Fr. José Alberto Hernandez’s devoted love & service to Valencia County & all New Mexico

Last week’s edition of La Historia del Rio Abajo told the story of Fr. José Alberto Hernandez’s early life in Puerto Rico and training to become a Catholic priest in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Spain. Ordained in 1960, he served in parishes in Puerto Rico, New York City and finally New Mexico. He was assigned to the Immaculate Conception Church in Tomé in 2001.

In the following years, he established close personal ties to the Hispanic families and culture of Tomé. He won the love and respect of his parishioners through his kindness, inclusiveness, sense of humor and exceptional singing voice.

Pastor

Parishioners remember Fr. José Hernandez as a totally-engaged pastor. He attended all church-related meetings, but never led committees or told members what to do. He simply encouraged individuals and expressed his appreciation for their efforts.

In his words, “I let people figure things out on their own.”

He refused to engage in gossip, stating “no comment” when asked to favor one side or another in disagreements.

Fr. José could be seen walking around the church, its property and the Tomé Plaza each evening. He recited his rosary wherever he happened to be, including while he was walking (his favorite form of exercise) or simply waiting in his car in a parking lot.

Parishioners and complete strangers often sought his blessing. While standing at the cash register at a restaurant in Los Lunas, a woman asked him to bless her un-baptized baby. He did not hesitate to do so.

At one time or another, he has blessed everything from newly paved sections of N.M. 47 to the rebuilt historical jail on Tomé Plaza. After Mass, families often asked him to bless their new cars, dirt bikes, horses and pets.

A parishioner recalls asking Fr. José to say a blessing at his and his wife’s 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Although it was a last-minute request, Fr. José was there on time, dressed in his full regalia and ready to bless the grateful couple.

When asked to give a blessing, Fr. José simply inquires if people want him to bless them with his right hand or his left. When asked what is the difference, he replies that a right-handed blessing costs $20 while a left-handed blessing costs $10. Of course, he has never charged a cent.

Priest

As with everything he does, Fr. José is always willing and ready to administer the sacraments. He held baptisms each third Sunday of the month but was willing to baptize people of all ages at any time in the church.

Having baptized thousands of infants, he is frequently asked, “Do you remember me? You baptized me!” He remembers the adults he has baptized but, with a grin, admits that infants have changed in appearance in the years since he first met them.

Spanish-speaking parishioners often seek out Fr. José to hear their confessions in their mother tongue. He rarely refuses to hear confessions at other churches when help is needed.

As a young priest unfamiliar with vernacular Spanish, Fr. José heard the confession of a man who confessed a sin with a word the priest had never heard before. Later, Fr. José learned that he had forgiven the man and assigned him penance for being un borracho (a drunkard).

Before each Mass, Fr. José counts how many parishioners are in attendance to make sure there are enough hosts for everyone to receive communion. He has said Mass in many locations, including in the home of a dying woman confined to a wheelchair in Socorro.

Unlike more traditional priests, Fr. José has allowed photos to be taken on the altar and has allowed Mariachi groups to play their music during wedding ceremonies and funeral services. He has also allowed the playing of bagpipes.

Requests for last rites have come at all hours of the day and night. In one tragedy, Fr. José was called to administer last rites to a parishioner who had drowned when his car slid into an irrigation ditch and he was trapped under water.

In another instance, Fr. José was called to a house to administer last rites in the middle of the night. He rushed to the man’s side only to find him sitting up and well. It was a false alarm.

Later, as he administered last rites to a woman lying in her bed, she opened her eyes and asked him, “Am I dead yet?” Fr. José reassured her that she was still among the living.

Fr. José has permitted the burial of at least two non-Catholics in the Tomé church cemetery. When asked about his decision to allow the burials, he replied, “Jesus did not have a place to be buried.”

At least one parishioner writes Fr. José was present for her quinceañera, helped celebrate her 21st birthday, performed her wedding ceremony, baptized her daughter and was there for her parents’ funerals.

“He is part of our family!” Many other families could say the same.

Fr. José never expected to be paid for performing a burial, a baptism, a wedding or any other sacrament. Although he never sought compensation and never preached about the need for parishioners to contribute money, the church coffers were never empty and the parish never experienced a deficit during his tenure in Tomé or elsewhere.

Sacrifice and sadness

Fr. José’s years of service have come at great sacrifice and a good deal of sadness. He has always loved his native Puerto Rico, but only found time to visit his family on the island once a year.

Even these infrequent visits ended once his mother died at the age of 89 in 2002. Otherwise, he never took a vacation.

With some exceptions, Fr. José has enjoyed good health. He suffered ulcers as a young priest in Puerto Rico. He needed strong medication and a special diet to recover.

More seriously, he has suffered two heart attacks, both in April 2023. He was not a very good hospital patient, though. He especially tired of having to answer the same questions over and over again, a precaution for all hospitals but a bother for all patients.

Discharged after receiving three stents in his heart, Father returned home on a Thursday and sang in the choir the following Sunday morning.

Father has mourned the passing of his parents, many parishioners and friends. A particularly close friend was killed in a horseback riding accident in a ranch in northeast New Mexico. He was not notified until that night.

Retirement

Fr. José reluctantly retired in 2021 after 56 years of what was intended to be only temporary service in New Mexico. He continues to serve on a limited basis in his 64th year as a priest.

Fr. José lives in a peaceful, private residence in Rio Communities. In some ways, he is pleased to be relieved of the stress of projects, such as the vast remodeling of the Immaculate Conception church, an 11-year undertaking completed in March 2021.

He certainly does not miss computers, a modern invention he considers an obstacle to human engagement and interaction.

Fr. José still enjoys his frequent walks, constant prayer and caring for neighborhood birds and cats. He feeds countless birds and as many as a dozen cats each day.

He says Mass once a week and remains an important member of the church choir. He is sometimes a guest concelebrant at Our Lady of Belen.

As always, Fr. José especially enjoys visiting with people, including complete strangers who simply like to talk with this kind man. His parishioners and friends have hardly forgotten him, as proven by the 166 birthday cards he received on his 88th birthday earlier this year.

Fr. José will always be ready to help and serve those who cross his path, regardless of their religion, race, color, age or previous mistakes in life.

Father summarizes his devotion to others in just five words: “I see Jesus in everyone.”

It is equally true that Fr. José has blessed this world by helping others see the teachings of Jesus through him.

(La Historia del Rio Abajo is a regular column about Valencia County history written by members of the Valencia County Historical Society since 1998.

The author appreciates the assistance offered by many parishioners at the Immaculate Conception Church who gladly shared their memories of Fr. José and the impact he has had on their lives and their community.

Opinions expressed in this and all editions of La Historia del Rio Abajo are the author’s alone and not necessarily those of the Valencia County Historical Society or any other group or individual.)