In 2000, Ss. Peter & Paul established a sister parish relationship with Santa Cruz Parish in the Diocese of Jutiapa, Guatemala through the organization Missions International in Highland. Since then, we have been in a relationship of prayerful and economic support with them seeking to learn and grow together as one family in faith.
Santa Cruz is one of the largest parishes in the diocese. It is made of 87 aldeas (small villages), each of which has their own small chapel and many of which are high in the mountains. Because the parish covers so much territory, it is divided into four pastoral zones – El Sede, Valencia, Botadero, and Amayo Ingenio. Mass is celebrated each week in a larger temple in each of the pastoral zones, and each aldea is visited once every other month.
This large and dynamic parish features many unique pastoral initiatives including catechesis programs for children and adults with over 800 catechists, a parochial psychology that provides reduced-rate therapy, a ministry of over 600 extraordinary ministers of the Holy Eucharist that takes the Blessed Sacrament to the more remote areas of the parish, and much more – all focused on their core mission of spreading the Gospel as joyful missionary disciples!
Together, let us continue to pray that both parishes would continue to grow by God’s grace and through our love and friendship with one another.
Read about the 2024 visit to our sister parish!
From July 11-17, 2024, Mark Vojas visited Santa Cruz Parish along with Shelly Sands, president of Mission International, and Shelly’s niece, Isabelle. The last visit from a member of our parish to Santa Cruz was in 2000, shortly after we adopted them as our sister parish. Read about the experience below!
Understanding the Pastoral Zones
Eucharistic Congress celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the 1st Mass ever celebrated in Guatemala
Children and Youth
The Clergy
Support our Sister Parish!
In your envelope packet, there is an envelope for the support of our sister parish. They rely heavily on our economic support for the regular operations of their parish. If you are able, please consider a regular donation to Santa Cruz Parish. Checks can be made out to Ss. Peter & Paul with “Sister Parish” in the memo.
