Patronato’s Mission
Patronato San Xavier is a nonsectarian, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization founded by Southern Arizona community leaders in 1978. The Patronato’s only purpose is to promote the restoration, maintenance and preservation of Mission San Xavier del Bac, a National Historic Landmark near Tucson, Arizona.
After celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2008, the board of Patronato San Xavier remains determined and focused on its original goal - the restoration and preservation of the church at San Xavier. During the past 19 years of our active restoration, the interior artwork was conserved and the exterior has been re-finished as money and time allow. None of the work would have been possible without your generosity and support.
A comprehensive analysis of the building in 1988 found that the cement skin applied during earlier restorations was forcing moisture and salts to the interior, hastening the deterioration of the artwork. The interior preservation was carried out over a six-year period from 1992 through 1997. A grant from the Getty - matched by your gifts - saved the precious art and statuary inside the church.
In preparation for the conservation of the mural paintings and statues, we first worked on the exterior surfaces of the Mission that contained art. Rather than continue the use of incompatible materials, the decision was made to remove the cement and return to a traditional lime and sand plaster finish for the stucco.
It is slow and labor-intensive work. We began with the roof, the walls of the apse, side chapels and nave. After the main and side chapels were completed, we began to work on the church towers.
The restoration of the church is funded in part by Save America’s Treasures.
Over the last five years, thanks to a “Save America’s Treasures” grant - again matched by your donations - we have repaired and refinished the beautiful and elaborate West Tower. Now that the scaffolding is gone, we hope you will agree that the effort and care by Morales Restoration and Builders involved in the tower’s restoration have been worth the wait.
What remains to be done on the exterior is an extensive repair of the never finished East Tower and a separate conservation of the front façade. Both projects are “on hold” at present.
In February 2009, we lost a $150,000 grant from a Historic Preservation Heritage Fund grant from Arizona State Parks when the parks board voted to suspend the program due to budget cuts. That grant would have allowed us to begin the East Tower restoration.
A partial study of the façade was begun in 2008, but at the moment there aren’t sufficient funds to complete the work. See Patronato Surveys Church Façade.
We are exploring other opportunities to help us finish these projects; all require us to earn support from you, our donors.
We are grateful for your continued support, and with the help of past matching grants, we feel that we have been able to use your contributions wisely and effectively to polish an Arizona jewel and a national treasure. Please help us continue this important work.
See how you can help at Donate.
See our main Web site at http://www.patronatosanxavier.org/
E-mail: PatronatoSX@earthlink.net
