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Journal North: Home | Sports | Opinion | Obits | Entertainment
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Questa Negotiates for Its Church
By Phil Parker
Journal Staff Writer
Questa officials are entering negotiations that could save the village's 170-year-old San Antonio de Padua Catholic Church — aka St. Anthony's Church — from demolition, according to Questa Mayor Esther Garcia.
Garcia met Tuesday with officials from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and said the two sides are working to swap village land for the old church, which would be turned over to a restoration committee.
The church's west wall collapsed in 2008, rendering the building unsafe. Archbishop Michael Sheehan has said repeatedly that the church should be torn down and replaced.
A survey of parishioners conducted last year indicated they'd prefer a new church be built, but many Questa parishioners protested because the parish extends to several other communities as far east as Red River and includes several smaller mission churches.
Garcia said there are several pieces of property the village could trade to the archdiocese. But she declined to specify where those properties were located. The archdiocese will decide within 30 days whether to make the trade and for which plot of land, she said.
The idea of demolition hasn't sat well with Questa community members. In late July, more than 100 people attended a rally to oppose tearing the church down, and Garcia said she turned over a petition to the archdiocese containing more than 350 signatures in support of restoration. (The latest census data indicate Questa has a population of fewer than 2,000.)
Church supporters hired an engineer who produced a $1 million restoration plan that would fortify the ancient adobe building and make it usable again. The village of Questa also passed an ordinance in February giving the Village Council the authority to designate historic properties, and the council then gave the church a historic designation.
The ordinance also gives the council authority over new construction and demolition. The archdiocese has agreed to abide by the new ordinance.
Among the archdiocese officials who met with Garcia on Tuesday were Chancellor John Cannon and property manager John Huchmala. Garcia said the archdiocese could build a new church on the traded land, and then when restoration is complete the villagers would have two churches to attend.
"They'll have the old and the new," Garcia said.
Archdiocese officials did not respond to phone messages Tuesday.
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