About Holy Cross · Las Cruces, New Mexico
Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish serving the Catholics of Las Cruces, New Mexico, in the Diocese of Las Cruces. The parish traces its roots to a small chapel dedicated on the Feast Day of St. Genevieve in 1859, making it one of the oldest Catholic communities in the Mesilla Valley. Today Holy Cross offers daily and Sunday Masses in English and Spanish, a live-streamed Mass for the homebound and those at a distance, the Sacrament of Reconciliation six days a week, Eucharistic Adoration, and a full range of liturgical, faith-formation, youth, and outreach ministries. With its central location on North Miranda Street and bilingual schedule, the parish serves approximately 1,400 families in southern New Mexico.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- Holy Cross (Feast Day: September 14); parish's founding chapel was dedicated on the Feast of St. Genevieve (January 3)
- Rector
- Rev. Richard Catanach (Fr. Richard Catanach)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces
Why belong here
Holy Cross offers a complete Catholic life in the heart of Las Cruces: bilingual Sunday Mass (English and Spanish), daily noon Mass Monday through Friday, and a live-streamed Mass so the homebound and those far away can worship with the parish. A full sacramental life is supported by Reconciliation six days a week, Eucharistic Adoration, a Healing Mass on First Fridays, and a First Communion / Confirmation faith-formation program for children. Active parish ministries include the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, Homebound Ministry, a joint Youth Ministry with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, RCIA for adults, liturgical ministries (lector, Eucharistic minister, usher/greeter, music, live-streaming, and liturgical decor), and opportunities for men, women, and Bible study groups.
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM (before daily Mass)
- Tuesday: 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM (before daily Mass)
- Wednesday: 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM (before daily Mass)
- Friday: 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM (before daily Mass)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- By appointment with Fr. Richard (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 noon
History of Holy Cross Church
Holy Cross Church has a rich history dating back to the dedication of a small chapel constructed on the Feast Day of St. Genevieve in 1859. The parish's own history page invites visitors to click through a timeline of memorial events on the faith journey and service of the parish to the Catholics of Las Cruces. The parish is one of the oldest continuous Catholic communities in the Mesilla Valley, and the founding date coincides with the Diocese of Las Cruces' own record that 'Santa Genoveva Parish was erected in La Cruces in 1859.'
- 1859 — dedication of the original small chapel on the Feast Day of St. Genevieve
- 1984–2016 — Monsignor John Anderson serves as pastor for 34 years
- 2016 — Msgr. Anderson retires after 50 years in the priesthood
- August 2, 2015 — trash-can explosion outside the church during Sunday Mass; no serious injuries
- Parish continues today under Fr. Richard Catanach with daily Mass, live-streamed services, and full sacramental and outreach ministries
Live-Streamed Mass
Every Mass at Holy Cross is streamed live via the parish website so that those who are sick, homebound, or miles away can worship alongside the parish. Live-streamed Masses include the Saturday 4:30 PM vigil, Sunday 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, the Sunday 12:00 noon Spanish Mass, and the weekday 12:10 PM Mass on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Saturday 4:30 PM (English)
- Sunday 8:00 AM (English)
- Sunday 10:00 AM (English)
- Sunday 12:00 PM (Spanish)
- Weekdays 12:10 PM Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri
Parish Staff
Holy Cross is led by its pastor, two deacons, and a dedicated lay staff handling parish operations, faith formation, youth ministry, and maintenance.
- Fr. Richard Catanach — Pastor (rcatanachrcdlc.org)
- Deacon Randy Rivas
- Deacon Francisco Gurrola
- Greg Sanchez — Office Manager
- Evie Hernandez — Office Secretary (ehernandezhc.org)
- Anna Lopez — Faith Formation Director (faithformationhc.org)
- Mariana Woosley — Youth Minister (marianah.org)
- Michael Brink — Youth Ministry ([email protected])
- Tania Terrazas — staff
- Armando Villescas — Maintenance
- Irene Gomez — parish office ([email protected])
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Cross runs a Children's Faith Formation program for First Communion and Confirmation preparation. Sunday classes meet 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM (beginning August 2nd) and Wednesday classes meet 6:00 – 7:30 PM (beginning August 5th), with mandatory parent meetings. A 2025–2026 class calendar lists sacramental parent meetings on multiple dates for First Communion and Confirmation II; the program also publishes a 2026–2027 calendar with early-registration discounts from March 2 through June 30, 2026. All content is offered bilingually.
- Sunday classes 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
- Wednesday classes 6:00 – 7:30 PM
- Mandatory Parent Meetings (e.g., 8/20/25, 1/28/26)
- Sacramental Parent Meetings for First Communion and Confirmation II
- Early registration with discount: March 2 – June 30, 2026
Adult Faith Formation / RCIA
The parish describes adult faith formation as 'an ongoing process' that 'entails study, prayer, and service.' RCIA — the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults — is offered for those new to Catholicism or Christianity who wish to learn about Catholic teaching and begin the process of becoming Catholic. The parish also offers Bible Studies, faith-formation opportunities, and separate ministry tracks just for men and just for women.
- RCIA for adults exploring Catholicism
- Bible Studies (general)
- Men's Ministry
- Women's Ministry
- Prayer Groups
- Service Groups
Youth Ministry
The Holy Cross Youth Ministry seeks to inspire young people to ignite their faith and embrace the life of the Church. It is a joint ministry with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM). The group meets every Tuesday from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, alternating locations monthly — at IHM on odd months (Jan, Mar, May, July, Sep, Nov) and at Holy Cross on even months (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec). Announcements are sent via Remind by texting '@HCIHMYM' to 81010, or via Flocknote by texting 'HCY' to 84576.
- Tuesday meetings 6:30–8:30 PM
- Alternates monthly between Holy Cross and IHM Cathedral
- Middle School and High School youth
- Catechesis and Christian fellowship combined
- Contact: Michael Brink ([email protected]) or Mariana Woosley ([email protected])
Liturgical Ministries
The parish describes liturgical ministries as 'the invisible heartbeat of the Mass' — always in need of new volunteers. Liturgical roles include Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Greeter/Usher, Liturgical Decor, Music Ministry, and Live Streaming. Each role is supported with an online interest form on the parish website.
- Lector — proclaim the living Word of God
- Eucharistic Minister — distribute Holy Communion during Mass
- Greeter / Usher — welcome and assist parishioners at the front entrance and with the collection
- Liturgical Decor — beauty and aesthetic care of the church, especially at Christmas and Easter
- Music Ministry — choir and musicians supporting the liturgy
- Live Streaming — operate the live broadcast of every Mass
Outreach & Service
Holy Cross runs a number of outreach ministries rooted in Catholic social teaching. The parish describes its calling in the words of Acts 20:35 — 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' — and invites parishioners into service through the Homebound Ministry, Knights of Columbus, and St. Vincent de Paul.
- Homebound Ministry
- Knights of Columbus
- St. Vincent de Paul
- Service Groups
Sacraments
Information about the Sacraments is published on dedicated pages of the parish website. The Reconciliation page describes the sacrament as encountering God's love and mercy, and quotes Father Mike Schmidt for guidance on making a good confession. First-time Catholics wanting to receive the sacrament can contact Irene Gomez in the church office. A Weddings page on the parish site provides information for couples preparing for marriage.
- Reconciliation (six days a week, plus by appointment)
- Eucharist (daily, vigil, and Sunday Masses)
- First Communion (children's faith formation)
- Confirmation (children's faith formation)
- Baptism (contact parish office)
- Weddings (see parish Weddings page)
Bulletin & Monthly Schedule
The parish maintains an active bulletin (parish bulletin page) with archived bulletins going back through 2025 and 2026. A separate Monthly Schedule / Horario Mensual page provides a month-by-month calendar of Mass, devotions, and parish events in English and Spanish.
- Weekly parish bulletin (archived on the website)
- Monthly Schedule / Horario Mensual (bilingual)
- Today's Readings link from the homepage
Contact & Visit
Holy Cross Catholic Church is located at 1327 N. Miranda St., Las Cruces, NM 88005. The parish office is open Monday–Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Saturday 3:00 to 5:30 PM, and Sunday 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Phone: 575-523-0167. Fax: 575-523-8023. General email: [email protected].
- Address: 1327 N. Miranda St., Las Cruces, NM 88005
- Phone: 575-523-0167
- Fax: 575-523-8023
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8–4; Sat 3–5:30; Sun 7–1
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor John Anderson1984–2016
Served as pastor of Holy Cross for 34 years; produced over 350 episodes of 'Notes From The Cross' on Las Cruces Channel 98; retired in 2016 at age 75 after 50 years in the priesthood; also served as Vicar General of the Diocese of Las Cruces and on the Board of Mesilla Valley Hospice.
- Rev. Richard Catanachcurrent pastor
Current pastor listed on the parish website and in the Diocese of Las Cruces vicariate roster.