St Peter's Church celebrates 100 years of faith, service and community

St. Peter's Catholic Church in Gunnison is celebrating a century of worship, community, service, and spirituality with a two-day fiesta on June 27–28. 

St. Peter's has served generations in the Gunnison Valley through prosperity, hardship, and change. Parishioners, clergy, and community members are gathering to celebrate 100 years.

What began as a small congregation serving a growing mountain town has evolved into the primary Catholic parish in Gunnison County. Today, St. Peter's serves a diverse and bilingual community of over 350 families while continuing its mission of faith, fellowship, and service.

The church name, St. Peter's, is in honor of Peter, one of the first followers of Jesus Christ.

Church leaders say the centennial is a chance to reflect on the parish's role in the community and look ahead.

"For 100 years, St. Peter's has been more than a building; it has been a home where people come together to worship, support one another, and serve the wider community," said Father Andres Ayala-Santiago.

The church has seen major changes in Gunnison and western Colorado. Parishioners have celebrated baptisms, weddings, and anniversaries. They also come together during difficult times, such as economic downturns, disasters, and losses. The church has and continues to be a home.

The church’s reach goes beyond Sunday services. Members support charitable outreach, religious education, youth activities, and ministries for local families and visitors. St. Peter’s remains a steady institution for community and spiritual growth.

Today, St. Peter's is led by Father Andres Ayala-Santiago. He has served the parish and other communities in Gunnison County for more than a decade. Under his leadership, the church has expanded its ministries, welcoming English- and Spanish-speaking congregants. "I am the first Hispanic, Latino priest in Gunnison. This has been a blessing for the community and me. The Catholic Church has been here since the late 1800s."

Ayala-Santiago told the Gunnison Country Times he is excited to celebrate the jubilee. "We walk forward—grateful for our past, united in the present, and filled with hope. We are walking as one family toward the 100-year anniversary of St. Peter's Catholic Church."

On Saturday, June 27, the parish will hold a special Mass at 5 p.m. A fiesta begins at 6 p.m., with tacos, pupusas, hamburgers, a beer garden, and live music by Nohe Sus Santos and Pete Dunda on accordion. 

The celebration continues Sunday at 2 p.m. at the parish hall. A Danzantes group will lead a town procession with dancing. Danzantes is one of Mexico’s oldest dance traditions, mixing Aztec or Maya cosmology and Catholic elements. Dancers wear elaborate, colorful costumes.

As St. Peter's enters its second century, Ayala-Santiago said the focus remains on serving the spiritual needs of the Gunnison Valley while maintaining the traditions that have defined the parish.

The centennial celebration stands as both a tribute to the church's past and a commitment to its future, ensuring that St. Peter's remains a vital part of the Gunnison community for generations to come.