Site Network: Home Page | Contact | WebMail | Diocese Homepage

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's):

  1. May I bring my baby to be baptized at St. Genevieve Church?

  2. How do I return to the church, since I haven’t been attending for many years?

  3. How can I have my marriage annulled by the Church?

  4. I was married in the Catholic Church, divorced and then remarried. May I still go to Communion?

  5. How can I become an altar server?

  6. I want to volunteer at St. Genevieve Church. What ministries do you have?

  7. Do I have to stand during distribution of communion?

  8. Do you have a prayer to St. Genevieve?

  9. If I pray at home, and use holy water, am I excused from attending Mass?

  10. What if grandma is sick and cannot go to Church. Would you bring Communion to her?

  11. If God loves all humankind, why are people starving in Africa?

  12. I couldn’t follow the natural family planning method, so I had vasectomy. Can I still receive Communion?

  13. Why don’t you accept artificial flowers in the cemetery? Don’t you hurt the feelings of our people?

  14. Why can’t priests be married?

  15. Where does all the money for United in Ministry go?

  16. My teenager son does not want to go to church anymore. What should I do?

  17. What do I need to celebrate a quinceañera at St. Genevieve Church?

  18. What are the baptismal requirements?

May I bring my baby to be baptized at St. Genevieve Church?

     Yes, you may. You are invited to become a parishioner, attend church, and be a Christian example to your children. For the baptism, you will need to register for classes and submit the necessary documentation needed. You may call the parish office for further information. Please see the baptismal requirements.

Back to Top

How do I return to the church, since I haven’t been attending for many years?

    We will not judge you or the reasons why you left the Church. We will joyfully welcome you back. Before starting to attend Mass again, you probably would like to talk to a priest and go to Confession. Call the parish office for more information or to make an appointment with one of the priests.

Back to Top

How can I have my marriage annulled by the Church?

     If your marriage did not work as you expected, you may have an invalid marriage. You may begin the annulment process by contacting your home parish for more information or call the Diocesan Pastoral Center at (505) 523-7577, where you will be able to speak to a representative of the Tribunal. After completing all the required paperwork and having an interview, your case will be evaluated.

Back to Top

I was married in the Catholic Church, divorced and then remarried. May I still go to Communion?

     If you haven’t been married in the Church with your present spouse, you are not to receive Communion. However, you are encouraged and most welcome to attend Mass. Remember, you may always observe a ‘Spiritual Communion’ as Communion is being distributed. You will also be nourished by the Word of God, and by the many blessings that are given during Mass by the God of mercy and compassion.

Back to Top

How can I become an altar server?

     All children who have received First Holy Communion are welcome to join this ministry.  The only requirement is to love Jesus and to have the desire to serve Him. You may contact the parish office to have your name placed on the list to be trained.

Back to Top

I want to volunteer at St. Genevieve Church. What ministries do you have?

     There are a variety of ministries in the parish, such as altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, catechists, musicians, sacristans, St. Vincent of Paul, etc. Contact the Ministries Coordinator at the parish office for more information.

Back to Top

Do I have to stand during distribution of communion?

     The General Instruction of the Roman Missal from Rome says that people may stand after the final doxology (after the Great Amen) until the distribution of Communion has been completed. The norm does not prohibit sitting or kneeling after receiving Communion. But, each Bishop is given the authority to decide whether to apply this norm in his Diocese. Bishop Ramirez, in our Diocese, invites us to remain standing until the distribution of Communion is completed. The Holy See says that we are to obey our Bishop. The purpose of standing together as one body is to encourage and promote a sense of community and unity as the living ‘Body of Christ’. We are to wait until all our church family has been served. Then, we may sit or kneel for private prayer, during which time there will be a few minutes of silence.

Back to Top

Do you have a prayer to St. Genevieve?

    Yes, we do. Please check the link. PRAYER TO SAINT GENEVIEVE.

Back to Top

If I pray at home, and use holy water, am I excused from attending Mass?

     No. Only the sick are excused, or if another important obstacle that does not depend on you, prevents you from attending. Using holy water is good and so is  prayer. But the center of our lives is Jesus, who we have in a particular way in the Eucharist. To love God with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your heart means that you are going to desire to attend Mass not only on Sundays, but also on weekdays. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.

Back to Top

What if grandma is sick and cannot go to Church. Would you bring Communion to her?

     Yes. Please, call Father Gerardo, Father Ricardo or Father Juan at the Church’s office, to take Communion any homebound person.

Back to Top

If God loves all humankind, why are people starving in Africa?

     God loves humankind. Because of that great love, He gave us freedom. We can choose right and wrong, to love or to hate. Because of original sin, humans became weak and we still suffer because of that. Such degradation of the human being is: sickness, death, pride, greed, envy, etc. Even when God gave us the marvelous act of Redemption, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we still struggle with this weakness. So, humans in charge of leadership, the ones who control the world, instead of bringing about a better world, they create enemies, weapons, and war. Instead, we should help each other. Jesus said: ‘Love one another’. We have the means to solve the problem, we all can do it, because God has given us all the resources to do it.

Back to Top

I couldn’t follow the natural family planning method, so I had vasectomy. Can I still receive Communion?

    No, not until you go to confession and make an effort to restore natural functioning. The only method approved by the Church is the natural family planning method, and, of course, abstinence. You can show the love you have for your wife in different ways, not only by the sexual act.

Back to Top

Why don’t you accept artificial flowers in the cemetery? Don’t you hurt the feelings of our people?

     Artificial flowers can be beautiful, but because of our weather conditions they get damaged by the sun and the wind blows them away. Besides that, they are non-biodegradable.

Back to Top

Why can’t priests be married?

     Priests are married to the Church. They have a special commitment with it. God gives them the gift of celibacy, of course, they have to work at it through prayer and many other activities, in order to have a balanced and healthy life. They want to follow their Master, Jesus, who remained celibate. By doing this, they are available to give themselves to the people without bounds. Also, by being celibate, they are able to give with more selflessness.

Back to Top

Where does all the money for United in Ministry go?

     Each parish is given a goal by the Diocese; an amount of money they should be able to raise, based on their usual income and expenses. Saint Genevieve Parish this year has a target of $ 30,541.00 This amount is then to be sent to the Diocese of Las Cruces. It is used by the Diocese for all kind of needs, projects and ministries, such as liturgy, youth ministry, schools, prison, social ministry, family unity, immigration services, catechesis, vocations, tribunal, missions office, family life, etc. Any amount collected over our goal is refunded to us to use for our parish needs.

Back to Top

My teenager son does not want to go to church anymore. What should I do?

     Parents should always pray for their children, and keep encouraging them to have a spiritual life. Some teenagers do not want to depend on mom and dad anymore. That is part of growing up and seeking independence. Also, they are learning about different religions. They need to discover for themselves that the Catholic Church is the only one that is loyal to the structure that Jesus left in the hands of Peter. Let them go to church on their own.

Back to Top

What do I need to celebrate a quinceañera at St. Genevieve Church?

      If you would like to have a quiceañera celebration at our Parish you have to follow the diocesan policy:

Back to Top

What are the baptismal requirements?

CHURCH
The Church presumes that the parents of the child to be baptized are active Catholics who are supporting their parish faith community. They are asking to baptize their child in order to bring him into the faith community. The parents promise to bring the child up in the catholic faith.

Godparents should be chosen who are an inspiration of faith and support to the parents. According to Church law, they must be in FULL COMMUNION with the church. This means that they must be baptized, confirmed and received first communion. If married, they must be married to their present spouse in the church. Godparents can be single people over the age of 16 provided they are in full communion with the church.

Church law also states that parents & godparents must be properly prepared to celebrate the baptism of their child.

DIOCESE
The Diocese of Las Cruces reinforces the requirements above and defines the preparation to be a minimum of 6 hours of instructions for parents & godparents before accepting a child to be baptized. These classes may be taken at a parish of your choice.

PARISH
After the completion of instructions, parents are to come to the parish office to make arrangements for the baptism of their child. You will need:

Certificate of completion of baptismal instructions for parents & godparents.
Birth Certificate of child of the State where born.
Copy of godparents sacraments (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and if
Married the Marriage Certificate.)
Parents or godparents from another parish or town need a permission letter from their
Pastor to baptize at this parish.

All the above paperwork is due in the parish office at least one week prior to the baptism date.

Baptisms are scheduled on Sundays. Contact the parish office for dates and times.

Requested Donation for baptism is $50.00. If you are unable to pay the fee, you may request in writing to the pastor for special consideration of your circumstances.

For school-age children needing baptism, at least one year of baptism instruction is required.

Back to Top