About San Juan Nepomuceno Mission · Chilili, New Mexico
San Juan Nepomuceno Mission is a small Catholic mission church serving the historic village of Chilili in the East Mountains of New Mexico, about 20 miles south of I-40 on NM-337. It is one of seven active mission churches under the umbrella of Holy Child Parish in Tijeras (the others being San Antonito, Carnuel, Cedar Crest, Escobosa, San Antonio, and Sedillo). The mission is dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk, the Bohemian martyr and patron saint of confessors, and stands at the heart of La Merced del Pueblo de Chilili land grant community. Holy Child Parish was established on September 15, 1962, by Archbishop Byrne, and Father Mark Granito currently serves as pastor of the parish and its missions. The mission welcomes visitors to Sunday Mass, weekly adoration, and ongoing catechesis in this centuries-old Hispano Catholic community.
- Established
- 1841
- Patron
- Saint John of Nepomuk (San Juan Nepomuceno) — patron saint of confessors
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Mark Granito
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Fe)
Why belong here
San Juan Nepomuceno Mission anchors one of New Mexico's oldest Hispano Catholic communities — the Chilili Land Grant — where Sunday Mass, weekday adoration, and ongoing religious-education (catechism on Monday evenings at the Chilili Multi-Purpose Building) are supported by dedicated volunteer mayordomos. As one of seven missions served by Holy Child Parish in Tijeras, the church ties a rural village congregation to a wider Catholic family that spans over 300 square miles of the East Mountains, while keeping the intimacy of a small historic mission alive.
Mass times at San Juan Nepomuceno Mission
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–4:45 PM at Holy Child Parish in Tijeras
- First Friday 5:30 PM at Holy Child Parish in Tijeras
Adoration times
- Wednesday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (at the mission, per Chilili Land Grant)
- Monday through Thursday 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM at Holy Child Church, Tijeras
- Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM at Holy Child Church, Tijeras
About San Juan Nepomuceno Mission
San Juan Nepomuceno Mission is a historic Catholic mission church serving the village of Chilili, New Mexico, in the East Mountains about 20 miles south of I-40 via NM-337. The mission is one of seven active mission churches forming Holy Child Parish in Tijeras, which serves more than 300 square miles of the East Mountains and intersects State Highway 14 and old Route 66. The mission is dedicated to San Juan Nepomuceno (Saint John of Nepomuk), the patron saint of confessors.
History of the Mission and Parish
The Chilili church building was completed in 1841, 71 years before New Mexico statehood, and honors Saint John of Nepomuk, a 14th-century Bohemian priest-martyr. The mission sits on land historically associated with La Merced del Pueblo de Chilili, the local Spanish/Mexican land grant. The umbrella parish, Holy Child in Tijeras, was established September 15, 1962, by Archbishop Byrne; its first adobe church was built in 1912 along old Route 66, and volunteers constructed the present church (1971), rectory (1987), San Jose Hall (1996), and Blessed Miguel Pro Hall (2004). The adjacent San Juan Nepomuceno Cemetery, founded in 1900, is noted for the punched-tin folk-art tombstones of Horace McAfee.
- Present church building: 1841
- San Juan Nepomuceno Cemetery founded: 1900
- Holy Child Parish established: September 15, 1962
- First parish church (adobe) built: 1912
- Present Holy Child church (Tijeras) built by volunteers: 1971
- Rectory built: 1987
- San Jose Hall built: 1996
- Blessed Miguel Pro Hall built: 2004
Mass and Liturgy
Sunday Mass at San Juan Nepomuceno is celebrated at 8:00 AM (with the exception of the 2nd Sunday of the month, when Mass moves to San Isidro Mission in Escobosa). The Chilili Land Grant community schedule also references Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM. Daily Masses, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Vigil/First Saturday Masses are celebrated at the parish church in Tijeras. The mission belongs to a parish-wide system in which a different mission church hosts the Friday evening Mass each week.
- Sunday 8:00 AM — San Juan Nepomuceno, Chilili (English)
- 2nd Sundays: 8:00 AM Mass at San Isidro Mission, Escobosa
- Sunday 9:30 AM (per Chilili Land Grant schedule)
- Weekdays Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM at Holy Child, Tijeras
- Friday 6:00 PM rotating among Tijeras, Carnuel, San Antonio, San Antonito (1st/5th Fri – Tijeras; 2nd – Carnuel; 3rd – San Antonio; 4th – San Antonito)
- Saturday Vigil 5:00 PM at Tijeras
- First Saturday 9:00 AM at Tijeras
Sacraments
The parish offers the full range of Catholic sacraments across its mission churches. Baptisms require a baptismal-instruction class held the second Monday of the month at 7:00 PM in Tijeras, with baptisms celebrated on Sundays after the 10:00 AM Mass. Weddings should be scheduled 6 months to a year in advance. The Anointing of the Sick is available before surgery, and Communion is brought to the homebound.
- Baptism (instruction & Sunday celebration)
- First Communion & Confirmation
- Marriage (6–12 months advance notice)
- Anointing of the Sick (call parish office before surgery)
- Communion to the Sick and Aged
- RCIA for adults
- Funeral/Memorial services
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Catechism classes for the mission are held on Mondays from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Chilili Multi-Purpose Building. The wider parish supports a Catholic school (Holy Child Catholic School, founded 2008) whose students serve as altar servers, lectors, choir members, and members of the St. Vincent de Paul Youth Club. RCIA is coordinated through the parish office for adults preparing to enter the Church.
- Catechism: Mondays 5:30–7:00 PM, Chilili Multi-Purpose Building
- Baptismal instruction: 2nd Monday, 7:00 PM, Tijeras
- Holy Child Catholic School (K–8), founded 2008
- St. Vincent de Paul Youth Club
- F.I.A.T. ministry
- RCIA for adults
Parish Staff and Clergy
Holy Child Parish and its seven missions are served by Pastor Rev. Fr. Mark Granito and three deacons: Larry Carmony, Maurice Rodriguez, and Randall Rodriguez. Parish staff includes a Parish Secretary, Business Manager, Catechetical Leader, Choir Director, and Ministry Coordinator, supporting the parish office in Tijeras.
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Mark Granito
- Deacon Larry Carmony
- Deacon Maurice Rodriguez
- Deacon Randall Rodriguez
- Parish Secretary, Business Manager, Catechetical Leader, Choir Director, Ministry Coordinator
Mayordomía and Community Life
Following the centuries-old Hispano Catholic tradition, the mission is supported by volunteer mayordomos who care for the church and its sacristy. The Chilili Land Grant community notes with gratitude the current mayordomos, Max and Melissa Gutierrez. Catechism, daily adoration, and the Sunday Mass form the rhythm of mission life for this tight-knit land-grant village.
- Current mayordomos: Max and Melissa Gutierrez
- Chilili Land Grant (La Merced del Pueblo de Chilili) stewardship
- Volunteer ministries across the seven-mission parish
San Juan Nepomuceno Cemetery and Folk Art
About three-quarters of a mile southeast of the mission on NM 337 lies the San Juan Nepomuceno Cemetery, founded in 1900. The cemetery is celebrated for the distinctive folk-art memorial work of local artist Horace McAfee (d. 2012), who crafted punched-tin tombstones, angelic cutouts, and mixed-media grave markers beginning with the memorial for his father, WWI veteran Harry McAfee. The site — also known as the New Chilili Cemetery — is a recognized expression of New Mexican folk devotion.
- Cemetery founded 1900
- Location: ~3/4 mile SE of church on NM 337, south of Pohl Road
- Horace McAfee (1919–2012) — punched-tin tombstones and folk-art grave markers
- Memorial to Harry McAfee, WWI veteran (d. 1933)
Plan Your Visit
San Juan Nepomuceno Mission is located at 9894 NM-337, Chilili, NM. From Tijeras, travel about 20 miles south of I-40 on NM-337. The parish office at Holy Child Church in Tijeras (19 Camino del Santo Niño) is reachable at (505) 281-2297; if someone is in danger of death, call the Father's emergency line at (505) 281-1502. Visitors are warmly welcomed to Sunday Mass, Wednesday adoration, and the community's ongoing catechetical life.
- Address: 9894 NM-337, Chilili, NM
- Parish office: 505-281-2297
- Priest emergency: 505-281-1502
- Office hours (by appointment): Mon–Thu 8:30 AM–12:00 PM & 1:00–4:00 PM; Fri 8:30 AM–12:00 PM
- Confessions: Sat 3:30–4:45 PM, Tijeras
- Livestream: Sun noon Mass on YouTube (Holy Child Parish channel)