MONASTERY OF SAN JUAN DIEGO
HOW IT BEGAN
In 1863, Rev. Father Gabriel Usell who was the parish priest of Taos, New Mexico, petitioned church authorities to establish a convent and colony of The Sisters of Loretto there to teach the youth of northern New Mexico.
The three sisters sent to Taos were the superior Euphrosyne Thompson, Sister Ignacia Mora and Sister Angelica Ortiz. On October 15, 1863, made the seventy mile trip over rough roads and along the Rio Grande from Santa Fe having to walk half the way.
THE SCHOOL
A school for girls was opened on November 3, 1863 with each large classroom holding 80 to 100 students. Shorty after their 50th anniversary in Taos, the sisters began offering high school classes under contract by the school board. However, the sisters faced increased disapproval and tension in the public school system. in 1928, the property was purchased by Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Sister’s of Loretto were teachers there until the school permanently closed in 1973.