The History of the Guadalupano Orphanage of Mexiquito

Published December 28, 2022

By Luis Felipe Rodriguez

On December 12, 1970, the facilities of the Guadalupano Orphanage of Mexiquito, as we know them today, were inaugurated. Father José Mojica said that he and his mother, Virginia, used to watch the sunsets from the old town of Mexiquito. One afternoon while contemplating the ruins of the town Doña Virginia suggested that he should try to build a church there to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe.

“Son, San Miguel has a lot of Catholicism and a large number of churches,” she told him, “but I don’t know of any dedicated to Our Blessed Mother of Guadalupe. It is a pity that the hacienda is in such a state of abandonment. It could be used to build a church for the Guadalupana.” Mojica replied “I promise you, mother, that one day I will have a church built for Our Mother of Guadalupe.”

There is no documentation on exactly when the idea of building this church came up. According to Mother Teresa Calderón, of the Dominicas de María order, it was Father José Mercadillo, parish priest of San Miguel de Allende, whose idea it was. Father Mercadillo had been a close friend of José Mojica ever since the latter moved to San Miguel. The two probably discussed the project.

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