Name of Church Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó (Mission Loreto)

Location The mission is a prominent feature in downtown Loreto, Baja California South, Mexico.
Mass times Sundays, 7 a.m., noon, 7 p.m.
Confessions Ask the priest.
Names of priests Father Pablo Gomez
Fellow parishioners The mission serves the people of the town of Loreto, who are generally friendly and often poor. Although Mexico has its dangerous areas, southern Baja California is safe for visitors.
Parking Plenty.
Acoustics Good.
Additional observationsThe Loreto Mission was founded by Jesuit priest Juan María Salvatierra in 1697, the first of 17 missions the Jesuits would found in Baja. It still serves Loreto, a small community on the Sea of Cortez in southern Baja California.

Its purpose was to spread the faith to the Indians of the region, and it served as a base for more missions to be established in the remote regions of Baja California. The Jesuits were later expelled by the Spanish government that controlled Baja, and were replaced by Franciscans and Dominicans.

There is an inexpensive museum adjoining the church where you can learn about the history of the Baja missions and see artifacts. Loreto is a dry, desert region, but is popular as a tourist site because of its fishing and other ocean-related activities. The mission is located in Loreto’s quaint downtown, so take a walk and buy trinkets from friendly vendors nearby. The area gets HOT in the summer, so it would be more pleasant to go in the fall or winter months.

 

READER COMMENTS

Posted Friday, June 01, 2012 12:19 AM By Loraine
Would love to visit this church but how safe is it getting there?

Posted Friday, June 01, 2012 6:13 AM By MacDonald
Ah, Mexico…I used to love going there, but with all the drug violence now, I would rather not. By the way, isn’t Mexico where Mitt Romney’s family moved in order to continue the practice of polygamy, when it was outlawed in the United Sates? (“At the time [i.e., in the early 20th century], Mexico was the last bastion for the practice of plural marriage in the Church of Latter-day Saints.” In fact, Mitt’s father was born in a polygamy commune in Mexico. Or was it Kenya? And maybe Muslim? Oh, I’ve been reading too many posts in here…!)

Posted Friday, June 01, 2012 8:52 AM By Anne
Loraine, Loreto, which is in Southern Baja California, is safe for tourists. I was there recently, I brought my kids, and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back. Mexico is a big country, and just because there is violence in one region, doesn’t mean the whole country is dangerous. Also, remember, there are parts of the U.S. that are dangerous in our inner cities. Don’t let these fears deter you from visiting Mexico and its wonderful missions.

Posted Friday, June 01, 2012 10:10 AM By Carole
I’ve been to Baja more than once and I have to say the most dangerous thing I’ve come across is the sharp rocks on the beach. Of course it makes a difference when you fly in and I would not drive across the border. The border towns are where the violence is in Mexico and that’s not close to here. Avoiding Baja because of violence in Juarez would be like not going to Yosemite National Park because of violence in LA.

Posted Friday, June 01, 2012 2:05 PM By Maryanne Leonard
I love Mexico and particularly love the people, but I think that Anne and Carole either are wonderfully innocent to the point of naive, or perhaps are simply not aware of how alarming the situation has become, even in the areas once considered safe and welcoming for tourists. The whole country is suffering due to the astounding increase in violent crime, which is now one of the worst in the entire world. Whereas corruption, petty theft and ripping off tourists has always been part of the flavor of daily life in Mexico, nowadays the goal is to enjoy Mexico and still get back home with your life and the vast majority of your estate intact. It’s always a sunny day for the whole party when your return headcount matches the same number of human beings with which you began.

Posted Friday, June 01, 2012 3:33 PM By max
safe? how can this church be SAFE without a tridentine mass? where is the customary outcry? come on guys: don’t give up!!!

Posted Friday, June 01, 2012 4:34 PM By Loraine
Thanks for the info, Anne