Former Archbishop Robert Fortune Sanchez was laid to rest Thursday at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi following a funeral Mass attended by more than 1,000 people.

People of various ages, backgrounds and faiths heard the Rev. Monsignor Richard Olona of the Risen Savior Catholic Community in Albuquerque deliver a homily for the man he referred to as a "natural and charismatic leader."

Sanchez, who had headed New Mexico's largest Roman Catholic diocese for nearly two decades before disappearing from the public eye after his 1993 resignation, died in Albuquerque on Jan. 20 at age 77 due to complications from dementia.

Olona said Sanchez lived by a single theme: gratitude. "In private conversations, meetings, homilies, he always was giving thanks. He literally would say 'thank you, thank you, thank you.'

"Today is our opportunity to, publicly, and officially say, 'Thank you, Archbishop Sanchez, for all you did for 19 years for the entire people of God,' " Olona said. "This funeral will finally put an end to another 19 years of seclusion. You are now home, in your cathedral, with your family, friends, people and God. Welcome home."

The Socorro native who became the nation's first Hispanic archbishop was widely popular before he became mired in scandal, including allegations by three women that he was sexually involved with them when they were teenagers.

The current archbishop of Santa Fe, Michael Sheehan, said that after Sanchez resigned he was sent to a convent in Minnesota, and in recent years, when Sanchez's health was failing, Sheehan knew it was proper to get him back home.

“Several years ago I appealed to Rome to allow him to return to New Mexico,” Sheehan said. Sanchez lived under the care of the Franciscan brothers in Albuquerque. About 30 of those brothers attended the Mass, and at one point they surrounded Sanchez’s simple wooden casket to sing their traditional funeral chant, “La última canción” — The Last Song — often just called “Ultima.”

Sheehan said Sanchez accomplished many things as archbishop. One of those accomplishments was expanding services for Latino Catholics. In 1974, when Sanchez became archbishop, Masses in Spanish were rare. Today Spanish Masses are common. This change was due to Sanchez's active involvement in the Bishop's Committee for Hispanic Affairs, Sheehan said.

During both Wednesday and Thursday services at the cathedral basilica, statements about forgiveness were offered, specifically referring to victims of abuse by pedophile clergy during Sanchez's tenure.

"We pray for those who have suffered because of sexual scandals in the past," Sheehan said.

Sanchez's middle brother, Rozier Edmond Sanchez, 80, thanked all who attended the service on behalf of all the family and called the two days of services "impressive."

Lee Moquino of Santa Clara Pueblo, who attended both days of what he referred to as a historic event, said it was a privilege.

Moquino said he was only a young boy when Sanchez was archbishop, but he still remembers him clearly.

"I remember seeing him at our feast days at our pueblo," Moquino said. "I remember him participating in our prayers and eating among our people. I think he was a wonderful person."

Sanchez was interred in a crypt at the cathedral basilica, the eighth archbishop whose remains have been buried under the church.

Contact Sandra Baltazar Martínez at 986-3062 or smartinez@sfnewmexican.com.




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