Lay Leadership in Rural Hispano-Catholic Communities: A Case Study of Concho, Arizona

Abstract: This article examines the oral histories of residents of Concho, Arizona, a small town in Apache County founded in the 1860s. Focusing on the community members’ ethno-religious ties to the Hispanic culture of their New Mexican ancestors and their deep attachment to Catholicism, this article argues that the residents, through their roles as lay leaders within the San Rafael Catholic Church, have asserted a unique ownership of their faith community within the larger Diocese of Gallup. Despite the relative isolation of Concho, the town’s Catholic community remains vibrant, while negotiating its relationship with the church’s institutional hierarchies. This article asserts that oral history offers a more complex view of Catholic life in Concho that cannot be garnered from other sources. Drawing from religious studies, regional studies, and oral histories, this article demonstrates that Catholicism remains deeply embedded in the daily lives of Concho residents despite institutional challenges.