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IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH
MEET OUR PASTOR!
FATHER MARTIN CORNEJO
Father Martin Cornejo-Garcia was born in Mexico, Federal District (Mexico City), where he grew up and completed his basic education.
At the age of 21 Father Martin entered the seminary of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) in the Franciscan Province of San Pedro and San Pablo of Michoacan, later studying phiosophy at the College of the Holy Cross of Queretaro, QRO. and Theology at St. Anthony's Seminary in El Paso, TX.
At the age of 33, Father Martin was ordained a priest in the Franciscan Order on August 2, 2001, beginning his ministry at said Franciscan Province of Michoacan.
In 2011, Father Martin came to the Diocese of Las Cruces, NM, exercising his priesthood at the San Isidro Parish, in Garfield, NM and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Las Cruces, NM remaining there until 2014.
At the beginning of 2014, Father Martin was appointed Parish Administrator and Pastor of Our Lady of Grace in Artesia, NM. On March 24, 2015, His Eminence, Bishop Oscar Cantu incardinated Father Martin in the Diocese of Las Cruces. Now, Father Martin serves as a Pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Alamogordo, NM.
MEET OUR VICAR!
REV. FR. EMMANUEL OLUCHUKWU OKOYE
Fr. Emmanuel O. Okoye was born on June 17, 1979 in Nanka, a town in Orumba North L.G.A. of Anambra State, Nigeria.
At age 13, entered St. Dominic Savior Minor Seminary Akpu for Junior High School, then finished his High School education at St. John Bosco Minor Seminary Isuaniocha, both in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Awka, Nigeria.
For his Philosophical Studies, he attended Bigard Memorial Major Seminary in Enugu, Nigeria. Later on, his Theological Studies were taken at the Blessed Iwene Tansi Major Seminary in Onitsha, Nigeria.
Ordained a deacon on December 18, 2008, and Catholic Priest on August 22, 2009, at the age of 30 in the Catholic Diocese of Awka, Nigeria.
Fr. Emmanuel exercised his priestly ministry in several capacities as appointed by Bishop, and served as Parochial Vicar, Chaplain, and as Pastor at St. Paul’s Parish in Uga, Nigeria.
In 2020 he continued his pastoral ministry as an incardinated priest in the newly formed Diocese of Ekwolobia. In 2022 Fr. Emmanuel arrived at the Diocese of Las Cruces to continue his Priestly ministry and was assigned by Bishop Peter Baldacchino as Parochial Vicar for Immaculate Conception Church in Alamogordo, NM with Fr. Martin Cornejo as the Pastor.