A beautiful sunset sets the stage for soccer action at the Kino Sports Complex during the Padres v. Seminarians game last Friday.
Above left , Father Gonzalo Villegas, pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Tucson, poses for a selfie with Isela Celaya and her daughter, Danitza Celaya. Above right, Padres Coach Kathy Rhinehart, aka, the Chancellor, prepares for the game.
Kino Cup Soccer Tournament
The Fourth Annual KinoCup Soccer Tournament was a great success. Except, the priests lost to the seminarians 5 to 2.
I was unable to attend, but my Communications staff who all were there reported that the priests gave it their all, even playing through some pain. But such is the game. Last year, the Padres were victorious, so we give our seminarians credit!
The tournament serves a a few purposes: increase awareness for vocations, raise money for vocations and to show the world that priests and seminarians are out with the people and that we are active.
Congratulations to Father Jorge Farias Saucedo and his team of Clara Heslinga and Mercy Ortiz and a great many more people and organizations that sponsored or helped with the event. This group includes:
Priests and Seminarians from Diocese of Tucson
Our Mother of Sorrows Hispanic Ministry
Team Vocaciones
En Familia Radio
Movimiento Familiar Cristiano
Knights of Columbus
Catholic Tuition Support Organization (CTSO)
Grupo Promesa - Sagrado Corazón and Santa Monica
St Helen of the Cross Parish
St Elizabeth Ann Seaton Hispanic Ministry
Grupo de Matrimonios - Santa Monica
Arcoiris St Cyril’s
Paty and David Fernandez
I am also grateful for your assistance and support.
There is another group we need to thank as well: our cheerleaders or, as I have learned to say in Spanish, our porristas. This lively group included the energetic posse of Isela and Danitza Celaya, Alex Neeley, Rachel Guzman, Angelica Lozier, Clara Heslinga, Iliana Gonzales and Sister Lois Paha, O.P.
A fond farewell
To Sister Delores Vogt, a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity, who has served the Diocese as a teacher and in parish work for Mission San Xavier for 16 years, and who is taking a new assignment at the community’s motherhouse in Manitowoc, Wisc. Imagine just how many students Sister Delores has worked with over these years! Thanks for your work Sister and God bless you as you move to your new assignment.
Congratulations and welcome
Congratulations to Father Jeff Wocken, .S.D.S., who was elected as provincial for the Salvatorians.
Father Jeff is best known locally for his work with the Jordan Ministry Team, which conducts adult formation. He also has been involved in parishes both as a liturgical musician and pastoral minister. He has experience in leading workshops and retreats, and has done so for many Tucsonans. Since Father Jeff will now be moving to Milwaukee, his leadership of Jordan Ministry will be temporarily handled by Sister Jane Eschweiler, S.D.S.
We now welcome Silas Henderson, who is a brother with the Salvatorians, and who will join the Jordan Ministry Team.
Reminder:Ordinations
On Saturday, June 2, I will ordain our transitional deacons John Gonzales and Thomas Quirk to the priesthood. Ordination liturgies are beautiful; I encourage all to attend. The Ordination takes place Saturday at St. Augustine Cathedral beginning at
10 a.m.
Prayer and Action
I wanted to repost the information on our Prayer and Action sessions coming up.
Prayer and Actionis a weeklong overnight retreat for high school students to gather to prayer serve in the community. This experience is intended to help youth deepen their faith through service to others around our diocese.
Posters with more information soon will be up at your parishes; One session takes place at Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Tucson from Sunday, July 8 to Friday, July 13. Another session will take place at Immaculate Conception parish in Yuma from Sunday, July 15 to
Friday, July 20.
For more information, please contact Father Jorge at 520.838-2531 or email [email protected]
Upcoming
Transitional Deacon ordination
Saturday, June 9
St. Augustine Cathedral
Just on the heels of our Priesthood Ordination, we are ordaining three theology students as Transitional Deacons. This is one of the last major stages before these men will be ordained to the priesthood next year. From June 9 on, each will be called Deacon Justin Agbir, Deacon Jesus Haros-Mendez and Deacon John Peter Pedrasa.
While the ordinations may appear very similar, there are key moments that distinguish between a deacon ordination and a priest ordination. Following ordination there are differences in what each may do.
Deacons, transitional or permanent, receive faculties to preach, to perform baptisms, and to witness marriages. They may assist at the Eucharist or the Mass, but are not the ministers of the Eucharist. After at least six months as a transitional deacon, a man will be ordained to the priesthood.
Priests can preach, perform baptisms, witness marriages, hear confessions and give absolutions, anoint the sick, and celebrate the Eucharist or the Mass. Some priests are later chosen to be bishops; bishops may ordain priests, deacons, and bishops