Ysleta Mission

In 1680, as a result of the Pueblo Revolt, the Tigua (Tiwa) tribe was forced to flee from their ancestral home, Isleta Pueblo, located south of present-day Albuquerque, New Mexico. Some of the pueblo people fled to Hopi territory in Arizona while others followed Spanish colonists as they retreated southward. The Spanish and their Pueblo allies eventually settled in El Paso del Norte (present day El Paso, TX) where they established the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and where the Ysleta Mission was founded. The spelling of Ysleta with a "Y" and the term del Sur (south) was to differentiate the new settlement from the mother pueblo, Isleta. In 1682, the Tigua people built a permanent structure out of adobe and, in October of that year, the building was formally dedicated by Bishop Salpointe of Tucson and named La Misión de Corpus Christi de San Antonio de la Ysleta del Sur in honor of the Tigua's patron saint, Saint Anthony (San Antonio). In 1897 the structure was remodeled and the now familiar gables and bee-hive bell tower were added. A fire in 1907, caused by chemicals stored in the bell tower to repel bats, resulted in massive damage to the building. The church was rebuilt in 1908 and remains much the same today. The church prospered and in 1918 Our Lady of Mount Carmel School was established and remained open until 2005 when the church closed it. 1962 – Site of first mission in Texas, ==The mission today==

In 1990 members of the community began efforts to restore and preserve the Ysleta and Socorro missions as well as the Presidio Chapel of San Elizario, Texas. That same year the City and County governments of El Paso formed the Office of Heritage Tourism and received technical support for the project from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the form of a grant. The newly created Office of Heritage Tourism established a board with representatives from various local governments, the Catholic Diocese, and private organizations who had been working separately on projects to restore the missions. Two Mexican architects with expertise in restoring adobe buildings were retained with the help of a grant from the National Park Service and they developed a comprehensive restoration plan which was the basis upon which Bishop Armando Ochoa began a much publicized fund raising effort to pay for the restorations. The Tigua people continue to be closely associated with the church and remain loyal to their patron saint, Saint Anthony of Padua. The Tigua feast day of San Antonio is observed on June 13, with a morning mass followed by traditional dancing. Directly adjacent to the church, the Tiguas built a large gaming center called Speaking Rock Casino; however, after a few years the state government of Texas successfully challenged its legality and it was subsequently closed down. It was later reopened but no longer offered casino style gaming. The Tigua Tribal Government offices are located a short distance from the church as is the Tigua Cultural Center. The church is currently owned by the Catholic Diocese of El Paso and staffed by Conventual Franciscans. For nearly a century, the church has hosted the Ysleta Mission Festival on the second weekend of July . This three-day event is one of El Paso's largest and proceeds from the event help fund the maintenance and preservation of the Ysleta Mission. In the 1960s a newer church building was constructed to accommodate the growing number of parishioners. The old church is now primarily reserved for special occasions such as weddings, quinceañeras, and baptisms. ==Timeline==

• 1680 – Spanish settlers and Tigua (Tiwa) Indians are driven from northern New Mexico and Isleta Pueblo by the Pueblo Revolt. They travel southward to El Paso del Norte where El Paso, Texas, and Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico exist today. Mexico Governor Antonio de Otermin, representing the crown of Spain, established the Ysleta Mission (Ysleta del Sur Mission) for the refugees. • 1907 – Fire caused massive damage to the church structure. It was rebuilt the following year. • 1919–1921 – Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (México-Cuba Province, El Paso, Texas and United States Province, Los Angeles, California) established and staffed Our Lady of Mount Carmel School (Tiwa). • 1922–1980s – Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word from the New Orleans, Louisiana, province staffed the school. • 1980s–2005 – Lay teachers and Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word staffed the school. • 1990–1992 – The church became a parish and was administered by diocesan priests. • 1992–present –Conventual Franciscans from Our Lady of Consolation Province, Mount St. Francis, Indiana, administer Our Lady of Mount Carmel. ==Photo gallery==

May 1936 File:Ysleta Mission Front 1936.jpg|Front (north) view File:Ysleta Mission South view May 26 1936.jpg|Rear (south) view File:Ysleta Mission Northwest Side May 25 1936.jpg|Northwest view File:Ysleta Mission Altar May 25 1936.jpg|High Altar July 2009 File:YsletaMissionInterior.png|Interior of Church from front door. The altar is straight ahead. File:YsletaMission-Plaque.png|Historic markers. File:YsletaHighAltar.png|High Altar. File:YsletaMissionOLGShrine.png|Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine File:YsletaMission-AllStsChapel.png|All Saints Chapel. ==See also==