The faithful gathered at The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assissi on Friday to pay last respects to former Santa Fe Archdiocese Archbishop Michael Sheehan.
The Most Reverend Sheehan passed away Saturday at the age of 83.
Along with catholic leaders from across the southwest and New Mexico, tribal and pueblo leaders and Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber were in attendance.
The service was conducted in both English and Spanish.
Delvin Toya and Family from the Jemez Pueblo presented a Native-American procession.
The Most Reverend Joseph E. Strickland, Bishop of Tyler, Texas and longtime friend of Sheehan gave the eulogy.
He says it was a time of great turmoil for the Santa Fe Archdiocese when Sheehan first took over as Archbishop, but he used his commitment to love everyone to keep his faith.
“That positive attitude made him truly embrace this Land of Enchantment with that Episcopal motto guiding him,” he said. “Truely a camino away for him to face all that he had to face ‘Love One Another Constantly”
Sheehan was ordained in July of 1964, in Rome, Italy by Auxiliary Bishop Filippo Pocci for the Diocese of Dallas, was installed as the eleventh Archbishop of Santa Fe in September of 1993, and retired in 2015.
Archbishop John Wester says Sheehan was a faithful servant of the Lord who loved The Cathedral Basilica and all its priests, deacons, religious and lay faithful.