About Ss. Peter and Paul · Estancia, New Mexico
Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church is a small historic parish church located in Estancia, New Mexico, and is one of four worship sites that together form the Estancia Valley Catholic Parish (EVCP). It is the second-oldest church in the parish grouping, and the Estancia site once housed the original parish rectory, with the pastor residing there before the rectory was later built in Moriarty in the late 1980s. The current parish, headquartered in Moriarty, unites Ss. Peter and Paul (Estancia), Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Moriarty), St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Edgewood), and San Antonio (Tajique) under a single pastor and staff, sharing a website, bulletins, and a growing network of ministries.
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul
- Rector
- Reverend Emmanuel Okoye
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Fe
Why belong here
Ss. Peter and Paul offers a warm, small-town Catholic community in the heart of the Estancia Valley with a bilingual Sunday Mass that welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking families. Worshippers here can tap into a wider parish life across the four Estancia Valley Catholic Parish churches, joining lay-led ministries such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society mobile food pantries, the Prayer Network, a forming Mataches ministry, and faith formation classes for children and adults preparing for Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation, and OCIA. Whether you attend at the historic Estancia church, the Moriarty rectory parish, or one of the sister mission churches, you are invited to share your time and talents as a member of the parish family.
Mass times at Ss. Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–5:00 PM at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Moriarty
- Sunday 4:30–5:15 PM at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Edgewood
- Or by appointment (call the Parish Office 505-832-6655)
Adoration times
- Friday 9:30 AM–12:00 PM (after 7:30 AM Mass) at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Moriarty (sign-up required for an hour)
- Tuesday 6:30 PM–8:00 PM (after 6:00 PM Mass) at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Edgewood (one hour, no sign-up necessary)
Welcome to Ss. Peter and Paul, Estancia
Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Estancia, New Mexico, is one of four worship communities that together make up the Estancia Valley Catholic Parish. The Estancia site is the second-oldest of the four parish churches and once served as the home of the first parish rectory. Today it continues as an active Sunday worship site, sharing pastors, staff, and ministries with sister churches in Moriarty, Edgewood, and Tajique.
History of the Estancia Valley Catholic Parish
The Estancia Valley Catholic Parish brings together four church communities with deep roots in central New Mexico. The oldest, San Antonio in Tajique, dates to the early 1600s as the seat of the San Miguel Mission. Ss. Peter and Paul in Estancia is the second-oldest and originally housed the first rectory. The present rectory next to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Moriarty was built in the late 1980s, after which the pastors moved from Estancia to Moriarty. The newest church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Edgewood, was built by local parishioners starting in the late 1980s and finished in the early 1990s. The annual Pilgrimage for Vocations also had its start at SSPP in Estancia in the 1970s.
- San Antonio, Tajique — established early 1600s, oldest of the four churches
- Ss. Peter and Paul, Estancia — second-oldest; original site of the parish rectory
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Moriarty — home of the present rectory, built in the late 1980s
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Edgewood — built by local parishioners, completed early 1990s
- Pilgrimage for Vocations — began at SSPP in Estancia in the 1970s
Parish Staff and Clergy
The Estancia Valley Catholic Parish is led by a pastor with a parochial vicar, supported by a deacon, parish seminarian, office manager, and business manager. Fr. Angelo Marquez also serves the Archdiocese of Santa Fe as Director of Ongoing Formation of Priests; he was born in Gallup, raised in Rio Rancho, and was ordained in 2016, with prior posts in Clovis and Arroyo Seco. Seminarian Robert Kelly, from Mora, NM, spent a summer assignment with the parish and worked on a Bible Study for parishioners during his stay.
- Pastor: Rev. Emmanuel Okoye
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Angelo Marquez
- Deacon: Deacon Lincoln Richey
- Parish Seminarian (summer): Robert Kelly
- Office Manager: Mrs. Janet Doyle
- Business Manager: Mrs. Virginia Baldonado
Parish Office and Contact
The central Parish Office is located in Moriarty and serves all four worship sites. Office hours are Tuesday 1:00–5:00 PM and Wednesday through Friday 9:30 AM–5:00 PM, with the office closed for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. The mailing address is P.O. Box 129, Moriarty, NM 87035. Phone: (505) 832-6655. Email: [email protected]. Formation questions: [email protected].
Mayordomo System
The parish has recently implemented a Mayordomo System, a traditional Hispanic lay-stewardship model in which a parishioner (or couple) at each church takes responsibility for the life of that worship site. Mayordomos coordinate leads for the various ministries under their care and serve as a point of contact for anyone wishing to serve.
- Ss. Peter and Paul, Estancia — Leonard Chavez
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Edgewood — Louie Castañeda
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Moriarty — Raul and Annabel Griego
- San Antonio, Tajique — Laura Romero (Communications)
Parish Ministries
The parish invites parishioners to participate in a wide range of ministries across all four churches. New and longstanding groups include liturgical roles, hospitality, music, art and environment, and grounds keeping, as well as outreach and prayer ministries like the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Prayer Network, and the forming Matachines ministry.
- Sacristans
- Cleaning Crews
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers
- Grounds Keepers
- Music Ministry
- Hospitality Ministry (newly established)
- Art and Environment
- Lectors
- Knights of Columbus
St. Vincent de Paul Society
The parish St. Vincent de Paul Society runs monthly Mobile Food Pantries in partnership with Roadrunner Food Bank. Distributions are held in the mornings in Edgewood on the second Thursday of the month and in Moriarty on the fourth Tuesday of the month. The society is currently seeking volunteer coordinators and distribution helpers.
- Edgewood Mobile Food Pantry — 2nd Thursday of the month (morning)
- Moriarty Mobile Food Pantry — 4th Tuesday of the month (morning)
- Contact: Matt Page, (505) 401-3442, [email protected]
Prayer Network Ministry
The Prayer Network Ministry, established over a dozen years ago with the support of Fr. Lancaster, gathers more than thirty prayer warriors who quietly pray for the needs of anyone, anywhere, of any background. Volunteers receive prayer requests by email or text and pray on their own schedule — there are no committee meetings and no monetary donations required. Confidentiality is respected, with requests usually referred to by initials.
- Sign up: email [email protected] to receive prayer requests
- Pray in your own way on your own time
- Confidentiality — requests referred to by initials
Matachines Ministry
A Matachines ministry is forming in the parish, open to parishioners of all ages. Youth practices are held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, Monday through Thursday, under the leadership of Deacon Lincoln. The Matachines are a traditional devotional dance group with deep roots in Hispanic Catholic culture.
- Open to parishioners of all ages
- Youth practice 9:00 AM–12:00 Noon, Monday–Thursday
- Contact: Deacon Lincoln
Faith Formation and Sacraments
Faith Formation at the Estancia Valley Catholic Parish is offered for children, youth, and adults in both English and Spanish. The K-12 program covers preparation for the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, and Confirmation, while adults seeking initiation or fuller communion with the Catholic Church are served through OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults). All who are interested are encouraged to contact the parish office or the formation email.
- Religious Formation K-12 (Faith Formation / Formación)
- OCIA for adults (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Baptism preparation: ages 0–7 with parent classes; ages 8 to adult via OCIA
- Confirmation: youth age 15 or starting 9th grade
- Reconciliation: Saturday 4–5 PM (OLMC); Sunday 4:30–5:15 PM (SEAS); or by appointment
- Contact: [email protected] or 505-832-6655
Bulletin and News
The parish publishes a regular bulletin that covers all four worship sites. Current and past bulletins are accessible from the parish website and through the Discover Mass listing, with recent issues covering announcements, ministry news, Mass intentions, and seasonal reflections.
- Weekly bulletin available at estanciavalleycatholic.church/bulletins
- Also distributed via the Discover Mass online bulletin archive
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Lancaster
Referenced as a former pastor in the history of the Prayer Network Ministry, which was established over a dozen years ago with his support.