September 2007
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July 3, 2019
Vol. 5, No. 20
Sept. 4, 2007
I am in Payson this morning, completing a three-day pastoral visit to St. Philip the Apostle Parish. It has been a wonderful visit!
On Sunday, the church was packed for the 11 a.m. Mass and the people of St. Philip were delighted as I installed Father Bill Gyure as their new pastor. Father Bill received a standing ovation as people welcomed and received him as one who now is to be a loving father, a gentle shepherd and a wise teacher of his people. Father Bill is now pastor of one of the largest geographic parishes in our Diocese. St. Philip the Apostle covers 2,400 square miles, an area as large as some dioceses.
The people of St. Philip's really know how to cook, and the food line for the celebration after Mass was endless with specialty dishes from every family. They fed about 300 people, and no one went away hungry, not even me. Gerardo Moceri, who owns Gerardo's Italian Bistro, a wonderful restaurant in Payson (one of the best in our Diocese and our state), made some vegetarian lasagna for me with soy, asparagus and other goodies. It was fantastic! I ate more than I should.
Sunday afternoon, Ed and Angela Torres, long time St. Philip parishioners, and Joe and Melissa Motola gave me a tour of the Tonto Natural Bridge. Formed by erosion, it is the largest such natural structure in our country. It is awesome! The climb down and up was challenging, but filled with marvelous sights of this wonder of nature. You can see why the psalmist sang out God's praises.
We also visited Pine and Strawberry, two little towns north of Payson. In Strawberry, we saw the oldest log schoolhouse in Arizona. These towns were booming this past weekend, with lots of visitors from Phoenix and many other places as well.
Yesterday, I blessed the new Rosary stones and fountain in front of the Shrine to Our Lady of Peace at St. Philip Parish.
This Shrine was developed just after Vatican II by parishioners who would gather to learn about the changes initiated by the Council. They would always begin their meetings by reciting the Rosary for peace: peace within themselves and their families; for world peace; and for an end to the war in Vietnam.
They asked Father Ted Radtke, pastor at the time, if they might build a Marian Shrine dedicated to peace on the parish grounds. Their first fundraising effort garnered $1,600, enough to start their project. When Bishop Francis Green came in August of 1973 to bless the Shrine, he remarked that it reminded him of the Shrine in Fatima.
Now, through the efforts of many people, Rosary stones marking the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous Mysteries have been erected outside the Shrine, along with a beautiful fountain showing angels pouring water, symbolic of the many "angels" who made this work possible by sharing their gifts.
After the blessing, Father Bill treated all the members of the Mystical Rose Sodality and those who helped with the funding and building of the Rosary stones and fountain to a scrumptious breakfast at Gerardo's Italian Bistro. I gained another ten pounds.
Also yesterday, Father Bill took Deacon Keating Ackerley, who accompanied me on this trip, and myself to visit Roosevelt Lake and the towns of Jake's Corner, Punkin Center and Tonto Basin. Father Bill is exploring the possibility of offering Mass one day a week in this area. He has a great desire to provide the sacraments and Mass to these outlying areas, as he has done in Young.
We visited the site of the cliff dwellings inhabited by the Salado People perhaps for centuries until they left the area between 1400 and 1450 for reasons unknown. Not much is known about these people except what can be gleaned from their artifacts. They were obviously a sturdy people, enduring the dry, harsh climate where they lived. They were mostly farmers, but also created wonderful earthenware and textiles.
What amazes me is the incredible diversity of our Diocese, from ponderosa pines and lakes and rivers to harsh desert; from large communities to tiny towns. And everywhere, there is a parish or mission of the Diocese of Tucson.
Today, I will visit some of the homebound who are served by people in the parish and visit residents of a nursing home and patients in the Payson Regional Hospital.
Also today, we will go to Young, where Father Bill has begun a mission. I look forward to celebrating Mass with the community.
I am always amazed at the wonderful spirit I see at our parishes, a spirit exemplified at St. Philip by members of the Mystical Rose Sodality, St. Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus and so many other parishioners who constantly share their gifts for the well-being of the community.
We are called to be a family, and that is exactly what you find in so many places around our Diocese.
1. Labor Day Reflections -- I encourage you to read the excellent statement issued by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of the Diocese of Brooklyn for this Labor Day on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In addition to providing an excellent summary of Catholic Social Teaching on labor, Bishop DiMarzio invites us to look back at the national debate on immigration and the failure of Congress to enact comprehensive immigration reform.
He writes, "…at its core immigration is about workers who come to our land to try to
secure better lives for themselves and their families by their labor. This vital national immigration discussion polarized our people, paralyzed the Congress, and failed our nation. This debate was truly a case of "'more heat than light,' more passion than progress. In my view, sometimes anger trumped wisdom, myths overwhelmed facts, and slogans replaced solutions. After this debate, we are a society more divided, a people more confused, and a nation unable to move forward on one of the most serious and complicated issues we face as a nation.
"I have spent much of my life and ministry working on immigration programs and policies. I know how frustrating and complicated, how emotional and fundamental these issues are. But we have to do better. We have to find a way to re-start the discussion, to re-engage the hard issues, to search for practical and realistic solutions. This debate brought out some of the worst in us. Now we need to draw on the best in us if we are ever going to move forward as a whole, healthy society and nation."
You can read the statement at www.usccb.org/sdwp/Labor%20Day%202007.pdf.
2. Diocese of Tucson Catholic Cemeteries -- The Board of Directors of our Catholic Cemeteries meets this Thursday morning. The main item on the agenda is the Master Plan for Holy Hope Cemetery. The Master Plan addresses the increased interments that Holy Hope is experiencing.
3. St. Ambrose School Mass -- I will celebrate Mass this Thursday at 11 a.m. with Father John Arnold, pastor, and the students, faculty, staff and families of St. Ambrose School and St. Ambrose Parish in Tucson. It will be my joy during that Mass to consecrate the new altar and to dedicate the beautiful renovations in St. Ambrose Church.
Father John gave me this information about the renovations:
St. Ambrose Parish began to renovate our church in late 2005 and finished this past spring. The process was guided by John Ochoa, a builder and graduate of St. Ambrose School, whose family are long time parishioners. We started by adding stained glass windows to the entire church. These are reconditioned windows that had originally been installed in St. Casimir Mission in Smock, PA, a small coal mining town in the western part of the state. The sanctuary was rearranged, and a new altar, confessionals and pulpit were added that were designed and constructed by Alberto Mondet at Polo Leather. Saints shrines in the sanctuary were carved from cantera stone and installed by Marty Brown's son, Charlie. Marty is one of our ushers, and Charlie use to be an altar boy for Msgr. Don Hughes, the founding pastor of St. Ambrose. The church was repainted by Kelly Copeland and Manuel Perez, a parishioner, and carpeted by the generosity of the late John D'Auria and the Omar and Irene Correllas Family.
4. Two Important Gatherings -- I remind all priests of two important gatherings this Friday at St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Tucson.
First, all priests will meet in the parish hall at 1 p.m. After the meeting, we will gather for Mass at 4:30 p.m. Following Mass, we will express our appreciation to June Kellen, our former Chancellor, at a dinner in the parish hall.
5. 2007 Harmonia Fiesta Concert -- The events for this year's concert begin with Mass at 10 a.m. on Saturday at St. Augustine Cathedral. This Mass, at which I will preside, is in thanksgiving for the 51 years of faithful priestly service given to our Diocese by Msgr. Arsenio Carrillo, our beloved former rector of the Cathedral.
The Harmonia Fiesta Concert is sponsored by the Msgr. Arsenio S. Carrillo Placita and Hall Committee, which has been raising funds for the restoration and preservation of historic St. Augustine Cathedral Square. The committee raised $215,000 during 2006 for the renovation and preservation of the placita and hall. The restored facilities will be named the Msgr. Carrillo Placita and Hall in recognition of Msgr. Carrillo's 40 years of service to the Cathedral's community.
As part of the Harmonia Fiesta celebration, nearly 2,000 young students and their teachers will participate in a special presentation on mariachi and Mexican dance. After the presentation, the students will participate in the concert featuring Vikki Carr, Aida Cuevas and Mariachi Cobre, at the Tucson Convention Center.
Tickets for the concert can be purchased at the Convention Center. I encourage each of our parishes to be represented.
6. U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee Meetings -- I will be attending committee meetings at the headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington next Sunday and Monday. One of the meetings is for the Administrative Committee, made up of bishops serving as committee chairs and regional representatives. This meeting is to prepare the agenda for the November meeting of the Conference in Baltimore.
7. Painting St. Augustine Cathedral -- The need to paint our Cathedral has given us the opportunity to enhance the Cathedral's appearance with something more than a fresh coat of white paint.
John Alan of John Alan Design in Phoenix has shown us some possibilities for the Cathedral that include additional ornamentation in the style of the ornate sandstone façade, copper colored paint for the domes, the use of different colors to emphasize the architectural elements of the front of the Cathedral and the incorporation of a design that would be stenciled on portions of the front. John is a specialist in church restoration who consulted on the restoration of the historic Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe.
I emphasize that John's ideas are only possibilities. I am seeking input from all Catholics in the Diocese about the opportunity to enhance the Cathedral's appearance.
You can visit our diocesan Website at www.diocesetucson.org to view photographs of how John has envisioned the Cathedral.
I have begun to hear from people about the exterior painting, and I appreciate their thoughts. Some said that while they originally favored keeping the Cathedral's exterior white they have come to see the advantage of using color to enhance the marvelous architectural design that gets lost with the sole use of white.
We will be meeting at the Cathedral Hall on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. to give a fuller presentation of the possibilities and to hear further comments.
8. Meet a New Staff Member -- Sister Rina Cappellazzo, O.P., our new Vicar for Religious, tells you a little about herself as we conclude our introductions of new staff members here at the Pastoral Center.
I was born and raised in Detroit, and as a young sister came to the Diocese of Tucson to minister for about 27 years. Now, after an absence of 30 years, I've returned to my beloved Arizona. I came back to Arizona from Albuquerque two years ago to enjoy my retirement from parish administration, to reconnect with my old friends in Casa Grande and to be a "moral support" for Sister Lois Paha, O.P., with whom I live in community. Did I say "retirement?" No way! Shortly upon my arrival, I was invited to join with the staff of the Common Formation Program and to volunteer with the Safe Environment Program, the Editorial Board for The New Vision and the Sisters Council.
Last July, I was asked to take on the ministry of Vicar for Vowed Religious in our Diocese and I gladly accepted. During these past 57 years of my religious life as an Adrian Dominican Sister, I've enjoyed living in community and ministering with the people of God.
Because reading is my "perfect escape," I also co-host a film and book study club with one of my former ASU Newman Center students. Photography and enjoying the antics of Reilley, my little dog, keep me "in the loop" of retirement. Last year, in search of who and where the Italians in Tucson are, I founded the monthly meeting of The Italian Club, which meets at a local restaurant for conversation, singing, music and a little pasta or cappucino. The rest is history, and I am delighted to be back again!
9. Remember in Your Prayers -- Please pray for the repose of the souls of these friends of our Diocese and for the comfort of their families:
Sister St. Joan Willert, C.S.J., who died last Wednesday in California at age 82. Sister St. Joan was so loved and respected in the Tucson community for the years of her ministry and leadership as president and chief executive officer of Carondelet Health Network. The vigil service will be this Wednesday and the funeral Mass this Thursday at the Carondelet Center in Los Angeles.
Ward Richins, father-in-law of Judy Richins of the Chancellor's Office, who died last week.
Julia Walkup Middleton, daughter of Tucson Mayor Bob and Beth Walkup, who died last week.
Lita Barfus, a member of our Diocesan Pastoral Council, who died last week. Lita was a highly respected long-time member of St. Monica Parish in Tucson. She served on our Diocesan Pastoral Council with great dedication.I am at the headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) today and tomorrow for meetings of the Committee on Priorities and Plans and the Administrative Committee. As Secretary of the USCCB, I am a member of these committees.
The Administrative Committee is the USCCB's principal committee. Its membership of approximately 55 bishops includes the Conference's officers, the chairmen of standing committees and representatives of the 14 USCCB regions. At this meeting, we will be setting the agenda for the Fall Meeting of the USCCB in Baltimore.
The Committee on Priorities and Plans is responsible for strategic planning. The Committee's work has been focusing on the restructuring of the Conference so that it will be more focused and less expensive.
1. Knights of Columbus World Day of Prayer for Peace -- On tomorrow's sixth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, we are invited by the Knights of Columbus to pray for peace.
"While Sept. 11 will always be remembered for the tragic loss of life, the Knights hope that this somber occasion will be the foundation of an annual opportunity for a day of earnest prayer for peace in the world," says the Knights' Website (www.kofc.org.)
The Knights' Supreme Council passed a resolution in 2004 to observe Sept. 11 as a day of prayer for peace.
2. National Pastoral Life Center -- I will be attending the quarterly meeting of the Center's Board this Wednesday and Thursday in New York City.
At this meeting, we will welcome Paulist Father John E. Hurley as the new executive director of the Center. Father John brings great experience to the mission of the Center. From 1997 to 2005, he was executive director of the USCCB Secretariat for Evangelization. During that time, he coordinated a three-year study to look for any problems in how parishes employ the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. In 2003, he helped launch the first North American Institute for Catholic Evangelization. In an Aug. 21 interview with Catholic News Service, Father John said the National Pastoral Life Center "has certainly kept at the forefront of guiding pastoral initiatives in the life of the church for the past 25 years."
The Center serves the leadership of the Church's pastoral ministry, particularly in parishes and diocesan offices. Founded in 1983 by the late Msgr. Philip J. Murnion with the encouragement of the USCCB, the Center assembles the best of thinking and practice in pastoral ministry and offers numerous resources through a variety of programs, projects, and associations:
3. Catholic Charities USA Annual Gathering -- This year's annual gathering of Catholic Charities USA is being held in Cincinnati from Thursday through Sunday with the theme "Crossing the Rivers of Freedom." I am honored to be presenting a workshop this Friday at the gathering on "Choosing Peace-building over Violence."
The gathering will ask participants to consider these questions: What can you do as an individual or as an agency to help reduce poverty in America by half before the year 2020? What steps are needed in order to make a real difference in the lives of those we serve? Are you ready to continue the crusade for social justice?
Catholic Charities USA is the membership association of one of our nation's largest social service networks. Members provide vital social services to people in need, regardless of their religious, social or economic backgrounds. Catholic Charities USA supports and enhances the work of its membership by providing networking opportunities, national advocacy and media efforts, program development, training and technical assistance and financial support. Our Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona is a member of Catholic Charities USA. I look forward to seeing Peg Harmon, CCS chief executive officer, and other members of the CCS team at the gathering.
4. Conferral of the Ministry of Reader -- I will confer the ministry of reader on the 24 candidates for the permanent diaconate this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the St. Augustine High School Chapel.
Pope Paul VI reformed the minor orders of the Sacrament of Holy Orders in 1972, dispensing with all but the ministry of reader and acolyte. Since these ministries may also be assigned to lay persons, they are no longer considered as "reserved" only to candidates for the Sacrament of Holy Orders. At the same time, however, these ministries are a necessary step for the candidates for the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Some of the responsibilities of the reader include the proclamation of the readings from sacred Scripture, except for the gospel in Mass. The reader also may read the General Intercessions, recite the psalm and direct the singing and participation by the faithful.
As with all who proclaim the Word of God in the liturgical assembly, the reader is called "to make every effort to acquire the living love and knowledge of Scripture that will make them exemplary disciples of the Lord."
As this ministry is conferred, our candidates for the permanent diaconate will place their hands on the Book of Holy Scripture and hear the words: "Take this book of Holy Scripture and be faithful in handing on the word of God, so that it may grow strong in the hearts of his people."
5. Catechetical Sunday -- Catechetical Sunday, which we observe this coming Sunday, focuses this year on the theme, "Catechesis: Encountering the Living Christ."
At parishes in our Diocese and around the nation, those who have been selected to serve as catechists will be called forth to be commissioned for their ministry.
Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect upon the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. I am grateful to all who serve our parishes in this essential ministry.
I appreciate the work that Mike Berger, director of our diocesan Office of Catechesis, does in coordinating our catechetical mission. Through his efforts, certification programs are available for catechists in our Diocese.
6. Little Rock Scripture Study Informational Workshops -- I am very pleased that our diocesan Office of Formation is making it possible for our parishes to become acquainted with the ministry of Little Rock Scripture Study through informational workshops, in Spanish and English, that will take place on Saturday, Sept. 22, at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Tucson.
Little Rock Scripture Study develops and distributes Bible study materials for adult Catholics in parishes and small faith communities who want to continue on their journey of faith. This ministry was created in the Diocese of Little Rock in Arkansas and continues as a ministry of the diocese in partnership with Liturgical Press in Minnesota.
The informational workshops will provide hands-on experience with the format and materials of Little Rock Scripture Study. Participants also will learn about the leadership training that is associated with the ministry.
To register for the workshops and for more information, please contact Pegi Dodd at the Office of Formation at 520-838-2545 or [email protected].
Also, you may visit www.littlerockscripture.org for more information on the Little Rock Scripture ministry.
7. 2007 Harmonia Fiesta Concert -- We celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Augustine Cathedral on Saturday morning to recognize the generosity and dedication of those who are helping to create a new placita and to renovate Cathedral Hall as part of the Msgr. Arsenio Carrillo Placita and Hall Project. At the Mass, I reflected on the importance of our history as a Diocese and as a city.
We stand on the accomplishments of those who have gone before us. Now it is our time to make history. The renovation of Cathedral Square can enhance the area for prayer and for use by the community and can be an impetus to downtown development.
The creation of the placita and painting the exterior of the Cathedral are first steps.
Saturday evening, a large crowd gathered at the Tucson Convention Center for a fabulous concert that featured Mariachi Cobre, a home grown group that plays at Disney World, and Vicki Carr and Aida Cuevas, very popular and much appreciated singers. The concert was a fundraiser for the Msgr. Arsenio Carrillo Placita and Hall. A side benefit of the concert was the opportunity for a number of school-age musicians to learn about and grow in appreciation for the music of the Mexican culture.
Much thanks is due Dr. Tony Carrillo, Father Pat Crino, rector of the Cathedral, and the Msgr. Arsenio Carrillo Placita and Hall Committee. It is hoped the project can proceed promptly.
8. Painting St. Augustine Cathedral -- By Saturday, I had received 237 e-mail messages, letters and notes in response to my invitation for folks to let me know how they feel about the opportunity to enhance the Cathedral's appearance. I heard from people all over the Diocese, from people living in other states, from some non-Catholics, from 13-year-old Andres Saldivar and from Martha Valukas' second grade class at Immaculate Heart School in Tucson.
The front-page article in this month's The New Vision and the special page on our diocesan Web site explain that because the Cathedral needs repainting we have the opportunity to either keep the exterior white or to do something different, perhaps the exterior that is envisioned by John Alan of John Alan Design.
Doing something different was clearly the preference of nearly two out three of those who responded. The great majority of those supporting doing something different said they liked the exterior as envisioned by John Alan.
I am so appreciative and impressed that so many people have taken the time to tell me how they feel. Many of the messages thanked me for the opportunity to give an opinion.
I will be happy to hear more opinions about enhancing the appearance of the Cathedral at a meeting at St. Augustine Cathedral Parish Hall on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m.
9. The Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona Community of Hearts Awards -- The Volunteer Center held its third annual awards banquet at the University Marriott last Thursday evening. Five major awards were presented for outstanding volunteer efforts. Among the recipients were two volunteers associated with St. Elizabeth's Health Clinic in Tucson and Catholic Community Services in Southeastern Arizona.
Lt. Raul Rodriguez, a volunteer for CCS of Southeastern Arizona, received the Community Builder Award for his work in setting up a domestic violence shelter in Nogales.
Mari Ann Finlayson received the Tucson Citizen of the Year Award for her work in securing more than $1.5 million in pharmaceuticals for the homeless, uninsured and poor served by St. Elizabeth's Health Clinic.
10. Appreciation for June Kellen, Our Retired Chancellor -- Friday evening's Mass and dinner to thank June Kellen, who served our Diocese for 21 years, most recently as Chancellor, were moving and delightful -- another example of the Diocese coming together in prayer and in happy fellowship.
The celebration was held at St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Tucson through the hospitality of pastor Msgr. Bob Fuller. I thank the committee of June's co-workers at the Pastoral Center who planned the Mass, helped to serve the dinner and who helped clean up afterwards. I also thank Nancy Siner, our Archivist, her husband Mark and Sister Lois Paha, O.P., for the music during the Mass. We were very happy that June's husband Vince, their three sons and their wives and children and June's mom were able to be present for the celebration.
The number of priests who came to celebrate the Liturgy and share in the meal afterward was fitting recognition for a woman who served with distinction.
A number of our priests from African nations sang a beautiful offertory hymn that was so joyful and moving. They also presented June with a beautiful African painting of mother and child. June has been a real mother to many of our priests from other countries, helping them to secure proper documentation, helping them to adapt to this culture and supporting them in their ministry.
At the end of Mass, Fathers John Allt, John Lyons, Van Wagner and Al Schifano each made brief tributes to June that were very touching.
But most moving of all was the message that June's son Scott spoke on her behalf at the end of Mass:
Thank you so very much, Bishop Kicanas, priests, clergy, employees, friends and loved ones for this tremendous outpouring of love that you have shown to me not only by this celebration but for all the years I have known you.
I have always had a hard time accepting compliments, and today is no different. In my heart this honor also goes out to all of you for your valued support, love and friendship which has made it possible for me to go about doing God's work among all of you. I have truly been blessed in so many ways.
Nearly 21 years ago, the Chancellor, Father John Allt, along with Human Resources Director Al Silva, took a gamble to actually hire me, a wife and mother with a high school diploma from a little town in Minnesota. What an amazing blessing in my life. It could only have happened here in the Diocese of Tucson.
My parents, Norma and Kenneth Miller, God bless them, were farmers from humble beginnings. I married a dairy farmer who later on made a career in the insurance industry both in Minnesota and Arizona and then some years later was hired by the Diocese of Tucson at Holy Hope Cemetery, a job he loved as much as I loved mine at the Diocese. Serving the needs of people became our career lives.
My working career took me in different directions. My first real paying job was as a telephone operator in Fulda, Minnesota. Some years later, I managed the first self-service gas station in Minnesota. I owned a business, "Little Bit of Heaven," in a shopping mall. Our three sons each had a turn at working there and did much better than the regular hired employees. I had a position with a savings and loan company, and then in 1983, for health reasons, we moved to beautiful Tucson, Arizona. We have to admit this was a drastic change from Minnesota in every aspect. Then lo and behold, by the grace of God, in late September of 1986 I was hired to work in the Chancellor's office by the Chancellor, Father John Allt.
As it turned out, from the moment we connected, he became my mentor and most of all dear, dear friend. The Arizona Ice Cats were one of our common passions during his years as Chancellor. Father Allt honored us by officiating at two of our sons' weddings, one in Scottsdale the other at the Air Base in Las Vegas. Father Stallings played a big part in the Vegas wedding.
Some years later, when Father Allt went back into parish ministry as the pastor at St. Joseph's Parish, Father John Lyons rather reluctantly accepted the position as the Chancellor. He was gracious enough to keep me on as his secretary and assistant.
In 1999, Father Lyons asked to go back to his great love in ministry, parish work, which led to a big decision by our dear Bishop Manuel Moreno to name me Chancellor. His decision gave me a unique distinction as the first woman Chancellor in this Diocese. I was too dumbfounded at the time to really know what that actually meant. Bishop Moreno accepted me as is: a simple woman, who loves our Lord, her husband and family and everyone she meets. I often told Bishop Moreno that I didn't need or want a title, but promised him that I would do what ever it took to do the job he had entrusted to me and try my best to be worthy of his trust and not embarrass him. I wanted so much to be worthy of this confidence and trust in me. I was so blessed by his tremendous graciousness, understanding and many kindnesses to me. Over the years, we knew each other as very good friends. I still miss him and hold his memory in my heart.
In 2001, Bishop Gerald Kicanas came storming into the Diocese, wondering what this Tucson was all about and knowing that he had been given so many challenges. I feel his words of prayer in those early days always included "and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." I knew this special man of God, this Bishop who came from the big city of Chicago, carried on his shoulders the hopes and dreams of the faithful in our entire Diocese. I wondered who is this man they call Bishop Jerry? Why did he accept this challenge? A lesser person would have run for the hills and not looked back. I must admit that I was more than a little intimidated by his presence and his resolve to accomplish what was needed, come hell or high water. I immediately had the feeling that I was not the Chancellor he needed. In my heart, I felt he needed a chancellor that would be a clone of Albert Einstein, Superman, St. Jude and the Arizona Road Runner. But in his most gracious way, Bishop Kicanas settled for me, and I continued to serve as Chancellor. Bishop Kicanas knew I loved our priests, deacons, religious, the staff and all the people whom I have met along the way. I guess the love in my heart, my faith in our God and my determination and desire to do God's work blinded him to all the qualities I didn't possess that are generally prerequisites for the position of a diocesan chancellor. However he arrived at the decision to keep me on as Chancellor, I was honored. Of course, I needed the job, too.
I have told you about me and how I became a part of this Diocese, but now I want to tell you what really makes me tick and gives me my greatest joy of accomplishment and pride. That begins with meeting the man I love with all my heart, Vince Kellen, some 47 years ago. This was the greatest blessing that God has given to me. On November 12, we will celebrate our forty-seventh anniversary. God gifted us with three sons, Scott in 1963, Terry in 1966 and Joel in 1969. Three sons who are all miracles of love. Each one has added a special spark to our lives from the day of their births. Oh yes, there were challenges with three little boys, but as they grew to adults and chose their careers and settled into living life, they gifted us with three daughters-in-law who really are daughters in the real sense, Kelli, Terri and Jennifer. Each one has added a very special binding love in our family and each one has put up with dumb things their mother-in-law said or did many times over all the years they have been in our family.
Blessings upon blessings came to us with our two precious grandchildren, Steffen, now 17, and Kelsie, 12, who grace the household of Scott and Kelli. Both of them have unique qualities and add so much to our entire family. Steffen, as he continues his education, works full time and is preparing for college. He and Kelsie have been home schooled for much of their education by their wonderful mom. They both make us pop our buttons with great pride by their accomplishments in their young lives, and the genuine love they emit to us and to others lets us know that God plays a very important part with each of them. Kelsie and her family were given special challenges, and yes, many blessings upon her birth. She was born with spina bifida, but, oh my, how she has been a fighter, an inspiration, a survivor and a winner in every sense of those words. With the extraordinary help of her mom, dad and brother, she has become quite an athlete and is a Paralympic hopeful. She is Number One with all of us. Words just can't express how proud we really are of our grandchildren. Both of them were taught by their loving parents that if they put their minds to it and have faith in God and themselves that their dreams are really possible. It is true and continues to be so to this day.
All of you know that our family faces some health challenges. This is nothing new to us. Many of you also face similar issues. I can attest that you never face these things alone. I do know all of you have been in our corner with your many, many prayers, Masses, kind thoughts, notes of encouragement, cards, letters, and visits. I do know that Jesus is with us in all that we do and face each and every day. Just knowing this affords us a great sense of togetherness and hope. I thank God and all of you for being there for us. Thank you most sincerely for being a part of my life. You have made a tremendous difference in so many ways.
I pray that God will bless each of you in a most special way and please know that I am happy to have been and continue to be a part of your lives. Thank God for you! I love you!The present class of deacon and lay ecclesial ministry candidates for our Diocese has now entered its final year of preparation.
On Saturday, I conferred the Ministry of Reader on the deacon candidates. Their wives, their co-workers in the lay ecclesial ministry program and their formators saw them robed in their albs for the first time. They looked ready and eager to be recognized officially as those responsible to proclaim the Word of God.
As each candidate approached me and held the book of Scriptures and as I looked into their eyes, I saw deep desire to be of service and a longing to exercise their new ministry well. The Scriptures proclaimed in liturgies bring great comfort and hope to those listening. I pray these candidates will read that Word often and proclaim it with conviction.
The celebration was held in the Chapel of St. Augustine High School, a place where, when it was Regina Cleri Seminary, many of our priests prayed in their formative years. I am grateful to the Spanish Choir from Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Tucson for adding the beauty of their voices for the celebration.
The deacon candidates come from many of our parishes throughout the Diocese, including Sacred Heart in Parker, Immaculate Conception and St. John Neumann in Yuma, Our Lady of the Mountains in Sierra Vista, St. Christopher in Marana, Holy Angels in Globe, St. Luke in Douglas, Assumption Parish in Florence and St. Cyril, St. Joseph, Sts. Peter and Paul, Our Mother of Sorrows, St. Francis de Sales, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Mark in Tucson. I know these communities are anxiously awaiting their ordination in spring of next year. Their ministry will be a blessing and a gift to those communities and to our Diocese.
1. Diocesan Finance Council -- The Council meets tomorrow here at the Pastoral Center. The agenda includes a report from Tom Arnold, diocesan chief financial officer, on the fiscal activities of the Administrative Offices of the Diocese during this first quarter of the fiscal year.
2. Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Tucson -- The Board of Directors of the Catholic Foundation meets tomorrow here at the Pastoral Center. We will welcome Bill Bowen as the new president of the Board. I am very grateful to Jannie Cox, immediate past president, and to all of the members who serve on the Board. They play a key role in our ability to re-garner resources for the Diocese and for our parishes, schools and agencies.
On the agenda will be the final report from Beach, Fleischman & Co., P.C., who the Board retained to conduct this year's audit. The results of the audit will be posted soon on the Foundation's Website (www.cathfnd.org).
3. Memorial Mass for Sister St. Joan Willert, C.S.J. -- The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet invite your presence at a memorial Mass for Sister St. Joan tomorrow at 6 p.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral. I will preside at the Mass.
Sister St. Joan, who died Aug. 29 in Los Angeles, ministered with great compassion and dedication for many years in our community as an executive for Carondelet Health Care.
Remembrances may be made to Sister St. Joan Endowment, Carondelet Foundation, P.O. Box 13170, Tucson 85775.
4. Priests Day of Prayer -- We will gather at the Redemptorist Renewal Center at Pictures Rocks on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for our monthly day of prayer, reflection and silence. All priests are welcome.
As we resume our schedule for the Day of Prayer following the summer break, I emphasize how important it is for our priests to step away from the demands of ministry in response to the invitation the Lord gave his apostles to spend time with Him in prayer. I encourage our priests who have not had the opportunity to experience this Day of Prayer to join us.
5. Catholic Cemetery Conference 58th Annual Convention and Exposition -- The Convention and Exposition are being held this week in Phoenix under the theme, "The Catholic Cemetery: Rising to the Challenge, Promoting Hope, Embracing the Future."
Founded in 1949, the Catholic Cemetery Conference has more than 1,200 members in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Italy and Guam. The Conference helps the leadership and staff of Catholic cemeteries to enhance their skills in caring for the deceased and comforting their loved ones through ministry, education and networking and service opportunities.
I am honored to be giving the keynote address this Thursday. I will reflect on the role of the Catholic cemetery in the community of faith.
6. Enhancing the Appearance of St. Augustine Cathedral -- I will meet this Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in St. Augustine Cathedral Parish Hall with parishioners of the Cathedral and with others who are interested in learning more about the possibility of enhancing the appearance of the Cathedral.
I continue to receive responses to my invitation for people to provide their reaction to the vision of John Alan of John Alan Design that is featured on the front page of this month's The New Vision and on our diocesan Website home page. Those responding are strongly in favor of enhancing the Cathedral's appearance beyond simply repainting it white.
7. Southwest Medical Aid Annual Dinner -- I look forward this Friday evening to being with the members and friends of Southwest Medical Aid (SMA) at the humanitarian organization's annual dinner.
Based in Tucson, SMA is directed by Jan Izlar, a lay Salvatorian. Jan and her husband Jim began SMA some six years ago and modeled it after the Salvatorian Mission Warehouse. SMA serves the poor in Guatemala, Mexico, Haiti and on Native American reservations throughout Arizona.
You can find out more about SMA at www.salvatorians.com/sma.
8. Diocesan Pastoral Council -- For the past year, each of our Council meetings has included discussion of the pastoral priorities that we have identified for the Diocese: handing on the faith to our children; inviting and welcoming those who feel distanced from the Church and the practice of their faith; pastoral support for married couples and families; and recruiting more vocations to the priesthood.
The focus of our discussion at this Saturday's meeting will be the programs in our parishes that invite and welcome Catholics who feel distanced from the Church and their practice of their faith to "come home." We also will discuss the input that we have received on ministry to Catholics of homosexual orientation.
9. Support of Marriage Pastoral Priority -- Two events this weekend demonstrate the importance we give to the pastoral priority of supporting married couples.
On Saturday, I will visit the Engaged Encounter Weekend that will be presented at the Hyatt Place. Catholic Engaged Encounter is a weekend experience that provides an atmosphere in which engaged couples can concentrate exclusively on one another. The couples are guided by volunteer married couples and a priest in exercises that support them in "couple communication" in which they discuss their strengths and weaknesses, desires, ambitions, goals, attitudes about money, sex and family and their roles as married couples in the Church and in society. The program meets the marriage preparation requirements for couples planning marriage in our Diocese. I am grateful to Juan and Gina de la Ossa, coordinators of Engaged Encounter in Tucson, and all the couples and priests who help with this special ministry.
On Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m., we will gather at St. Augustine Cathedral for our first annual Diocese of Tucson Celebration of Marriage Mass. As of last week, 165 couples had responded to my invitation for married couples across the Diocese who are celebrating their 25th and 50th-plus wedding anniversaries to renew their vows at this special Mass. This will be a wonderful celebration of their love and commitment!
10. Congratulations to Dr. Sam, Dr. Phil and Dr. Nick! - Catholic Charities USA, the national organization of Catholic Charities agencies that includes our own Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, presented three great friends of St. Elizabeth's Health Clinic in Tucson with its National Volunteer of the Year Award at last week's annual gathering in Cincinnati. Dr. Sam Marascalco, his son-in-law Dr. Phil Mooberry, and Dr. Phil's son Dr. Nick Mooberry were recognized for their volunteer work at the Clinic. The three dentists treat more than a dozen patients each month at the Clinic. They have also provided leadership for the Clinic's golf tournament and have encouraged others to volunteer their gifts for others.
Dr. Sam helped originate the dental services at the Clinic some 40 years ago, and he continues to volunteer his time and skills there. Regretfully, Dr. Sam was not able to be present to receive the recognition because his wife Ann was ailing. However, Dr. Phil and Dr. Nick, who is only one year out of dental school, were able to attend.
Attending the gathering as a workshop presenter, I also was delighted to join Dr. Phil and Dr. Nick, CCS chief executive officer Peg Harmon and CCS in Southeastern Arizona director Chuck Fischer for dinner to thank them in person for their outstanding service.
11. Sexual Misconduct Review Board -- In the aftermath of the scandals of sexual abuse of children by priests and other Church personnel, a foundational element of our efforts to restore trust in our Diocese has been -- and continues to be -- the participation of lay persons of great integrity in our diocesan process for responding to allegations of sexual misconduct by Church personnel.
In our Diocese, the Sexual Misconduct Review Board has the responsibility for guiding and monitoring our response to allegations of sexual misconduct, for making recommendations to me regarding the ministry status of any accused personnel and for the vigilant oversight of our Safe Environment Program and of our compliance with our Guidelines for the Prevention of and Response to Sexual Misconduct and with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Youth.
In the five years I have been writing this memo, I have noted each month the meetings of our Sexual Misconduct Review Board. Many times in those memo items, I have thanked the members of the Board for their service.
Today, I express my profound gratitude to Dr. José Santiago, the founding chairperson of our Sexual Misconduct Review Board, as he concludes his service to the Board.
I share with you here Dr. Santiago's communication to the Diocese in which he informed us that it had become necessary for him to resign from the Board.
I have accepted a position with Ascension Health as the Senior Vice President for Clinical Excellence starting Sept. 17. Ascension Health is the corporation that manages Carondelet Health Network and 70 other hospitals systems across the nation. In consequence, I must with regrets resign from the Board effective immediately.
It has been a great privilege and a humbling experience to serve the Diocese of Tucson, Bishop Moreno and Bishop Kicanas. I have admired their leadership and their ability to guide us through very difficult times. I will miss a group of very dedicated people who agreed to serve with me on the Board and who taught me a great deal on how to protect our children, act with forgiveness and compassion, and serve the Church with humility.
Please convey my sincere appreciation to the Board for allowing me to try to organize their labor. I also want to thank Dr. Paul Duckro (director of the diocesan Office for Child, Adolescent and Adult Protection) for his dedication to the Church and his service to the Board. It was beyond the call of duty, and he is a remarkable individual. He is a friend, and I hope I can call on him in the future.
Finally, I would like to convey my respectful admiration for Bishop Kicanas, who came at a time when we needed guidance and leadership. He was an inspiration, and I will take with me the many lessons he taught me (quietly but forcefully, and whether he knew it or not).
God bless you all as you continue this important mission.
In addition to his service as chair of the Sexual Misconduct Review Board for these past five years, Dr. Santiago also was the chair of the committee that developed our diocesan Guidelines for the Prevention of and Response to Sexual Misconduct.
I am very pleased to announce today that Charlotte Harris, who has served the Board as vice chair, has accepted my invitation to assume the chair and that Board member David McEvoy has accepted my invitation to assume the role of vice chair. Charlotte and David have demonstrated time and again their sound judgment and collaborative spirit in their work on the Board.
12. Please Remember in Your Prayers -- Please pray for the speedy recovery and return to full health of Father Rudy Rosales, pastor of Holy Angels Parish in Globe, following a medical procedure last week, and Father Ed Carscallen, as he continues to recuperate from hip surgery.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Dennis Jurado, brother of Sister Guadalupe Jurado, O.P., pastoral administrator of Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Parish in Rio Rico, who died last week.Vol. 5, No. 23
Sept. 24, 2007
Gathered yesterday afternoon in St. Augustine Cathedral were nearly 200 couples whose combined years of married life total 9,276 years. They were the couples celebrating their 25th, 50th, 60th and each year afterward anniversaries who joined us for our first annual diocesan Celebration of Marriage Mass to renew their marriage vows.
The most senior couple present was Carl and Marie Stapleman, celebrating their 70th. Harold and Emma Hagin, Gene and Gloria Ackerley, Francis and Frances Jefferson, Creston and Mary Marchant, Ernest and Rose Hadik and John and Mildred Turner were there too, each celebrating 65 and 65-plus years of married life.
What a moving experience it was when these couples joined hands and faced each other to say again their marriage vows: "I take you to be my spouse. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and cherish you all the days of my life."
There were lots of joyful tears during the renewal of vows.
Marriage is an institution that today is under much stress. On Saturday evening, I attended a portion of the Catholic Engaged Encounter retreat in Tucson held for 40 couples preparing for marriage. I heard them share some anxiety and trepidation as they anticipate promising their love to one another for life. I wish they could have been present at the Cathedral yesterday to see that people can stay deeply in love over many years of life together.
The couples in the Cathedral yesterday stand as an inspiration to all married couples striving to grow in respect, trust, forgiveness and love for one another.
After Mass, we were able to take a photo of each couple and give them a memorial of the day. Several couples told me that they were married at the Cathedral and that returning for this anniversary celebration was very special.
A photographer who was present for the Mass has been taking wedding photos in Tucson for 55 years. Frank Martinez came to the celebration so that he could take a photo of an anniversary couple whose wedding he had photographed at the Cathedral 50 years ago.
I am grateful to all who helped make this celebration possible: Marty Hammond, AnnaMaria Mammen, Sister Lois Paha, O.P., Fathers Miguel Mariano and Abran Tadeo and staff at the Bishop Moreno Pastoral Center for their assistance and hard work to prepare for and assist with the celebration; Father Pat Crino and the staff and ushers of the Cathedral, the Knights of Columbus, the St. Francis de Sales Parish Youth Group, servers from St. Christopher in Marana and representatives of Engaged Encounter, Marriage Encounter, Movimiento Familiar Cristiano, Preparación Matrimonial Retiro de Novios and Retrouvaille for helping to host this first time celebration; Grace Lohr and the marvelous choir she directs; and Rodney Glassman ,who sang Ave Maria, every married couple's favorite hymn.
After Mass, many encouraged me to continue this new and meaningful celebration. I am sure we will.
1. Presbyteral Council -- The Council resumes its meetings after the summer break, meeting today here at the Pastoral Center. Our agenda includes a report from Rene Franco of the Immigration and Citizenship Program of Catholic Social Service about the federal income tax responsibility of our priests from other nations. We also will discuss the Neocatechumenal Way, a ministry dedicated to adult faith formation that was approved "ad experimentum" for a five-year period that ended in June.
2. Meeting of Santa Fe Province -- Our Diocese is hosting this quarter's meeting of the bishops of the Santa Fe Province: Archbishop Michael Sheehan of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe (the metropolitan of the province); Bishop Ricardo Ramirez of the Diocese of Las Cruces; Bishop Thomas Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix; and myself. Bishop Donald J. Pelotte, S.S.S., of the Diocese of Gallup continues to recovery from fall injuries and will not be attending this meeting.
The gathering of bishops of an ecclesiastical province is meant to promote and facilitate the common pastoral activity of the province's member dioceses and to foster the relationships of the bishops in the dioceses of the province. That has been my experience of the meetings I have attended since coming to the Diocese of Tucson. The province meetings make it possible for us bishops and key staff to discuss important pastoral issues that we face in common.
At this week's meeting, to be held at the Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks, staff from the diocesan Family Life Offices in the province will join us to discuss the challenges of their ministry. Although we do not have a diocesan office solely dedicated to Family Life, Mike Berger, director of our Office of Catechesis, whose ministry involve aspects of Family Life, will be participating.
3. Manos Unidas Project -- I will travel across the border at San Luis into the Diocese of Mexicali this Thursday. Along with Bishop Jose Isidro Guerrero Macias, Bishop of Mexicali, I will be participating in a two-day tour to learn about the work of the Manos Unidas (Hands United) Project, which is funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and the Howard G. Buffet Foundation.
Catholic Relief Services Mexico, Caritas Mexicali and our diocesan Catholic Social Mission Office have been working through the Manos Unidas Project to support a new model of legal, stable and fair farm labor in the Yuma County and northwestern Sonora region.
The context of our visit is the major disruption of the daily availability of labor, due to tighter border security, for the produce fields in Yuma County. These disruptions cause financial losses for growers and create obstacles for farm workers seeking the opportunity to work in the fields.
Manos Unidas Project leaders, including Joanne Welter from our Catholic Social Mission Office, Erica Dahl-Bredine of the CRS-Mexico Office, and members of Caritas Mexicali and the Yuma Interfaith Council will accompany us as we meet with farm workers and growers. I am grateful to Msgr. Richard O'Keeffe and Fathers John Friel, Chris Orndorff, Javier Perez and Raul Valencia, pastors of parishes in the Yuma-La Paz vicariate, who will be accompanying me on this fact finding mission to understand better the plight of farm workers and how we might respond more pastorally to their needs.
On Thursday, we will participate in a celebration to mark the establishment of the Centro Independiente de Trabajadores Agricolas (CITA) in San Luis, RC, Sonora. CITA is a cooperative employment agency operated by and for Mexican farm workers members in Mexico and the U.S.
On Friday, we will meet at Immaculate Heart Parish in Somerton with growers and other employers who hire farm workers.
4. Support for DREAM Act -- The provisions of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which was included in the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that failed to receive the support of the U.S. Senate earlier this summer, would make it possible for the children of illegal immigrants to pursue citizenship if they attend college for at least two years or serve honorably in the U.S. military for at least two years. It is anticipated that the DREAM Act may be reintroduced soon in the Senate as an amendment to a spending bill.
Last week, in a statement delivered at the National Press Club, Bishop Thomas Wenski of the Diocese of Orlando called elected officials to "resist the voices of dissension and fear this time and vote for the DREAM Act."
Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Bishop Wenski, a consultant to the bishop's Committee on Migration, said that "as a provider of education to thousands of children and young adults nationwide, the Catholic Church has witnessed the suffering of young persons who through no fault of their own, reside in an undocumented status and are denied access to legal status in this country and an opportunity to continue their education."
Bishop Wenski said that "the DREAM Act would give these young people an opportunity to meet their potential and to fully contribute to our society. This is not only good for them but good for our country."
"Should we forsake these young people because we lack the political will and courage to provide them a just remedy?" Bishop Wenski asked. "By investing in these young people, our nation will receive the benefits for years to come. It is also the right and moral thing to do."
5. Feast of St. Vincent de Paul -- On this Thursday's feast day, let us give thanks for the thousands of volunteers who participate in the charitable ministries of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. I am grateful to the Society's members in our Diocese who model for us the importance of reaching out to the littlest and weakest with compassion and support.
6. Preaching Training Session for Diaconate Candidates -- The candidates for the permanent diaconate will gather this Saturday for the third of four preaching seminars that are part of their preparation.
Following from the previous sessions that provided elements of story telling and proclamation, we will watch videos of the candidates' preaching. Formation team members, the candidates and I will provide constructive observations. Attention to preaching the message of the scripture, relating it to the pastoral setting of their particular occasion, speaking in an engaging manner, addressing the particular community, having a good beginning, middle and conclusion are just a few of the areas we will be addressing. During these next months, the candidates will have additional opportunities for developing good preaching skills.
7. Painting St. Augustine Cathedral -- About 20 people attended the listening session about the painting options for St. Augustine Cathedral last Thursday evening. All were long-time members of the parish. It was interesting to hear some of their memories. Several had been students at Marist College. One gentleman had participated in a boxing program that was held at Cathedral Hall.
We watched a pictorial presentation about the history of St. Augustine, learning that there have been several St. Augustine Churches since the founding of Tucson. We saw images of several parishes in Mexico that served as a model for Bishop Daniel Gercke when he was contemplating the redesign of the Cathedral in the 1920s. Interestingly, those churches in Queretero, Mexico, that look so similar to our Cathedral in design, have color accents.
During the meeting, some expressed a desire to keep the Cathedral white since that is their memory of St. Augustine Cathedral and because it is the white that they think makes the Cathedral stand out in downtown Tucson. Others indicated they want to keep the color white, but with the decorations that are featured on John Alan's rendition of the Cathedral. Some expressed the preference for the color suggested by John Alan, since it made the Cathedral more alive and better brought out architectural elements of the structure.
We continue to receive opinions from people on the color choice. Those preferences continue to be about two-thirds for the color and one-third for the white. Some suggest white with accent designs.
We will continue to study the options. Obviously, at some point a decision will need to be made. We hope to begin prepping the Cathedral for painting -- whatever color -- very soon.
8. Welcome to New Staff at Pastoral Center -- Bern Zovistoski is the new managing editor of The New Vision, our diocesan newspaper. Grace Lohr will assist Father Miguel Mariano and Marty Hammond as part-time secretary in the Vocations Office.
I asked Bern and Grace to share a little bit about themselves.
I'm delighted to have this opportunity to join all of you in support of the ministry of the Diocese of Tucson. It's a big change for me, and a welcome one. I began working at newspapers as a copy boy while a teenager attending college and I'm old enough now, legally, to "retire." But I have no intention to do so. Along the way, I worked 25 years at The Times Union, a daily newspaper in Albany, N.Y., not far from where I grew up. I also served for six years as the first civilian editor of The Stars and Stripes, the daily newspaper that serves U.S. forces throughout Europe. After willingly following me wherever my career path led, my lovely wife Paulette found a job at University Medical Center, so I followed her here to beautiful southern Arizona. We are both thrilled to be here, doing work we love. -- Bern Zovistoski
I am the daughter of Juan R. and Angie Amaro of St. John the Evangelist Parish and wife of Charles Lohr. We have been married for 17 years and have one child, Patrick, who attends Immaculate Heart High School. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is our parish. I am the Diocesan Choir Director and Choir Director at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Christopher Parish in Marana. -- Grace Lohr
We are very pleased to welcome Grace and Bern to the Pastoral Center.
9. A Dear Friend Is Saying Farewell -- Bishop Francis Quinn, retired bishop of Sacramento, came to the Diocese of Tucson in 1995 at the invitation of Bishop Manuel Moreno after Bishop Quinn indicated an interest to work in his retirement with Native Americans.
What a blessing his presence has been! He is beloved among the people he served with such dedication and commitment, especially the people of the Pascua Yaqui Nation.
Recently, Bishop Quinn mentioned to me that he believes it is time for him to return to Sacramento, which was his home as bishop. While he has come to love our Diocese, he realizes that it is time to return home.
I know all of us feel profound respect for Bishop Quinn and cherish his gentle, loving and unassuming manner. He is a deeply spiritual man who has left a permanent impact on all of us.
We pray God's abundant blessings for Bishop Quinn as he begins another phase of his retirement, and we hope that he will visit us often.