Other events during the dedication

Corina Santistevan and the Taos County Historical Society of Taos presented A SERIES OF IMAGES of Padre Martinez at the Taos Court House. The images included the 1938 woodcut by the late Helen Blumenshein, the Leroy Martinez drawing of 2004, a painting of the Padre that the Catholic Extension Society based in Chicago commissioned to be “poster boy” for its February 1976 calendar, and the Reluctant Dawn cover painting by the late Cynthia Bissell–a Taos artist.

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Memorial history

MEMORIAL TO HONOR PADRE MARTINEZ 13 YEARS IN THE MAKING

Sometime, in the 1980’s the Rev. Juan Romero mused to Moises Sandoval, the editor of his book RELUCTANT DAWN, and professional editor of Maryknoll Magazine-Revista Maryknoll that Padre Martínez deserved a memorial. In the early 90´s Sandoval sent Romero an issue of Maryknoll with the works of San Luis, Colorado sculptor Huberto Maestas featured on the cover. Romero then put this idea in the form of a written proposal and sent it to Taos historian Corina Santistevan and museum curator , a descendant of Padre Martínez and heir to the historic home in Taos, with suggestions on how funds might be raised for such an endeavor. Given the estimated cost of the memorial at $100,000, it was deemed unfeasible at the time and was tabled. In 2001, at a meeting in the Padre Martínez Home attended by Vicente Martínez, his son Antonio, and Corina Santistevan, the idea was revisited. Vicente suggested that Romero contact Senator Carlos Cisneros to see if the memorial could be funded by the state legislature.

PRAYER FOR DEDICATION OF UNVEILING

PRAYER FOR JULY 16, 2006
HONORING THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF
FATHER ANTONIO JOSE MARTINEZ

Bendito Dios, hoy estamos reunidos para celebrar la vida y ministerio de tu siervo el Padre Antonio José Martínez.

Hoy te ofrecemos nuestra adoración y gratitud por tu Hijo, nuestro Señor JesuCristo, quien ofreció y dió su vida para nuestra salvación.

PADRE MARTINEZ TAKES OVER THE PLAZA:

JULY 16, 2006
By Father Juan Romero

It was 8 PM on the eve of this midsummer night of 2006 that the expected dedication of the more than life-sized bronze Memorial of Padre Antonio José Martínez was to take place in the Taos Plaza. The event was scheduled to take place at 2 PM the following day, Sunday July 16, on occasion of the beginning of the “Fiestecitas” that anticipate the celebration of the annual Taos Fiestas. I circled the plaza in my rented car on my way to the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe where I would be spending the night. From that church, Padre Martínez actively served the people for thirty-two years. For another ten years before his death, he would continue to live in Taos and serve the people as he could as a priest and as a politician.

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VENUE FOR WEEKEND OF MEMORIAL UNVEILING: JULY 14-26

Several venues will be utilized for the functions taking place throughout the weekend. The Old County Courthouse on the Historic Taos Plaza, the Harwood Museum of Art, the Millicent Rogers Museum, Oñate Center (Ohkay Owingeh) and la Hacienda de los Martínez will be displaying the history, as well as hosting speakers interpreting the eventful life of Padre Martínez.