Past Projects

Located eight miles from Las Vegas, NM, Tecolote is a community of about 70 families. Community traditions are strong in Tecolote, as evidenced by extensive restoration work done on their historic Nuestra Señora de los Dolores church. In 1994, the Deacon from Las Vegas informed the community that the Archdiocese was closing the church due to structural problems. To then mayordoma Donna Romero, the thought of losing the church was “…frightening, really. All our history is there. It is the one thing that this community shares in common. It is the center of our community life, and it is here regardless of whether you go to church.”

A community meeting was arranged with Cornerstones, and it was immediately agreed that the church should be preserved. Aside from asking for donations from each family, the community organized a bingo benefit and two raffles, including such prizes as a horse, a calf, firewood and jewelry. Soon after they started fundraising, they had $8,000 in the bank. Over the years, they have rebuilt the altar floor and all the exterior windows, constructed a new circular stairway up to the choir loft, re-roofed the building, put in a new electrical system, and replaced the cement plaster with a traditional lime finish. The community celebrated a rededication mass in February of 2000, led by Archbishop Michael Sheehan.