Sister Parish

St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Belize City
The purpose of a sister parish relationship between St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri, and St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Belize City, Belize, is to contribute to the understanding and integration of the catholic, universal nature of the Church under the auspices of the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus.

Serving our parishioners

This active, mutual, ongoing, joy-filled commitment will be carried out through:

Sharing Faith
In order to strengthen our own faith, it is important to learn how other Catholics practice their faith. This contributes to the understanding of the universal nature of our Catholic Church. We are just a small part of the world’s Catholic community, and it is important that we share our different traditions.

Building Community
A strong community reveals there is much that keeps us together as people. We share the same desire in following Christ, doing what is just and right, caring for other nations and communities. Through this relationship, we will create a sense of oneness and unity within our two parishes.

Understanding Culture
It is important to understand that lifestyles, comforts, and struggles are not the same everywhere. The wealth of the north and the poverty of the south is perhaps the greatest moral struggle of our time. Authentic solidarity only takes place when we actually understand and share in the lives of others.

See more about St. Martin de Porres parish
Introductory Video

From Fr. Matt’s latest update
If you have ever seen a photo of St. Martin’s, likely you saw a 30 foot tall cross made from wood beams that once helped hold up a highway bridge. Affectionately called “The Old Rugged Cross,” it had become the symbol for St. Martin’s. Well, late last year, the crossbeam, all 800 pounds of it, came crashing to the ground, compliments of woodlice.