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November 4, 2025My Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
The poor suffer. The poor struggle. The poor sometimes seem invisible. But the poor are with us.
Catholic Community Services in cooperation with the Diocese are seeking food or money donations for needy families at Pio Decimo Center. We do not have enough shelf-stable food or funds to meet the expected increase in demand that is happening at Pio Decimo.
Your gift today, whether it is a financial contribution or a donation of nonperishable food items, will ensure that no family is turned away in this moment of crisis.
You can make a financial contribution at this site: https://www.ccs-soaz.org/donate/form or you can drop off food at any of three locations: Pio Decimo,(848 S. 7th Ave.) Or COPD (268 W. Adams St) or the Bishop Kicanas Pastoral Center (192 S. Stone Ave). All three locations will accept donations from Monday-Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The recent decision made by Congress and signed by the President to restrict Medicaid funds and the imminent freezing of the SNAP program even if emergency funds are made available will cause even more distress for poor families. Pope Leo XIV in his first Apostolic Exhortation reminds us of the long history of the Church back to the earliest of times spoke about our responsibility to attend to the needs of the poor even as the Good Samaritan saw where love was needed and responded.
It was a delight to celebrate All Saints Day with Immaculate Heart School last week. The younger kids were all decked out in their favorite saint’s costume.
From St. Philomena to Mother Teresa of Calcutta to Padre Pio to Joan of Arc to St. Francis of Assisi and many others, the kids looked sharp. We took a picture of everyone in the school at the end of Mass. Thanks to Sr. Veronica Loya and all the faculty, students, staff and parents who attended and who contribute to making IHM a wonderful school community.
The first of the Cathedral Concert Series took place last Wednesday. Dia De Muertos, the Mariachi program was a resounding success. This year, Mariachi Sonido De Mexico and the Viva Folklorico Dance Company put on an exciting performance. About 350 gathered in the Placita for the open-air performance. Five other concerts are planned which include:
-Balourdet Quartet who will play in Our Lady’s Chapel on November 19, 2025, 6:30 pm
-Christmas at the Cathedral Concert on December 17, 2025, in St Augustine Cathedral 6:30 pm
-Vyacheslav Gryaznov, Piano Concert on January 21, 2026, in Our Lady’s Chapel at 6:30 pm
-Enchanting Melodies with our own Carlos Zapién in the Bishop Kicanas Pastoral Center Ginny Clements Ballroom on February 11, 2026
-Phoenix Chorale on Tuesday March 24, 2026 in St. Augustine Cathedral beginning at 6:30 pm
Plan on taking advantage of this diverse and entertaining musical opportunities. You can get more information by accessing Cathedral Concert Series Tucson. While there is no charge for any of the concerts, some require tick
ets because of limited space and you can acquire tickets on the website. I am grateful to the Catholic Foundation, several of our parishes as well as a few individual donors who help make this Concert Series possible. Free will offerings can be made at the end of each of the concerts.
The Catholic Men’s Conference held last week at Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish as always went very well and was well attended. It is a great opportunity for men and, in some instances, along with their sons to gather for fellowship, prayer, input on living a fulfilled life through faith and a chance to share together. Presentations by Paul George author of Holy Grit and Sam Blair, a former Navy Seal were well received.
Photo courtesy: AZ Knights of Columbus It was also an opportunity for me to dialogue with the men on faith and diocesan related issues they wanted to discuss. Of course, the first question posed was, “When will we be getting our new bishop? That was easy to answer, “We don’t know!” Another question posed by Richard Tracy, the emcee, asked what the three biggest issues the new bishop will have to address. My response, “Lack of priestly vocations, the need to start new parishes and build larger churches since our Diocese unlike the East Coast and Midwest is growing, and finally evangelization of the young and fallen away. And a fourth would be helping Catholics understand the rich and challenging social teaching of the Church.”Our Diocesan Men’s Conference began in 2014 and continues to be a wonderful opportunity for Catholic men to grow in their faith. The committe
e that plans the gathering is chaired by Bill Breen and includes Brandon Baker, Dave Chohon, Deacon Bill Polakowski, Jeff Schneider, Mark Koeppen, Mike Goodwin, Rich Tracy, Jr, Samuel Kiser, and Tony Lomanico. Great job to the committee with gratitude by all who attended. Thanks also to the Knights of Columbus who play a key part in the event.
I had the privilege to give the keynote address at the annual Reachout Women’s Center Gala that was held at the Tucson Convention Center last Sunday. I was asked to speak on the notion of the seamless garment understanding of being pro-life which means one truth, many threads. It encompasses the unborn, the newborn, the refugee, the poor, the elderly, the death-row inmate, all of God’s creation. It is grounded on the understanding that every life is precious, and everyone is made in the image of God to be respected, loved and valued.
The event is a fundraiser for Reachout which does pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, peer counseling, baby material assistance and other programs to assist women about to give birth or after delivery. RJ Saavedra is the Executive Director. She and her staff and Board accomplish many miracles.
It was my joy to bless the newly renovated hall at St. Ann’s Parish in Tubac. They have worked very hard to upgrade and enhance the facility for use by the community.
The hall was built in 1958 through the generosity of William Morrow who donated 13 acres north of the village with hopes of establishing a Catholic school. When the community found it impossible to hire teachers for a school, the community transformed that vision into something just as meaningful- a parish and community center. Hence, a hall was built as a hub for civic meetings, festivals, art exhibits, and family celebrations.
From 1999-2021 the hall housed a Montessori School, but that school relocated in 2021 and so now a new chapter has begun. The parish envisions a revitalized community hall that renews the spirit of fellowship and unity throughout Santa Cruz County. It will now host up to 200 people in a unique, beautiful and affordable venue unlike any other in the region. It will once again become the heartbeat of Tubac.
The renovated hall became possible through the Donald Moschetti Estate, Laura J. Griswold Estate, Santa Catalina Parish St. Thomas Apostle Church, St. George,
The Catholic Foundation as well as many parishioners who shared their time and talent to make this happen. I am grateful as well to Jose Gastellum and Conan Bardwell who saw this project through to completion.
The blessing was held on November 3, 2025. Congratulations to Fr. Joseph Esson, pastor for his leadership.
I look forward to having dinner tonight with our ACE teachers serving in several of our Catholic Schools along with Angelina Schmidt, our interim Superintendent. They are Daniel Rogge now in his second year of service teaching Math at San Miguel High School, Danna Gonzalez Pedrozain her second year teaching science at St. Augustine High School, Jacqueline Perez in her first year at St. John the Evangelist teaching fifth grade, Emily Stucky in her first year also teaching at St. John the Evangelist and Diego Cantu Soto in his first year teaching at Santa Cruz in fifth grade.
The Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) is a two-year teaching fellowship and formation experience in which participants teach in Catholic schools while also earning a tuition free M.Ed. from the University of Notre Dame. We have been blest for a number of years with ACE students serving in our Diocese. They are a blessing and gift.
Tuesday we also have our birthday gathering for Pastoral Center staff celebrating birthdays from July to September. There will be a fall theme to the gathering. It will begin with Mass in Our Lady’s Chapel followed by a luncheon. It is always fun to celebrate one another’s birthdays. There are 28 staff members celebrating within July to September, another year older. Ugh!
Yesterday, November 3rd we held one of the two ongoing formation programs for our priests. Mr. Luis Velasquez, a Catholic writer, professor, international presenter and licensed professional counselor with over 20 years of experience in psychological rehabilitation spoke on staying mentally and physically healthy amid all the demands that priests face. The day involved two talks with opportunities for the priests to asked questions and included lunch. As all professionals, it is important that our priests have opportunities for ongoing formation to address issues important in their ministry.
The next session will be held on March 23, 2026, and Bishop John Dolan, Bishop of Phoenix will give the talks.
The Arizona Catholic Conference under the direction of Mr. Ron Johnson serves as the lobbyist for the Catholic dioceses working with the governor’s office and Arizona legislature on issues important to the church. We will gather virtually on Thursday, November 6 since Bishop Dolan is in Rome. At the meeting we will discuss current and future legislation that might impact on the work of the church. Every state has a Catholic Conference to assist the bishops of that State in dealing with their local concerns.
On Friday I will be traveling to Baltimore for our fall meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Conference meets twice a year, in the Fall in Baltimore and in the Spring in either San Diego, Louisville, or Orlando. I still serve on several committees that meet prior to the full assembly which is why I have to leave on the 7th.
So, I will be at the meeting of CLINIC which works with legal issues related to visas for priests, religious and others and the Subcommittee on Africa which approves grants made by dioceses in Africa for assistance with one or another of their programs. The monies come from the collection that is taken up in dioceses across the United States. The third committee is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development which provides support for nonprofit organizations that help the poor and disenfranchised to address social justice issues in their community. The full body meets from Tuesday to Thursday. This year we will elect a new President and Vice President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from a list of ten nominees. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger is among the ten, we pray the Spirit will guide the election for the good of the Conference and the Church it serves.
On Thursday and Friday of the following week I will leave the Conference meeting to travel from Baltimore to Washington, DC to take part in the semi-annual meeting of the Bethlehem University Foundation Board of which I am the Vice-Chair. BUF seeks to raise funds for Bethlehem University, the only Catholic University in the Holy Land.
The two days will begin with a reception and award evening that will be attended by the Vatican’s Nuncio to the United States, Cardinal Cristophe Pierre. BUF annually has given out two awards one in the name of Cardinal Laghi and the other in the name of Cardinal Sambi. Both Cardinal Laghi and Cardinal Sambi were Nuncios to the United States. This year a third award is being inaugurated, the Cardinal Cristophe Pierre Award.
Receiving the Sambi Star of Bethlehem Award is Mr. Chris Larsen, Executive Chairman of Ripple and receiving the Laghi is the Brothers of the Christian Schools as well as Cardinal Guggerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches will receive the new award in honor of our current Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal Pierre. On Friday we will hold our Board meeting.
On November 8 in conjunction with National Awareness Week, Sr. Jeanne Bartholomeaux who serves voluntarily as Vicar for Religious has organized a special liturgy of thanksgiving to honor the men and women whose vocations were inspired and nurtured by the local Parish and Catholic School communities in our Diocese.
The Mass will begin at 5:30 pm at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Tucson It will be a chance to honor the many faithful people whose encouragement, interest and prayer helped men and women to identify, explore and embrace their vocations to service in the Church. Priests born and raised in Southern Arizona are welcome to concelebrate.
Liturgy of Thanksgiving for Vocations
As always, I thank you for your prayers and support.
Yours in Christ,
Most Rev. Gerald Kicanas