Vol. 2, No. 6 Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019

My thanks . . .

"A meeting in solidarity, humility, and penitence "If one member suffers, all the members suffer together" (1 Cor 12:26) Meeting of Bishops at the Vatican, Feb. 21 to Feb. 24 "Faced with widespread and growing discomfort following new reports and revelations of very serious cases of sexual abuse involving members of the clergy, on September 12, 2018, at the end of one of the meetings of the Council of Cardinals it was announced that the Holy Father had decided to call a meeting in the Vatican for February 21-24, 2019. The meeting would be a broad approach to the theme 'The Protection of Minors in the Church."" Federico Lombardi, S.J.  Moderator of the Meeting ""The Protection of Minors in the Church" "To learn more about the ongoing meeting visit http://www.pbc2019.org" "Portions of the meeting also will be livestreamed. Please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTMa4ylT3"

I had lunch today with some of the many craftsmen and craftswomen that have been building our new Education, Conference and Pastoral Center just north of St. Augustine Cathedral. While some of you may have been watching this beautiful building come closer and closer to completion, I know most of us in the Diocese haven't had a chance to see the building at all.

It is clear that many talented people have been working to make the newest and most recent part of Cathedral Square a beautiful and functional building. The architects captured our many ideas, requirements and details and created images and blue prints to start the process. Lots of hard work went into preparing the construction site, and especially in building the foundation that we hope will hold fast and true for many decades to come.

Now we have reached a stage where the artistry of bricklayers, drywallers, carpet layers and finish construction people are using their skills to bring the image that once existed only on paper into existence.

My thanks to all those who have labored on our building. Your hard work now become a very real legacy to our Diocese and to the Tucson community now being graced by your talents.

If all goes well, we should be able to move into the building by sometime in later March of this year. Grand opening ceremonies begin April 26 with smaller events, followed by a Mass of Celebration, ribbon-cutting and blessing of the building on Sunday, April 28.

I will provide more information on those events closer to their scheduled dates.

Photos by Michael Brown

At left and below, Bishop Weisenburger hosted more than 30 people to lunch at Street Taco restaurant. The guests were those who have been working hard at the new diocesan building next to St. Augustine Cathedral.

 Here are a few photos of the building:

Above left , the Educational and Conference Center at Cathedral Square is looking more and more complete. Above right, a view of an interior staircase between office sections of the building on the third and fourth floors. St. Augustine's parish offices are located on the first floor, and the conference/banquet room area is on the second floor.

Photos by Steff Koeneman

Above left , the Educational and Conference Center area of the new building. This area will eventually be carpeted, but for now work continues on other details such as painting and tiling.

Congratulations!
Saint John Paul II Youth Leadership award winners

To the 28 young people living in the Yuma/La Paz Vicariate that were chosen to receive John Paul II Awards this year. The awards recognize those high school juniors and seniors who have made significant contributions to parish/school life by demonstrating leadership qualities and extraordinary commitment over a period of time.

Youth leaders in many dioceses have noted that through participation in parish life and groups teens will experience personal growth in faith and a richer understanding of our Catholic tradition. Through parish youth ministry programs, high school Campus Ministry activities, and Catholic youth organizations/movements, teens have varied opportunities to develop leadership skills in the areas of Missionary Disciples, Missionaries of Mercy, and Liturgical Leadership. The purpose this our 15th annual awards dinner is to recognize and affirm the outstanding high school youth in the Diocese of Tucson.

The John Paul II Awards for youth in the greater Tucson area will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2019, at 9 a.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral at 192 S Stone Ave., beginning with Mass.

My congratulations to the students and their family members who most surely had a role in helping their younger family members see the value of service.

Upcoming

Ash Wednesday: March 6. I will celebrate noon Mass at St. Augustine along with distribution of ashes.