About St. Gertrude the Great · Mora, New Mexico
St. Gertrude the Great is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Mora, New Mexico, officially established by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in 1851, though the local Catholic community is much older. It serves as the mother church of Mora County, with sixteen mission chapels spread across the surrounding villages and ranching communities of the Mora Valley. The parish is cared for by the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) — the very valley where SOLT was born in the 1950s under Fr. Jim and Fr. John — and offers Mass in both Spanish and English, Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation for all ages, and a long Hispanic Catholic tradition of mayordomos, processions, and the annual Función.
- Established
- 1851
- Patron
- St. Gertrude the Great
- Rector
- Fr. Dale Craig, SOLT
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Why belong here
St. Gertrude's is the spiritual heart of Catholic life in the Mora Valley, welcoming families in both Spanish and English with a Spanish-language Mass at 9 a.m. and English Masses at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. each Sunday, plus weekday Masses in the chapel and a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel open 24 hours. Parishioners of all ages find a place through OCIA (for those becoming Catholic), Religious Education, Legion of Mary, WINGS (Women in Need of God), the Men's Group, the Music Ministry, the Sacred Heart of Jesus Society, Mayordomos for the missions, and a strong tradition of service to the sixteen mission chapels that surround the parish.
Mass times at St. Gertrude the Great
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 30 minutes before all Masses
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration — Adoration Chapel open 24 hours; adorers especially needed on Mondays 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
About St. Gertrude the Great
St. Gertrude the Great was officially established by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in 1851 in Mora, New Mexico, though the local Catholic community is much older. As the mother church of Mora County, the parish serves sixteen mission chapels spread across the Mora Valley: Alto del Talco, Buena Vista, Cañoncito, Chacón, Cleveland, El Carmen, El Turquillo, Golondrinas, Guadalupita, Holman, La Cueva, Ledoux, Lucero, Monte Aplanado, Ojo Feliz, and Rainsville. Each mission is cared for locally by a mayordomo or mayordoma in the centuries-old Hispanic Catholic tradition. The parish is part of the Mora Arts & Cultural Compound and is a designated Jubilee Church for the Holy Year 2025.
- Parish type: Roman Catholic parish (mother church of Mora County)
- Jurisdiction: Archdiocese of Santa Fe
- Stafed by: Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT)
- Missions: Alto del Talco, Buena Vista, Cañoncito, Chacón, Cleveland, El Carmen, El Turquillo, Golondrinas, Guadalupita, Holman, La Cueva, Ledoux, Lucero, Monte Aplanado, Ojo Feliz, Rainsville
History & Heritage
The Catholic community of Mora predates the formal founding of the parish. St. Gertrude's was officially established in 1851, the same year Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy arrived in New Mexico as the first Vicar Apostolic. The parish grew into a network of mission chapels serving the scattered Hispanic villages and ranching communities of the Mora Valley. In the 1950s, two young American priests — later known as Fr. Jim and Fr. John — arrived in Mora and founded the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) right at St. Gertrude's, beginning with catechesis, a food pantry, and youth and family ministry. The valley remains the spiritual birthplace of SOLT, and the society continues to send its priests, sisters, and lay missionaries to the parish today.
- 1851: Parish officially established by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe
- 1950s: Fr. Jim and Fr. John arrive in Mora and found SOLT at St. Gertrude's
- 2025: Parish celebrates 174 years of Catholic life in Mora County
- 2025: Designated a Jubilee Church for the Holy Year
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the three sacraments of initiation and Christian service: Baptism, Marriage, and the Anointing of the Sick. Parents register for Baptism at the Parish Office, with paperwork due two weeks before the preparation class (held the first Friday of the month); Baptisms are celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. Couples are asked to contact the parish priest or office at least six months before a proposed wedding date. For seriously ill parishioners or those facing major surgery, the priest should be notified; an emergency line is staffed for urgent Anointing of the Sick needs.
- Baptism: classes 1st Friday; Baptisms 1st Sunday; register 2 weeks in advance
- Marriage: contact priest/office 6+ months before proposed date
- Anointing of the Sick: emergency line 505-835-0199
Becoming Catholic — OCIA
St. Gertrude's welcomes anyone who wishes to become a full member of the Catholic Church through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA). OCIA classes meet on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. in the Pastoral Center and are led by Deacon Clarence Montoya. The program is open to adults who are unbaptized, to baptized Catholics who have not yet received Communion and Confirmation, and to Christians from other denominations seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. The classes are also open to anyone who simply wishes to deepen their Catholic knowledge.
- Tuesdays, 6:00 p.m., Pastoral Center
- Led by Deacon Clarence Montoya
- For unbaptized adults, uncatechized Catholics, and Christians from other denominations
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education for the parish's children and youth is directed by Cindy Branch, with the support of the faith formation team. Classes and sacramental preparation are coordinated through the Pastoral Center. In addition, OCIA classes for adults and youth ministry opportunities round out the parish's lifelong-formation offerings.
- Director of Religious Education: Cindy Branch
- Faith Formation coordinator: Deacon Clarence Montoya
- Youth Ministry: Open — contact the parish office
Ministries & Groups
St. Gertrude's is a parish of many small, active groups, each with a lay leader. From the Altar Society to WINGS, from the Men's Group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Society, parishioners find concrete ways to live the faith, serve neighbors, and support the sixteen mission chapels. The parish also coordinates charitable giving, food distribution (Commodities), and The Gabriel Project, which walks alongside pregnant women and families in need.
- Altar Society — Frances Martinez
- Legion of Mary — Liz DeHerrera (Tuesdays 9:00 a.m., Pastoral Center)
- WINGS (Women in Need of God) — Ellen Hagaman (Fridays 10:00 a.m., Pastoral Center)
- Men's Group — Deacon Clarence Montoya (1st & 3rd Wednesday, 7:00 p.m., Chapel)
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Society — Florence Trujillo (rosary 8:30 a.m., 1st Sunday)
- Choirs / Music Ministry — Mary Catherine Sandoval (2nd Wednesday, 6:00 p.m., Parish Hall)
- Eucharistic Ministers — Anabelle Lopez
- Lectors — Fidel Trujillo, Jr.
- Home Visitation — Sr. Maria Teresa Pacheco, SOLT
- Family Life — Chelsea Bustos & Jessica Martinez
- The Gabriel Project — Ellen Hagaman
- Mayordomos — Deacon Clarence Montoya (parish); Rebecca Montoya (missions)
- Charitable Giving — Mondays 10 a.m.–12 & 1–3 p.m.
- Commodities (food distribution) — Becky Kerr
- Parish Pastoral Council — Rick Bustos
- Parish Finance Council — Bruce Erickson
Mission Churches of the Mora Valley
Sixteen mission chapels are tied to St. Gertrude the Great, each with its own patron saint and local mayordomos. The missions are listed by GCatholic with their patron dedications, which include San Santiago (Alto del Talco), El Santo Niño de Atocha (Buena Vista and Monte Aplanado), San José (Cañoncito and Ledoux), San Antonio de Padua (Chacón and Cleveland), Nuestra Señora del Carmen (El Carmen), San Acacio (Golondrinas), Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Guadalupita), Inmaculado Corazón de María (Holman), San Rafael (La Cueva), Santa Rita (Lucero), San Isidro (Ojo Feliz), Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Rainsville), and Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús (Turquillo). From May to October the Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at the missions on a rotating schedule.
- Alto del Talco — San Santiago
- Buena Vista — El Santo Niño de Atocha
- Cañoncito — San José
- Chacón — San Antonio de Padua
- Cleveland — San Antonio de Padua
- El Carmen — Nuestra Señora del Carmen
- El Turquillo — Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús
- Golondrinas — San Acacio
- Guadalupita — Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
- Holman — Inmaculado Corazón de María
- La Cueva — San Rafael
- Ledoux — San José
- Lucero — Santa Rita
- Monte Aplanado — El Santo Niño de Atocha
- Ojo Feliz — San Isidro
- Rainsville — Sagrado Corazón de Jesús
Bible Study & Ongoing Formation
In addition to OCIA and Religious Education, the parish hosts a weekly Bible Study every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in the Pastoral Center, open to all adults who wish to grow in their understanding of Scripture. The Music Ministry also meets monthly to plan liturgy music, and parishioners are invited to join the choir.
- Bible Study: Wednesdays 6:00 p.m., Pastoral Center — all are welcome
- Music Ministry: 2nd Wednesday 6:00 p.m., Parish Hall
Parish Life & Events
Parish life is woven into the rhythm of the Mora Valley. A weekly Yard Sale at the Parish Hall is a community gathering place, and Charitable Giving hours on Mondays distribute assistance to those in need. The annual Función in November — held around the feast of St. Gertrude the Great on November 16 — brings together the mission communities, the SOLT family, and visiting Marian images such as La Conquistadora from Santa Fe, with a procession, Mass, catered luncheon, bingo, auctions, and music.
- Yard Sale: every Friday at the Parish Hall — contact Helen DeHerrera, 575-387-5702
- Annual Función: Sunday nearest November 16, with Mass, procession, and parish festival
- Parish Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Staff & Pastoral Team
The parish is led by a small pastoral team of SOLT priests, sisters, and deacons, supported by lay staff. Fr. Dale Craig, SOLT has served as pastor since March 2021. The two deacons and two SOLT sisters are joined in ministry by an administrative assistant, a director of religious education, and a bookkeeper.
- Pastor: Fr. Dale Craig, SOLT
- Deacon: Cristobal Eloy Roybal
- Deacon: Clarence Montoya
- SOLT Sister: Sr. Maria Teresa Pacheco (Home Visitation)
- SOLT Sister: Sr. Maria Esperanza Lopez
- Administrative Assistant: Angelica Lujan
- Director of Religious Education: Cindy Branch
- OCIA Program: Deacon Clarence Montoya
- Bookkeeper: Matilda
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The mailing address is PO Box 599, Mora, NM 87732, and the physical address is 8 County Road A033, 1 Church Plaza, Mora, NM 87732. For sacramental emergencies such as the Anointing of the Sick, a separate emergency line is staffed.
- Office: 575-387-2336 (Mon–Thu, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.)
- Anointing of the Sick emergency: 505-835-0199
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing: PO Box 599, Mora, NM 87732
- Address: 1 Church Plaza / 8 CR A033, Mora, NM 87732
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Dale Craig, SOLTMarch 2021–present
Ordained to the priesthood for SOLT in 1997; previously pastor of Most Holy Trinity in Phoenix, Arizona. Arrived at St. Gertrude the Great in March 2021.