Las Vegas Sun

April 25, 2024

My Sunday morning plan was to visit a church service somewhere in Las Cruces, N.M. Searching on the Internet, I found the historic Basilica of San Albino in Mesilla, built in the mid-1800s and only two miles away from our hotel. I came early for the morning Spanish mass to talk with Father Richard about photographing the service. He had concerns about whether his parishioners would feel comfortable being photographed, but told me to come back after mass because people tend to stick around. To my delight, when I came back an hour later, Sister Carmen Gloria, left, and Sister Teresa Maria were stationed out front, selling empanadas to the hungry crowd for only $2 per pack. -- Leila Navidi

Leila Navidi

My Sunday morning plan was to visit a church service somewhere in Las Cruces, N.M. Searching on the Internet, I found the historic Basilica of San Albino in Mesilla, built in the mid-1800s and only two miles away from our hotel. I came early for the morning Spanish mass to talk with Father Richard about photographing the service. He had concerns about whether his parishioners would feel comfortable being photographed, but told me to come back after mass because people tend to stick around. To my delight, when I came back an hour later, Sister Carmen Gloria, left, and Sister Teresa Maria were stationed out front, selling empanadas to the hungry crowd for only $2 per pack. -- Leila Navidi