About San Jose de Chama Mission · Hernandez, New Mexico
San Jose de Chama Mission is a historic Catholic mission church located in the unincorporated community of Hernandez, New Mexico, on US Highway 84/285 between Española and the Chama River valley. It is a mission of the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Española, within the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. The mission is best known internationally as the subject of Ansel Adams's iconic 1941 photograph 'Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico.' Sunday Mass is celebrated at 12:30 PM in English, making it the only actively used mission chapel among four (San Francisco de Asisi in El Duende, San Antonio in El Guacho, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Guachupangue) overseen by Sacred Heart Parish.
- Established
- 1700s
- Patron
- Saint Joseph (San José)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Dominic Pierson
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Why belong here
San Jose de Chama Mission offers something rare: an authentic Spanish-colonial mission church, rooted in 18th-century Hispanic New Mexico faith and still active in worship, set in the small community of Hernandez. As the only regularly scheduled mission chapel of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, it welcomes Spanish-speaking heritage communities of the Española Valley and visitors drawn by Ansel Adams's 'Moonrise' to share the Eucharist every Sunday.
Mass times at San Jose de Chama Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Española (mother parish), and by appointment
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration in the Adoration Chapel at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Española
About San Jose de Chama Mission
San Jose de Chama Mission is a historic Catholic mission in the unincorporated village of Hernandez, New Mexico, on US Highway 84/285 north of Española. It is one of four historic mission chapels (El Duende, El Guacho, Guachupangue, and Hernandez) administered by the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Española as part of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Of these four, San Jose de Chama is the only mission with a regular weekly Sunday Mass, making it the spiritual hub for the surrounding Hispanic villages of the northern Española Valley.
- Type: Mission (mission chapel of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish)
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Santa Fe
- Languages: English, Spanish
- Mother parish: Sacred Heart of Jesus, Española, NM
History of the Church and Village
The mission dates to the 1700s, when Spanish colonial settlers founded the village under the name San Jose de Chama. The settlement later became known as Hernandez, named after Benigno C. Hernández, New Mexico's first Hispanic U.S. Representative (1919–1921). The simple adobe mission church and the whitewashed crosses of its adjoining cemetery remained essentially unchanged across the centuries, which is why they remain visually recognizable in Ansel Adams's 1941 photograph today.
- Founded by Spanish settlers, 1700s
- Original name: San Jose de Chama
- Renamed for Benigno C. Hernández, NM's first Hispanic U.S. Rep.
- Old adobe church still stands beside the cemetery
Ansel Adams's 'Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico'
On the late afternoon of November 1, 1941, Ansel Adams — traveling the Chama River valley toward Española with his son Michael and friend Cedric Wright — glimpsed the full moon rising over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains above the village. In a frantic scramble, he made a single exposure before the light vanished, producing 'Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico,' widely considered one of the most celebrated photographs of the 20th century. Astronomical reconstruction has placed the exposure at roughly 4:49 p.m. The image shows the adobe church, the field of white crosses in the cemetery, modest adobe homes, and the snow-covered peaks beyond — most of which can still be identified at the site today.
- Photograph taken Nov. 1, 1941 (~4:49 p.m.)
- Subject: the church, cemetery, and village of Hernandez
- Among the most famous landscape photographs ever made
- The San Jose de Chama Churchyard cemetery is no longer active for burials
Mass and Sacraments
San Jose de Chama Mission offers a single weekly Sunday Mass in English at 12:30 PM. All other sacraments, weekday Masses, and devotions are coordinated through the mother parish, Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Española.
- Sunday Mass at San Jose: 12:30 PM (English)
- Saturday vigil Mass at Sacred Heart: 4:30 PM (English)
- Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart: 8:00 AM (Spanish), 11:30 AM (English)
- Confessions Saturday 3:00–4:00 PM at Sacred Heart, and by appointment
Pastoral Staff
Like the other mission chapels, San Jose de Chama is shepherded by the pastor and staff of the mother parish, the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Española. Communion services, visits to the sick, and funerals in the mission community are coordinated through the parish office.
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Dominic Pierson
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Chris Gilbert
- Office coordinator: Tina Herrera
- Religious Education: Sr. Annunciata Ekezie
Parish Ministries at San Jose
Although it is a small mission, San Jose has an active complement of lay ministries and devotional societies, each with its own coordinator — many of whom serve alongside their counterparts at Sacred Heart. These ministries keep the mission's liturgical, charitable, and community life functioning between Sundays.
- San Jose Altar Society — Linda Martinez
- San Jose Lectors & Cantors — Dolores Gilbert, Antonia Herrera
- San Jose Music ministry — Rudy Valdez
- San Jose Eucharistic Ministers — LouAnna Trujillo
- San Jose Ushers — Virgil & Barbara Vigil
- San Jose Finance Committee — Alex Valdez
- San Jose Cemetery — Johanna Beavers
- San Jose Blessed Sacrament — Rosina Martinez
The Historic Cemetery
The San Jose de Chama Churchyard cemetery lies immediately behind the old adobe mission church. Although it is no longer active for new burials, the cemetery remains intact and visually much as Ansel Adams recorded it in 1941, with the same field of small white crosses. Visitors are asked to respect the graves, particularly given the heritage sensitivity of the site and the occasional conflicts with photographers and tourists attracted by Adams's photograph.
- Located behind the old San Jose Church
- No longer active for new burials
- Prominently featured in Adams's 'Moonrise' composition
- Caretaker: Johanna Beavers
Other Mission Chapels of Sacred Heart
San Jose de Chama is one of four historic Hispanic mission chapels of the Española Valley that historically fell under the pastoral care of Sacred Heart Parish. The three sister chapels at El Duende, El Guacho, and Guachupangue remain consecrated places but now celebrate Mass only on the feast day of their patron. San Jose itself is the only mission chapel with a regular weekly Sunday Mass schedule.
- El Duende — San Francisco de Asís (Mission Chapel)
- El Guacho — San Antonio (Mission Chapel)
- Guachupangue — Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mission Chapel)
- Mass at these chapels now: only on their feast day
Visiting San Jose de Chama
San Jose de Chama sits along the main highway between Española and the Chama River valley, making it easy to reach for both Mass and pilgrim/tourist visits. The simple adobe building is small and well-preserved; visitors are asked to keep silent during Mass and to treat the adjoining cemetery with respect, particularly given its heritage significance.
- Address: 19453 US Highway 84/285, Hernandez, NM 87537
- Phone (parish office): (505) 753-4225
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sacredheartofjesus.church
- From Española: northwest on US-84/US-285, past the Hernandez Fire Dept, ~0.3 mile north; turn left at the church sign
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Augustine John Mooreapproximately 1997–2011
Served nearly 15 years as pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish (and its missions including San Jose de Chama); oversaw church renovations including repainting and a new roof; retired in July 2011 and returned to Mobile, Alabama.
- Rev. Fr. Oscar Coelho2011–
Ordained in 2008 in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe; native of Bombay, India; succeeded Father Moore as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish.
- Rev. Fr. Dominic Piersoncurrent
Current pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Española, and its mission of San Jose de Chama.