The Guadalupe Historic Foundation : How a Secular, Non-Profit Organization Saved Santa Fe's Most Religious Site

The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe envisioned by a peasant in 16th century Mexico has been told over and over throughout the ensuring centuries, as has that of the Santuario de Guadalupe built in 18th century Santa Fe, New Mexico, by Franciscan friars who accompanied the Spanish Colonial colonists on the Camino Real (Road of the Royals) from Mexico to Santa Fe, bringing with them their Roman Catholic faith and devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. While the Santuario was not the first shrine to Our Lady in what became the United States, it is the oldest, still-used such structure in this nation.Yet, by the middle of the 20th century, the Santuario was in such disrepair that the parish considered demolishing it and paving over the site for a parking lot. Some said only a miracle could save it. This book goes behind the scenes and tells-for the first time-how a small, dedicated group of volunteers formed a secular, non-profit foundation in 1975 and proceeded to save the Santuario for generations to come. Over the next 30 years, these people, and hundreds more, gave their time, money and efforts to accomplish this miracle.