; the present broad central stairway with cement balustrade; and the flanking one-story wings topped by statues of San Antonio, San Ignacio, the Blessed Virgin, and Santa Imelda
- Parishioners published Sixty Years to the Greater Glory of God, an extensive 60-year anniversary history, in 1976
- Designated a New Mexico State Register property on August 24, 1977 (#520)
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1979 (NRHP #79001536)
Parish Mission Statement
We, the members of the Roman Catholic community of San Ignacio Parish, live in the heart of Martineztown. United in our Eucharistic worship, we strive to do all for the 'Greater Glory of God,' reaching out to our community through our parishioners. In the tradition of our patron saint, San Ignacio de Loyola, and under the protection of Our Blessed Mother, Maria Santisima, Mater Dei, we continue the mission of Our Lord Jesus Christ through our faith in action.
The Church Building
The cruciform adobe church is an excellent example of early-20th-century New Mexican vernacular church style, combining traditional New Mexican materials and cruciform plan with forms more typical of the eastern and midwestern states — most notably the central bell tower and arched fenestration. Stuccoed exterior surfaces are lit by three large arched windows on each side, and the interior is dominated by a coved stamped-metal ceiling with elaborate oval patterns over the sanctuary, crucifix, transept, and center of the nave. Above the nave at the west end is a raised choir loft.
- Adobe cruciform body with hip-roofed transept wings and pitched gable roof
- Four-story bell tower with arched louvered openings and pyramidal tin-sheathed steeple topped by a wood cross
- Historic bells Guadalupe and Guadalupita still housed in the belfry, beneath a modern electronic carillon
- Coved stamped-metal ceiling with oval ornamentation over the sanctuary, crucifix, transept, and nave
- Approach from Edith Boulevard passes through the 1926 arch and up the broad central stairway with cement balustrade
Anointing of the Sick and Other Services
Anointing of the Sick is offered on a regular schedule in addition to being available by request. The rite is celebrated every First Friday after the 12:15 PM Mass and every Second Sunday of the month after the 9:30 AM and 12:00 PM Masses, and Fr. Joel and the assisting deacons will bring the sacrament to those who need it by request through the parish office.
- Anointing of the Sick — First Friday after the 12:15 PM Mass
- Anointing of the Sick — Second Sunday after the 9:30 AM and 12:00 PM Masses
- Anointing of the Sick — by request when needed
Sacraments
San Ignacio prepares parishioners for and celebrates all seven sacraments. Baptism is preceded by a parish preparation program, and pre-registration is required; First Holy Communion classes are arranged through the parish office; a Confirmation program is offered, with adults seeking Confirmation invited to meet with Fr. Joel. Marriage preparation, annulment counseling, and inquiries about booking the church for a Catholic wedding are handled by appointment with Fr. Joel. Fr. Joel is also available to meet with anyone discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life; the Archdiocese of Santa Fe's Office of Vocations is referenced as an additional resource.
- Baptism preparation program — register through the parish office
- First Holy Communion classes — contact the parish office
- Confirmation program — see the bulletin or contact the office; adults should schedule an appointment with Fr. Joel
- Penance and Reconciliation — Monday/Wednesday/Friday 11:30 AM–12:00 PM and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — First Friday, Second Sunday, and by request
- Matrimony — marriage preparation and church bookings via appointment with Fr. Joel
- Holy Orders — vocational discernment available through Fr. Joel and the Archdiocese's Office of Vocations
Parish Staff
San Ignacio is served by Pastor Rev. Joel O. Bugas, with the liturgical assistance of Deacons Leandro Centenera and Bernard Ela. Sacristans are Lawrence D'Souza, Jimmie Candelaria, and Johnnie Romero, and Fernando Mondala is in formation for the permanent diaconate as a deacon candidate. Office staff include Secretary Christina Dauber, Bookkeeper Jean Ann Chavez, and Cleaning/Maintenance lead Patricia Duran. Music is led by Marta Delgado (English Mass), Paul Brault (Latin Mass), and Dolly McMurray (Filipino Mass).
- Pastor: Rev. Joel O. Bugas
- Assisting Deacons: Deacon Leandro Centenera, Deacon Bernard Ela
- Sacristans: Lawrence D'Souza, Jimmie Candelaria, Johnnie Romero
- Deaconate Candidate: Fernando Mondala
- Secretary: Christina Dauber
- Bookkeeper: Jean Ann Chavez
- Cleaning/Maintenance: Patricia Duran
- Music Directors: Marta Delgado (English), Paul Brault (Latin), Dolly McMurray (Filipino)
Parish Councils and Committee Chairs
Lay leadership at San Ignacio flows through the Parish Council and the Parish Finance Council, with Paul Brault chairing the Parish Council and Diann Archuleta Torres chairing the Parish Finance Council. The Knights of Columbus council is led by Grand Knight Joseph Lucero. Among the working committees that keep the parish running are Maintenance (Gilbert Speakman), Special Project (Raymond Sandoval), Church & Public Relations (Loretta Naranjo Lopez), Altar Vestments (Evelyn Speakman; Bryan & Paul Maestas), Altar (Gilbert & Evelyn Speakman), Family Bingo (Patricia Duran; DiAnn Archuleta Torres), and the Ave Maria Exhibit (Anita Baca).
- Parish Council Chairman — Paul Brault
- Parish Finance Chairman — Diann Archuleta Torres
- Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus — Joseph Lucero
- ACA Coordinators — Johnnie Romero and Tina Dauber
Filipino Ministry
The Filipino Ministry Committee, chaired by Myrna Samson, organizes the parish's monthly bilingual Filipino Mass on the last Sunday of the month at 2:00 PM. Filipino liturgical music is directed by Dolly McMurray, and the Filipino Music Ministry Committee — also chaired by Dolly McMurray — supports the cultural life of this community within the parish.
- Filipino Ministry Committee chair: Myrna Samson
- Filipino Music Ministry Committee chair: Dolly McMurray
- Filipino Bilingual Mass — last Sunday of the month, 2:00 PM
Latin Mass Ministry
The Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 12:00 noon, served by the parish's Latin Ministry Committee chaired by Paul Brault. Paul Brault also directs the music for the Latin Mass, providing dedicated liturgical and musical resources for those attached to the Tridentine liturgy.
- Latin Ministry Committee chair: Paul Brault
- Latin Mass music director: Paul Brault
- Sunday Latin Mass — 12:00 PM noon
Contact, Office Hours, and Bulletin
The parish office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and is closed on holidays and Holy Days of Obligation. The parish publishes a bulletin with the latest schedule updates and announcements; Pastor Rev. Joel O. Bugas also shares updates with parishioners via Flocknote.
- Parish Office Hours: Monday / Wednesday / Friday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Phone: (505) 243-4287
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 1300 Walter Street NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102
- Regular announcements distributed through the parish bulletin and Flocknote