Franciscan Alumni Association Reunion
October 1 – 4, 2026
Holy Cross Retreat Center
Mesilla Park, New Mexico
Announcing the 2026 FAA Reunion
Ted Gomez ’72
Reunion Coordinator
Reunion Committee
Matthew Jaramillo ’77
Gary Bales ’72
Sally Bales
Gene Gomez
Visit the Holy Cross Retreat Center website by clicking here.
A video on the Retreat Center can be found on YouTube by clicking here. (Note this link with take you to YouTube. The FAA has no control over the advertising you may see.)
Greetings, Franciscan Alumni!
The Franciscan Alumni Association is pleased to announce that the 2026 Franciscan Alumni Association Reunion will take place at the Holy Cross Retreat Center in Mesilla Park, New Mexico, a neighborhood on the south side of Las Cruces.
In addition to the usual activities and fellowship, our reunion will be a weekend commemorating the 800th Anniversary of the death of St. Francis and the Franciscan influence in the Southwest. We will celebrate Transitus, have the opportunity to make local excursions to the Cathedral and Plaza in the historic Mesilla Valley, tour the Franciscan Missions in El Paso, Texas, and visit other local points of interest such as the White Sands National Park, and more.
Fellow Alumni, we remind you that spouses, partners, and family members are welcome to accompany you to the chapter/reunion.
To contact the Reunion Planning Committee, you are welcome to email them at 2026Reunion@franciscan-alumni.org.
Sally Bales
Matthew Jaramillo ’77
Gary Bales
Gene Gomez
Quick Links
Schedule of Events
— Thursday
— Friday
— Saturday
— Sunday
Registration Form
How to Get There
Where to Stay
Who’s Coming
Other Attractions of Interest
Schedule of Events
Fellow Alumni, we remind you that spouses, partners, and family members are welcome to accompany you to the chapter/reunion.
All times are Mountain Daylight Time.
This is a preliminary outline of the events we have planned for the reunion thus far, and is subject to change. As we get closer, more specific times and locations will be added.
Thursday, October 1st
4:00 pm – Registration Opens
6:00 pm – Social with sandwiches, veggie and fruit trays, chips, dips, and drinks
— Stories and Sing-Along
— Group Picture
Friday, October 2nd
7:30 am – Morning Prayer
8:00 am – Breakfast
Excursions:
— Historic El Paso Mission Tour (Drive Time-1.5 hours. Cost: Donation)
— White Sands National Park Monument (Drive time-1.5 hours. Cost: $20/car)
— Farm and Ranch Museum, Las Cruces (Drive Time-.5 hour. Cost: $6)
Noon – Lunch on your own.
6:00 pm – Evening Meal at Holy Cross.
7:00 pm – FAA Chapter Meeting (with Board Membership Elections)
— FAA Awards Presentations
— Remembrance Service
— Group Picture
— Refreshments
— Stories and Sing-Along
Saturday, October 3rd
7:30 am – Morning Prayer
8:00 am – Breakfast
9:30 am – Talk on Franciscan history in the Southwest by Retreat Director, Brother Joseph Bach, OFM Conv.
— Personal reflection time around the grounds.
Noon – Group Lunch at La Posta de Mesilla – $30.00 per person; FAA private room, 7 entree choice buffet, cash bar. See registration form.
Shopping nearby or Gadsden Museum or other activities on you own
5:00 pm – Mass
6:00 pm – Dinner
TBD – Transitus
— Group Picture
— Stories and Sing-Along
Sunday, October 4th
7:30 am – Morning Prayer
8:00 am – Breakfast
Goodbyes
How To Get There
The Holy Cross Retreat Center is located at 600 Holy Cross Road. in Mesilla Park, New Mexico, a neighborhood of Las Cruces, NM.
For those of you who are flying in, it is recommended that you use El Paso International Airport (ELP). It is about a one hour drive on I-10 from the airport to the retreat center.
It is not recommended using the Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) as it is over three hours from the airport to the retreat center. And, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will be taking place the weekend of our Reunion; Albuquerque will be packed with travelers.
There is also an Amtrack station in El Paso, which may be an option for some.
Registration Form
The deadline for registering is September 1, 2026, so adequate preparations can be made for the activities, meals, and lodging.
If you are staying off campus, please register for the activities and meals you will be attending using the registration form.
We are still working on the registration form, it will be coming soon!
Where to Stay
Our primary lodging will be at the Holy Cross Retreat Center. A variety of room options are available, and are detailed on the registration form.
The retreat center has 46 retreat rooms, each with private baths and four additional rooms served by two bathrooms; all linens are provided. Wi-fi is available throughout the retreat center, but there are no phones or televisions in the rooms. They are individually air-conditioned and heated.
Thirty-four rooms have three twin beds, eight have one queen size or double bed, and four rooms have a double and a twin bed. Two rooms have a ramp and walk-in shower with no barrier for those with physical limitations.
The website for the retreat center can be found here. There is also a video on YouTube that can be found here. (Clicking on the link will take you to YouTube. Please be aware that there may be advertisements by YouTube; they are not controlled by the FAA.)
There are a variety of other hotels that can be found in Las Cruces: Hilton Garden Inn, Ramada Inn, Drury Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Holiday Inn Express to name a few. A group rate or booking has not been setup with any of the hotels for this reunion, as most attendees will be staying at the retreat center.
Who’s Coming
If you are planning to join us, please send an email with your name, graduation year, and all who will be accompanying you to: 2026reunion@franciscan-alumni.org. So far we have heard from the following alumni who plan to attend.
By Class Year
Class of ’70
Henry Beck, OFM
Class of 72
Gary and Sally Bales
Ted and Pearl Gomez
Pat and Liz Valdez
Class of 75
Butch Feldhaus
Rick Gardner
Joe and Mary Sears
Class of 77
Matthew Jaramillo
Frank and Kathie Lopez
Class of 79
Bryan and Linda Reising
Alphabetical by Last Name
Gary and Sally Bales ’72
Henry Beck, OFM ’70
Butch Feldhaus ’75
Rick Gardner ’75
Ted and Pearl Gomez ’72
Matthew Jaramillo ’77
Frank and Kathie Lopez ’77
Joe and Mary Sears ’75
Bryan and Linda Reising ’79
Pat and Liz Valdez ’72
Other Attractions of Interest
White Sands National Park Monument (Drive time-1.5 hours. Cost: $20/car)
Historic El Paso Mission Tour (Drive Time-1.5 hours. Cost: Donation)
Farm and Ranch Museum, Las Cruces (Drive Time-.5 hour. Cost: $6)
