Monday we moved into our new pastoral center, our new Conference and Educational Center and the new offices for St. Augustine Cathedral Parish.
After three years (only 1.5 years for me) it is a pleasure to move into the spacious new building at 192 S. Stone, right next to our Cathedral.
It wasn’t all fun … we did move a lot of stuff. Special thanks to John Shaheen, our director of property and insurance, and Liz Aquallo, the department administrator. Both managed the move that included the set-up of work stations in the new building, the organization of the move of all of our computers and printers and mountains of packed boxes. No small order. In addition, John still is working with the details of the construction and the final steps of finishing our new building, including moving the beautiful bandshell back into place in front of the new building.
Congratulations to all Pastoral Center employees for completing the hard work involved in getting our offices up and running in short order.
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Monalisa Oreschnick gets ready to greet Pastoral Center visitors as they enter the new building on the ground floor. |
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Above left, Father Manuel Viera, O.F.M., the diocesan Judicial Vicar, helps Kristie Roche, executive assistant (center) and Chancellor Anne Morales, put a cabinet into its new home. Above right, Berlinda Parra, parish and fiscal operations liaison, tackles moving her possessions into a cubicle work station. At left, a typical view yesterday as employees moved into the building. |
Check out Bishop Weisenburger’s Lenten Minutes on our diocesan homepage at www.diocesetucson.org. Each week, Bishop suggests ideas for meditation or different ideas to ponder. Look for the icon above to locate the video at the diocese homepage or view the video on Bishop Weisenburger’s Facebook page.
The video for the Fourth Sunday of Lent was posted last Friday.
I rarely include recommendations of movies in my Wednesday Update narrratives, but I thought I might mention the movie “Unplanned.” If you are not already familiar with the movie, it is the true story of former Planned Parenthood Clinic Director, Abby Johnson, who goes from being pro-abortion to becoming an outspoken pro-life leader.
Here is the summary of the movie posted by Catholic News Service:
Hard-hitting, fact-based drama adapted from a memoir by Abby Johnson. During her rise to become one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors in the country, Johnson (Ashley Bratcher) gradually becomes uneasy about the organization's marketing of abortion, a process of conversion that reaches a dramatic climax when she is asked to assist a doctor performing the procedure and witnesses via sonogram what it really involves. Her new stance is welcomed by her pro-life husband (Brooks Ryan) and parents (Robin DeMarco and Robert Thomason) as well as by some of the activists (Jared Lotz and Emma Elle Roberts) she once considered adversaries. But it infuriates her ornery former superior in the organization (Robia Scott) who becomes the moving force in a lawsuit against her. Written and directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, the film is effective but unsparing in its effort to convey the full horror of slaughtering the unborn. So the parents of older teens will have to decide whether the informative value of the story outweighs its disturbing content. Not for the casual moviegoer of any age. Gruesome images of abortion and dismembered fetuses, much medical gore, a mild oath, a few crass expressions, a vague sexual reference. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
As Catholics, we must always remember our call to protect life, especially now when various states in our country contemplate laws that may allow even babies, just prior to the moment of birth, living humans, to be aborted. We also face many other questions that strike against our belief in the need to protect life at all stages. These challenges include, poverty, hunger, asylum and the decline of charitable works to prevent the suffering of others.
-For the soul of Catherine Elizabeth Knight, wife of David Knight our network administrator, who died suddenly on March 23. She is preceded in death by her father, Gerald E. Grieder, and mother, Glenna (Drown) Grieder. She is survived by her husband, David Knight, three children: Nathan Knight, Nicholas Knight (wife Alison) and Danielle Williams (husband Augustine) with two granddaughters Emily Kennedy and Abigail Williams along with sister Debra Grieder, brother Kevin Grieder (wife Linda) and brother Carey Grieder (wife Pam). Cathy worked for many years and in many jobs at St.Cyril Parish in Tucson. David and Cathy would have been married 42 years in June 2019.
A memorial mass will be held St. Cyril Church, 4725 E Pima St, Tucson, AZ on Friday, April 5th, at 1:30 PM with a reception at the church afterwards. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to Casa Maria Catholic Worker House, 401 E 26th St., Tucson, AZ 85713.
-For the soul of Dora Valdez, sister of Father Francisco Maldonado. Mrs. Valdez passed away March 30. Father Maldonado will celebrate a funeral liturgy for his sister on Saturday, April 6. The rosary will begin at
11 a.m., and the Funeral Mass will follow at noon. Both will be held at Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Green Valley. Please keep Mrs. Valdez, Father Maldonado, and their family in our prayers.
-The soul of Balaswamy Narra, beloved father of Father Showri Raju Narra. Balaswamy died of a heart attack on March 21. Father Showri traveled home to India for his father’s funeral and to be with his family during this difficult time.
-For the soul of Father Vernon Malley, O.Carm. of the Carmelite Community adjacent to Salpointe Catholic High School, who died March 26 with the members of the Carmelite Community and friends present. Father’s funeral and internment was held on April 2.
-For the soul of Catherine Theresa Schilling Long, 88, mother of Father Mark Long, pastor of St. Ambrose. Mrs. Long passed away March 23. The funeral Vigil will be on Friday, April 5, at 4 p.m., at St. Ambrose Church in Tucson. The funeral will be on Saturday, April 6, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Ambrose. We ask for prayers for Father Mark and his family.
-For the soul of Francis Negrette, mother of Deacon Robert Negrette. Mrs. Negrette passed away March 4, and funeral services already have taken. Deacon serves at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Tucson.
-For the soul of Damien Huong Tran, brother of Deacon Thi Tran. Damien passed away yesterday. Deacon Tran serves at St. Frances de Sales Parish in Tucson.
-For the full recovery of Msgr. Richard O’Keeffe in Yuma, who has been hospitalized over the last few days.
-For the full recovery of Kathy Bent, mother of Katheryn Hutchinson, program manager for Grants at the Catholic Foundationwho also has been hospitalized for several days.
Brother Antonio Sison, CPPS
Thursday, April 4
Corpus Christi Church, 7 p.m.
300 N. Tanque Verde Loop Road
What if film, as a new stained-glass window, can help us to see the mystery of faith within the contradictions of the world, and to rouse our passion for worship, reconciliation, and greater human flourishing? Brother Antonio “Ton” Sison, CPPS, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, introduces us to the imaginative and thought-provoking inter-discipline of Theology and Film where image births into insight. Brother Ton has given lectures and presentations both within the United States and internationally (Kenya, Indonesia, Mexico, the Netherlands, among others). He has served as co-chair and member of the Religion, Film, and Visual Culture group of the American Academy of Religion (AAR), and as co-editor of New Theology Review. Paying attention to “what the world is watching,” Ton also serves as film critic of world cinema for the National Catholic Reporter.
The presentation is free of charge.
Palm Sunday: April 14
Masses at all diocesan parishes. Call the parish near you for Mass times, or visit parish websites for more information
Chrism Mass: Monday, April 15
2 p.m., St. Augustine Cathedral Parish
This Mass includes the blessing of the holy oils used throughout the year by parishes. It is a beautiful liturgy and will take place at 2 p.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral. Representatives from each parish will be there, and many pastors also will attend to collect the oils for their parishes. The sacramental oils I will bless during the liturgy are: The oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick and sacred chrism.
Sacred or holy chrism is olive oil-based and is mixed with small amounts of balm or balsam. It is used during the sacraments of confirmation, baptism, the ordination of priests and the consecration of churches and bishops.
Good Friday
Friday, April 19
A day of prayer and fasting.
Living Stations of the Cross - Via Cruces
A live re-enactment of Christ's path toward crucifixion.
5:30 p.m.
Begins at San Cosme Chapel
460 W. Simpson St. (about 3 blocks south and west of St. Augustine Cathedral)