News - September 2018 RSS Feed

We had a wonderful experience at the national V Encuentro meeting in Grapevine, Texas last week. Sister Gladys Echenique, O.P., our coordinator of Hispanic Ministry; Sister Lois Paha, O.P. director of Pastoral Services; Ofelia James, executive assistant of Pastoral Services and others representing many of our parishes, were among the 50 delegates that attended from our diocese.  I attended as well.

Tuvimos una experiencia maravillosa en el V Encuentro Nacional la semana pasada en Grapevine, Texas. La hermana Gladys Echenique, O.P., nuestra coordinadora del Ministerio Hispano; la hermana Lois Paha, O.P., directora de Servicios Pastorales; Ofelia James, asistente ejecutiva de Servicios Pastorales, y otros fieles de varias de nuestras parroquias se contaban entre los 50 delegados que representaron a nuestra diócesis. Yo también asistí al Encuentro.

It is my hope that readers of the Wednesday Update already have received a copy of my most recent thoughts on the abuse crisis affecting the Catholic Church, but just in case, I have included the extensive text below.  It also is my hope that the details included below will 1. Encourage understanding that the Diocese of Tucson went through its own abuse crisis in 2002, and the through establishment of  Safe Environment policies and prevention practices, we continue to work to safeguard all in our care and service from abuse;

In the past, this diocese had a Diocesan Pastoral Council comprised of representatives from across the Diocese and that met monthly to discuss topics decided by the bishop. I have reorganized the Pastoral Council in this way:  there now is a one-day, once a year gathering of lay representatives from each vicariate. We held our first DPC meeting last Saturday.

El Día de los Trabajadores celebré Misa con los trabajadores del comedor Casa Maria Soup Kitchen y con personas que reciben servicios allí. Hubo decenas de asistentes, y la Misa se llevó a cabo al aire libre bajo el porche de un edificio.

I celebrated Mass with workers and people served at the Casa Maria Soup Kitchen on the Labor Day holiday. There were dozens of people present, and Mass was held outside  under a long porch of a building.