This afternoon, diocese and Catholic Community Services representatives met with officials from the city county, three consulates, religious leaders and leaders from other organizations working with migrants. The meeting was to discuss and bring greater understanding among the group members about the decisions made by CCS to continue efforts to move asylum seekers from the former Benedictine Monastery in Tucson into an unused part of a county juvenile detention center.
The move is needed because the lease between CCS and the owner of the monastery building has expired. The owner of the building, Russ Rulney already extended the lease until Aug. 6 while CCS worked to find a new location to serve as temporary housing for the asylum-seekers.
As I reported in my last Update on July 10, we had reached a tentative agreement with Pima County for the facility on Ajo Way. Between last week and today, there were concerns raised by members of the community and some officials about using a detention facility for people whose time in the United States already had included stays in unpleasant settings near the border.
Fortunately, hard work by Peg Harmon, chief executive officer of CCS, members of her staff, and my own efforts, we remained in conversation with the county and those who were concerned about using the facility. We held our meeting today to give involved parties an opportunity to voice their concerns or to offer their suggestions, and I believe the conversation did bring some light into the discussions.
Meanwhile, the County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting on July 22 to vote on the agreement to lease the vacant juvenile facility to CCS. If approved, the result will be a clean and safe environment for those seeking asylum in a facility designed to house between 200 and 300 people. The areas under consideration are apart from any detention areas currently used by the county.
We again reminded those at the meeting that our decision to use the county facility was made after review of 25 properties around Tucson. CCS officials concluded that the Ajo Road facility will provide a safe and properly designed area for temporarily housing so many people. As I wrote last week, the idea of using a detention center may not seem the best option; we hope that the treatment provided, along with some de-institutionalizing of the interior, will help those staying there feel safe and welcome.
I will be preaching at the closing Mass of the annual Steubenville Conference that will take place this weekend at the University of Arizona.
As I read on the conference website, “ This summer, over 50,000 Catholic teens across North America will attend one of 24 Steubenville Youth Conferences to encounter the God who calls us His sons and daughters.”
The theme for this year’s conference is “Belong.” The conferences use presentations, music and prayer for an expansive experience of faith. The productions are quite amazing, with large screens. There were many parish groups in Centennial Hall for last year’s Mass and it was wonderful to see so many young people so engaged.