Vol. 1, No. 12. Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Students speak to the nation
This morning I joined the students at St. Augustine Catholic High School as they gathered in their school’s courtyard and thinking of the recent, devasting shootings in schools and elsewhere, prayed the rosary together.

At San Miguel Cristo Rey High School on the western side of Tucson, the students met in the gymnasium for prayer and reflection on the same topic. Then, at lunch they could go into classrooms and write to or telephone an elected official asking that more be done about preventing gun violence.

Near the International Border, high school students at Lourdes High School students met in the soccer field for prayer. The chapel bells tolled once for each of the 17 victims of the shooting in Parkland, Fla., and the students collectively prayed the Hail Mary for each of the fallen. Then an officer from the Nogales Police Department spoke with students briefly on non-violence and safety.

At Immaculate Heart School in northern Tucson, the students prayed, then let loose a balloon for each of the fallen students in Florida. Then they put arose for each student in a vase. Later, during their prayer time, they created a display commemorating the victims. 

And at Yuma Catholic, the students met in a campus quad area and prayed. The name of each of the Parkland victims were read aloud and students prayed the Lord’s Prayer for each.

I report this to you today, because I wanted all of us to see that protest need not be immersed in loud calls and chaos. Yes, our students may be afraid, and they also may be angry about these recent events. But it is important for all of us to recognized that fear and anger are the way our emotions can motivate us to action. I am so proud that our Catholic school students chose to use their faith, their compassion and their trust in God as part of their call to action to the adult world.

Photo recap: YOUTH Fest 2018 Inspire
More than 600 students in middle and high school attended this year’s event. It was great day with some fun, some prayer and some good thinking about God.   

Priest assignments
The following priest assignments took effect on March 1, unless otherwise noted:

Father Mohana Bathineni
To: St. Joseph the Worker Parish– Wellton – Administrator
From: St. Francis de Sales Parish – Tucson – Parochial Vicar Term: Ending June 30, 2018 

Father Edson Elizarraras
To: Our Lady of Grace Parish – Maricopa – Temporary Pastoral Ministry
From: Our Lady of Fatima Parish – Tucson – Parochial Vicar Term: Ending June 30, 2018 

Father Abraham Guerrero
To: Saint Jude Thaddeus Parish – San Luis – Pastor
From: St. Joseph the Worker Parish– Wellton – Pastor Term:            6 years ending June 30, 2024

Father John Arnold
To: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish – Tucson – Parochial Administrator
Remains Pastor of St. Mark Parish - Tucson Term: Ending June 30, 2018

Father Joseph Lombardo
To: PAC – Retirement
From: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish – Tucson – Pastor Term:         N/A

Father Gustavo Benitez
Effective Feb. 19, 2018To: St. Mary’s Hospital for Chaplain training

Father Eduardo Lopez Romo                                            
Effective Feb. 19, 2018
To: In residence at Immaculate Heart of Mary Somerton to support the Yuma parishes

Other recent appointments include:

Father Manuel “Jesus” Cordova                                       
Effective: Dec. 1, 2017 To: St. Augustine Cathedral
From: Peru

Father Rajeev Bobba                                                       
Effective: Dec. 1, 2017 To: St. Francis of Assisi Yuma
From: India

Learn more about Padre Kino
There is a movie coming to Tucson and Nogales about Padre Kino that includes modern day scenarios that can be reflected on as Kino might have reflected on his times in many ways.

As a press release reported, “Viva Kino! is a documentary movie about the Arizona-Sonora borderlands as told by María, a young rodeo instructor. While traveling on horseback, Maria reflects on the tragic changes to these desert borderlands. She finds hope for its future through the inspiration of the life of pioneer Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino (1645- 1711) and those who carry on his humanitarian work.”

Tucson Premier March 17, 2018 at 7 pm Saturday Evening
Gramer Hall - Saints Peter & Paul School 1946 East Adams Street
Tucson, Arizona, United States 

The Border Wall Premier - Ambos Nogales
March 18, 2018 at 1 pm Sunday Afternoon

Lourdes Catholic School Gymnasium 555 E Patagonia Highway

Nogales, Arizona, United States

Special guests - Kino Teens of The Kino Border Initiative

Website: http://www.auroravision.it

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/auroravision/