About St. Vivian · Milan, New Mexico
St. Vivian's Church is a small Catholic parish in Milan, New Mexico, serving the Catholic population of the village just west of Grants. Founded in 1969 under the guidance of its first pastor, Father Joseph Brackett, the parish is part of the Cibola Catholic Community and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup. Despite operating in an economically depressed area, the parish has remained active, expanding its youth activities including a youth choir and the Life Teen program. Notably, St. Vivian's offers the only late Sunday Mass between Gallup and Albuquerque, serving as a key stop for travelers and Catholics in central-western New Mexico.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- St. Vivian
- Rector
- Fr. Augustine Laiju Mathew, JCL (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Gallup
Why belong here
St. Vivian's is a welcoming small parish that has sustained faithful Catholic life in Milan for over five decades. It offers the only late Sunday Mass between Gallup and Albuquerque, making it a convenient option for Catholics and travelers in central-western New Mexico. The parish invests in its young people through Life Teen and a youth choir, and it is part of the broader Cibola Catholic Community, which links it to neighboring faith communities in the region.
Mass times at St. Vivian
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: Before Mass
History of St. Vivian's Parish
St. Vivian's Parish traces its roots to the early 1960s, when the small village of Milan — west of Grants — was growing and needed its own Catholic church. Priests in Grants recognized the need, and then-Mayor Salvador Milan donated land to the Diocese. Because the small congregation could not yet build, Mass was first celebrated in an Episcopal church. In 1969, Milan officially became its own parish, with Father Joseph Brackett as its first pastor. He raised funds to build a church, which was dedicated to St. Vivian on November 11, 1969 — the last church blessed by Bishop Espelage. A tower was added to the structure in 1977.
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by a parochial administrator, two parochial vicars, and a deacon as part of the Cibola Catholic Community. The diocese lists Deacon Larry Chavez among the parish's deacons.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Fr. Augustine L. Mathew, JCL
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Johnson, SC
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Fr. Aaron Alford
- Deacon: Deacon Larry Chavez
Youth Ministry & Activities
The parish places special emphasis on its young people, with active programs to engage Catholic teens and children in the life of the Church. The parish itself notes that it is expanding its youth activities, especially in the area of youth choir and Life Teen.
- Life Teen
- Youth Choir
Contact & Location
St. Vivian's Church is located on Sand Street in the village of Milan, just west of Grants, New Mexico. The mailing address is a P.O. Box in Milan. The parish shares its website — cibolacatholiccommunity.com — with the broader Cibola Catholic Community.
- Address: 501 Sand Street, P.O. Box 2938, Milan, NM 87021
- Phone: 505-285-6645
- Website: cibolacatholiccommunity.com
- Facebook: Cibola Catholic Community
The Cibola Catholic Community
St. Vivian's is part of the Cibola Catholic Community, a grouping of parishes in the Cibola County area served together by shared clergy. The community's website — cibolacatholiccommunity.com — lists St. Vivian's alongside other parishes in the region.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Fr. Augustine L. Mathew, JCL
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Johnson, SC
- Vicar: Aaron Alford
- Bishop: Most Reverend James (Ordinary of the Diocese of Gallup)
Patron: St. Vivian
The parish is named in honor of St. Vivian. Specific details about the patron saint and her feast day are not published on the parish or diocesan websites reviewed.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Brackett1969
First pastor of St. Vivian's; oversaw the founding of the parish, the building of the church, and its dedication to St. Vivian on November 11, 1969.