When the Spanish settlers first arrived in Valle Redondo (Round Valley) between 1870 and 1876 they brought their faith with them, the Roman Catholic faith. No Catholic priest accompanied them as had been the case when the Spanish conquistadors settled along the Rio Grande. The nearest Catholic church where they could be baptized or get married was Socorro, New Mexico, or the Mission Church in Zuni, New Mexico.
The Spanish people of Valle Redondo kept their faith by gathering in different homes for veloRios, rosarios, and the re-enactment of the Posadas.
The first priest was Pedro Maria Badilla who was born in Costa Rica, Central America, on the 29th of June 1827. He was ordained on the 8th day of December at Lion in Nicaragua. He then became parish priest at Punta Arenas, Puerto Pacifico. He was then sent to Santa Barbara, a city not too far from Punta Arenas. He first went to London, Liverpool and Manchester. He then went to Paris, and then on to Marcella and Tolon, and then on to Rome where he hoped to receive the blessing of Pope Pius IX. He was not able to obtain an audience with the Pope at that time so he returned to Costa Rica
via New York. He left Costa Rica and went to Los Angeles, California. Bishop Mora of Los Angeles sent him to Tucson Arizona. In 1880, the Bishop of Tucson, J. B. Salpointe assigned him to go to the Apache-Navajo highlands (Apache County) - His orders were to proceed to St. Johns and establish in that community, the Catholic headquarters for that area.