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October 2003
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
1:32:00 AM EDT
PADRE MARTINEZ MEMORIAL
The New Mexico Arts Division for the state agency Art in Public Places is the fiscal agent appointed to administer the $75,000 that the NM state legislature appropriated in 2002 for a bronze memorial in honor of Padre A. J. Martinez, Cura de Taos. With the final selection of the site (the Taos Plaza is a prime consideration), the funds will be released for the memorial of heroric proportion (up to 9').
In legislation proposed by Senator Carlos Cisneros from Questa, the state senate unanimously appropriated the monies from funds for public art in January 2002. Bonds to finance the project were sold during late summer, and they will be released in order to search for and an artist to sculpt the image as soon as the location of the memorial is firmly determined. The state capitol and the old capitol building in Santa Fe were considered as apt sites for the priest legislator who served six terms under the Republic of Mexico and seven terms under the U. S. Territory of New Mexico in the nineteenth century. However, some Taos members of the Memorial Committee favored the Taos Plaza.
The state senate, under the leadership of Senator Carlos R. Cisneros unanimously affirmed Padre Martinez as "La Honra de Su País/ The Honor of His Homeland." They reprised the encomium that the Territorial Assembly inscribed on the Padre's tombstone upon his death in 1867. In spite of the controversy with his ecclesiastical superior in the latter part of his life, the legislature commended Padre Martinez because of his towering stature as an historical and cultural figure in nineteenth century New Mexican history.
Padre Martinez was a priest who served his people since 1826 from the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Taos.
Padre Martinez was also a rancher, printer, publisher, educator, politician, and legislator. As an educator, he founded a primary school for girls and boys in 1827, a seminary in 1835 to prepare native clergy, and a law school in 1847. He brought to New Mexico the first printing press west of the Mississippi River, and printed the first book in New Mexico. Already a Canon Lawyer expertly versed in church law since seminary, he became a civil lawyer in 1842 in order to advocate more effectively for the rights of the poor. As a legislator, he made significant contributions to all the people of New Mexico under the successive governments of both Mexico and the United States.
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1:32:00 AM EDT
Memorial: "La Honra de Su Pais"
PADRE MARTINEZ MEMORIAL
The New Mexico Arts Division for the state agency Art in Public Places is the fiscal agent appointed to administer the $75,000 that the NM state legislature appropriated in 2002 for a bronze memorial in honor of Padre A. J. Martinez, Cura de Taos. With the final selection of the site (the Taos Plaza is a prime consideration), the funds will be released for the memorial of heroric proportion (up to 9').
In legislation proposed by Senator Carlos Cisneros from Questa, the state senate unanimously appropriated the monies from funds for public art in January 2002. Bonds to finance the project were sold during late summer, and they will be released in order to search for and an artist to sculpt the image as soon as the location of the memorial is firmly determined. The state capitol and the old capitol building in Santa Fe were considered as apt sites for the priest legislator who served six terms under the Republic of Mexico and seven terms under the U. S. Territory of New Mexico in the nineteenth century. However, some Taos members of the Memorial Committee favored the Taos Plaza.
The state senate, under the leadership of Senator Carlos R. Cisneros unanimously affirmed Padre Martinez as "La Honra de Su País/ The Honor of His Homeland." They reprised the encomium that the Territorial Assembly inscribed on the Padre's tombstone upon his death in 1867. In spite of the controversy with his ecclesiastical superior in the latter part of his life, the legislature commended Padre Martinez because of his towering stature as an historical and cultural figure in nineteenth century New Mexican history.
Padre Martinez was a priest who served his people since 1826 from the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Taos.
Padre Martinez was also a rancher, printer, publisher, educator, politician, and legislator. As an educator, he founded a primary school for girls and boys in 1827, a seminary in 1835 to prepare native clergy, and a law school in 1847. He brought to New Mexico the first printing press west of the Mississippi River, and printed the first book in New Mexico. Already a Canon Lawyer expertly versed in church law since seminary, he became a civil lawyer in 1842 in order to advocate more effectively for the rights of the poor. As a legislator, he made significant contributions to all the people of New Mexico under the successive governments of both Mexico and the United States.
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This entry has 2 comments: (Add your own)
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The memorial project is long overdue. Congraulations to Senator Carlos Cisneros and all who have promoted it!
11/3/03 1:59 AM
SaludyPaz@aol.com