Patron Saint
Feast Day March 19th
Father Adrian Sisneros was born and raised in Las Vegas, NM. Ordained a priest on June 4, 2022 at the Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi. Son of Jimmy and Rita Sisneros who, through love and example, shaped Father Adrian into a man with a heart for God who tirelessly works to bring Jesus to all who he encounters. His goals are simple and so powerful. "I simply want to be a priest God wants me to be, I want to be a man after God's own heart. I want to be a genuine, sincere man of integrity. I want to bring people closer to the heart of the Father by connecting with them at a heart-to-heart level."
Father Adrian, along with pastoring Saint Joseph's Parish and Missions, is the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese and Spiritual Director of Pilgrimages for Vocations.
Today our parish consists of a trinity of Catholic churches in the villages of Los Cerrillos, Galisteo and Golden, New Mexico. Throughout the 20th century the parish has also served the communities of Madrid and Lamy.
The parish's modern history began in 1939 when St. Joseph's in Los Cerrillos officially became a parish. Although the church and village of Galisteo can trace their beginnings back four centuries to the 1600's, when a Franciscan fray established a mission on the Tano Pueblo.
Over the centuries, weather, mining and the waves of Spanish, Hispanic, and Anglo emigrants have had both positive and at times harmful impacts to the villages and churches. Fortunately our parish has been blessed with dedicated spiritual leaders over the years, and the blessings keep flowing with the our new pastor Father Adrian Sisneros.
Prior to 1881 Visiting Franciscan priests from Pena Blanca
1881 to 1918 Visiting Franciscan priests from Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Santa Fe
1891 Fr. Defouri, Franciscan, visiting priest from Pena Blanca
1918 Fr. Jerome Jesse, Franciscian, officially became responsible for the mission
1921 to 1922 Fr. Jerome Jesse, Franciscan, directed the construction of the current church
1933 Fr. Bertin Harrington, Franciscan, started recording separate sacramental records
1934 to 1939 Fr. Regis R. Darpel, Franciscan
1939 to 195x Fr. Eugene Rousseaau, Franciscan, named first pastor
195x to 1959 Fr. Pacian Meyer, Franciscan
1959 to 1965 Fr. Angelico Chavez, Franciscan
1965 to 1973 Fr. Giles Huckenbeck, Franciscan
1973 to 1980 Fr. Otto Arthur Krische, Franciscan
1980 to 1982 Fr. Ricardo Russo, Parochial Vicar
1982 Fr. Alexius Ripperger, Franciscan
1982 to 1993 Fr. Otto Arthur Krische, Franciscan
1993 to 199x Fr. Maurus Pax, Franciscan
199x to 2001 Fr. Donnan Herbe, Franciscan, last Franciscan to serve as pastor
2001 to 2003 Fr. Ulric Pax, Franciscan
2003 to 2007 Monsignor Jerome Martinez y Alire, visiting monsignor from the cathedral + Deacon Thomas Baca
2007 to 2011 Fr. Jonas Romea
2011 to 2012 Fr. Francis A. Malley
2012 to 2013 Fr. Adam Lee Ortega y Ortiz, Canonical Pastor + Deacon Gilbert Valdez, +Fr. Ricardo Russo, visiting Franciscan priest
2013 Fr. Jon Alexander, O.P., Dominican Order of Preachers
Our 2014 directory is dedicated to the friars, priests, sisters and deacons who have or are currently ministering to the needs of the people of Los Cerrillos, Galisteo, Golden, Madrid, and Lamy.
1880 Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway arrives in Los Cerrillos
1880's Los Cerrillos Hills mining boom
Prior to 1881 Church of Pena Blanca Parish
1881 to 1918 Mission Church of Guadalupe Church, Santa Fe
1882 Church first listed in the Official Catholic Directory
abt. 1884 Original Church founded and erected
1891 Chapel of San Jose first listed
1891 Cemetary Land Purchased by Father Defouri
1892 Cerrillos School, opened (used for catechism classes)
1912 New Mexico becomes a State
1922 Current Church completed
abt. 1928 Pastor's Rectory constructed
1928 to 1941 Missionary Catechists Sisters, started serving the Parish
1939 Officially became a Parish, Fr. Eugen Rousseau was the first pastor
1954 Madrid coal mines closed, major impact on Madrid and Cerrillos