St. Martin De Porres Catholic Church

John★☆☆☆☆4 months ago

I attempted to go to confession at this parish and had a very disturbing and frustrating experience. When I entered the confessional, the priest looked through the privacy screen and saw that I had my examination of conscience written on my phone (which is a common practice). He told me I could not have my phone with me. I explained that it contained my examination of conscience and asked if I could still proceed, and he said no stating that “the phones are always listening.” I was surprised and asked to clarify whether he was refusing to hear my confession, and he confirmed that he would not hear it because I had brought my phone. To my knowledge, there were no materials available nearby for writing down an examination of conscience, and I have never encountered this issue at other parishes. Although I understand the priest choosing not to have his own phone, I have not read anywhere that a penitent choosing to read off their own phone is a valid reason to refuse a penitent. It was very discouraging to come seeking the sacrament of reconciliation, a crucial means of grace, in good faith and be turned away by someone who should be acting in the person of Christ over something like this. I am angry, hurt, and deeply unsettled at being treated this way. I hope the parish will consider how situations like this affect people who are sincerely trying to receive the vital sacrament of reconciliation. Edit: Nowhere in the cited canon law does it say use of a phone is forbidden. There is no reference in the canon law or response to any proof that phones are “always recording”. This is the only parish I have seen with this rule, and I would not accuse every other parish of violating canon law. The priest’s commitment a personal preference, to the ideas that “phones are always recording” and that every other parish is doing it wrong outweighed the necessity of the sacrament.

Mary Surkein★★★★★6 months ago

Beautiful Catholic Church!!! And I also can highly recommend going to Reconciliation here!! The Priest are amazing and such beautiful living witnesses of Christ's love and Mercy. Love this parish and the beautiful Priests who bring us the forgiveness and Mercy of God!!!!

Dave Barone★★★★★3 months ago

This is a big beautiful church Make sure you get there at least 15 minutes ahead of time it fills up fast. Everybody loves to sing there.

C. Chuks Ifemeje★★★★★4 months ago

Wonderful Priest, wonderful people and community to worship God. May God continue to bless and protect His church; the people.

Linn Pierce★★★★☆a year ago

Nice new facility. Set up kind of oddly though. My first time there was awkward, but I will keep trying. Don't like the mean signs telling you are late and cannot be seated or that they lock the doors during Mass. But things change over the decades. Usher was nice to me and helped me understand some things. I do like that they pray the rosary before Mass. Will return.

Marcela Howell★☆☆☆☆a year ago

I had a terrible experience this past Saturday, October 19, 2024, during the Vigil Mass. I am partially impaired and I need to get around on a knee scooter, Holy Communion was denied to me No Church had ever given me any trouble for that until that day at St. Martin de Porres Church not even during the pandemic. One of the ministers did not allow me to have my knee scooter next to me even though it is much smaller than a wheelchair, it was not in the way, besides; the aisle is wide enough for people to walk around without inconvenience I explained to her that I needed it to go to receive Holy Communion, but she insisted that I had to remove it from there and that if I wanted the Communion would be brought to me, which I thanked. She left, taking the knee scooter with her. Another minister approached me to give me the Communion to whom I respectfully said that I would like the priest to give it to me instead, however; he simply responded “I don't think the priest comes here" I was speechless. The message that these ministers are sending to parishioners is that if you are disabled you are not allowed to bring any mobility aid otherwise it would be uncomfortable for the ministers to go around them and you should be seated on the first row because the priest can't walk to the old or disabled. It seems that the ministers decide who and how the parishioners receive our Lord. I understand now why more and more faithful are moving to the Traditional Latin Mass where the reverence and love for our Lord are impeccable. I hope this never happens again to anyone. I contacted the Pastor of this church sharing the situation more in detail because the Priest or Deacon did not even notice what occurred.

Sandy★☆☆☆☆a year ago

Hello! I had a very sad experience today Nov 3 at the 11:30 Mass and I feel disrespect and disappointed of this Church specially from this lady in the Picture and Ironically as you can see she smile on the Picture. Today I couldn't get a early to the mass I got there at 11:35am and we had to sit a little bit in the back..like in the middle on the right side of the church ..but at the moment to received the Body of Christ this person was telling us to go to the back of the church but calmy and with respect I responded that we wanted to go with the Father in the Front. She didn't responded so I tried to continue walking and she just stands and dancing side to side and not letting me go..I told her one more time and she continued moving her body right and left with not talking and not letting pass with my daughter's..until she finally said something and telling us to go after the other people and I said : 《 Yes it is fine we can wait 》she could say that from the very beginning....but her actitud was not cooperate 0 service for the real Catholic community. I didn't know that this people that "Helps" has the right to decided for the people. Years Ago this type of helpers didn't exist, only the FATHER whom are the only ones ,with blessings hands give to the filigrees the body of Christ on the Mouth and kneeling . Like Saint Padre Pio did years ago in his church where he really has bouch of people waiting to received the Body of Christ with out care for how long people has to wait..but now is different people just like you and me regular humans with sins like a normal mortal are giving the body of Christ and people follow that and even worst in the hand..unfortunately there's only a few churches we're there real respect and love for Jesus and respect for the Catholic community rights in this times.

Scott★★★★☆2 years ago

my gripe here is not with the people or the liturgy. it’s with the architecture. the people are very nice, Fr Stephen is great. the altar is in the middle of a long room with seating on both sides, so the people celebrating the mass have their backs turned to half the room. not their fault obviously, but it takes away from the experience.

J C★★★☆☆3 years ago

I would like to give a good review for the Church, however every time I try to visit, it is closed. For example, today Monday 03/13/2023 - the website says" Adoration from 8:00AM to 9:00 PM, but all doors are locked. The Parish office is supposed to open until 3:00, but it is also closed when I got there at 2:00. Not sure what to make of this.

Estela Campos-Rodriguez★★★★★6 years ago

I love this church. Excellent place to spend time with family