Search
-
October 21, 2025My Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
As always, this year’s Rosary Celebration had a wonderful turnout. Nearly 1,500 people attended the event including representatives from many of our parishes, Marian Sodalities, members of the Knights of Columbus, and altar servers from all around the Diocese.
This year’s theme was Our Lady of Guadalupe. Juan Diego carrying a silver rose led the procession and images of Our Lady were on many banners carried by the groups in the opening procession that went on for almost a half hour and ended with two Matachines’ dancing groups bearing roses and bedecked with Our Lady of Guadalupe images.
Fr. Manu Franco, O. Carm. gave a wonderful reflection on the apparition of Our Lady to Juan Diego and Juan’s request to Bishop Zumárraga to build her a Church. He invited the congregation to learn two words from Juan Diego’s native language.
Mary as a tlamatini — in Nahuatl, this term refers to a wise person, a teacher, and a mentor. Mary is the tlamatini from heaven, the one who taught Juan Diego to know and to live the things of God.
Juan Diego as a teomama — this word was used for those who carried a sacred offering. Juan Diego is a teomama, one who brings his experience of God, symbolized in the flowers and in Mary, imprinted on the tilma.
The Rosary was recited in English and Spanish, and each decade was introduced by a member of the congregation. The intentions included a prayer for vocations, for marriage, for the dignity of all life from conception to natural death, and for migrants and refugees.
The gathering ended with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.
I am so glad we did not have the event last weekend which you will remember brought much needed rain to our area and regretfully led to some flooding in places like Globe and the San Carlos Apache Reservation. But Saturday was a glorious day. Our Lady never lets us down.
Thanks to the Core Committee who organized the event including David Chohon, Chairman, Zach Farrell, Co-Chair, Sr. Lois Paha, Sonya Gutierrez, Carlos Olivas, Leslie Laria, Diana Valenzuela, Karen Sumerwell, Andy Cancino and so many others who lent a hand.
We welcome Stacy DeLong as Controller in our Finance Department working with Conan Bardwell, CFO. Stacy served for many years at St. Augustine Catholic High School and is very knowledgeable about the Diocese. She holds an MBA and is looking forward to beginning soon.
St. Augustine Cathedral held its fiesta this past weekend. It began with Mass followed by a marvelous steak dinner organized by the committee led by our own Liz Aguallo. They even provided a vegan meal for me, always so thoughtful.
So many of our parishes hold fiestas which help raise needed money for the work of the parish. They take a lot of planning and cooperation but are always fun and a chance to be together as a community.
The weekend of the St. Augustine Fiesta also included food booths and activities. Downtown was buzzing with our Fiesta as well as Tucson Meet Yourself.
Monday evening, I celebrated our Annual Red/Blue Mass at St. Augustine which was attended by leaders of our legal, political, and police communities in the Tucson Diocese along with members of the Thomas More Society, a group of Catholic lawyers in the community who organized the event and the reception following. As always it was a festive event in which our Diocese had the opportunity to honor a member from the legal and police community which I mentioned last week.
This year we honored the Honorable Paul Tang, Esq and Mrs. Raquel B. Arellano, Esq. from the judicial community as well as Officer Jeffrey P. Schneider from the law enforcement community.
Paul E. Tang is a retired Pima County Superior Court Judge who served from 2001 until 2021. During his 20 years on the bench, Judge Tang was vice-president of the Arizona Judges Association, a Master with the Morris K. Udall Inn of Courts, a Fellow of the American Bar Association, and active on various Arizona Supreme Court committees, including one while as criminal presiding judge that simplified the Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Raquel Arellano is a longstanding native Tucsonan who is an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for 32 years. She is the Section Chief of the Violent Crimes Section in the Tucson Office. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Raquel was a Deputy Pima County Attorney from 1988 to 1992.
Jeffrey Peter Schneider graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1970 and joined the Tucson Police Department in 1980. He was assigned to the Midtown Division as a Patrol Officer and, in a few years, was a Field Training and Lead Police Officer. He worked as a Team Investigator and in 1994, was promoted to Detective. As a detective, he served in the child abuse, night detective, and aggravated assault units. As a firearms Instructor for 25 years, he trained hundreds of officers throughout his career. He supported Special Olympics and took part annually in the Law Enforcement Torch Run with fellow officers.
Today our Catholic Cemetery Board will be meeting under the leadership of Mr. John Tellman, Chairman, from St. Mark’s Parish in Oro Valley. The board oversees the work of our two Catholic Cemeteries directed by Ernie Duarte. Many improvements have been made to our Cemeteries, and the Board is entertaining even more opportunities to enhance the sacred ground on which our loved ones are buried. “Bury the Dead” is, of course, one of the Corporal Works of Mercy and reflective of our sure and certain hope that with Christ we will rise again on the last day.
I am grateful for all the enhancements and improvements that have been made. I encourage all Catholic families to consider pre-planning for death and the arrangements we want for ourselves and our loved ones. Please check out the Tucson Diocese Catholic Cemetery webpage for more information about burial at Holy Hope or Our Lady of the Desert.
I will be meeting this week with the leadership of Catholic University to discuss the amazing progress that has been made in our university satellite program in Tucson. Under the leadership of Kieran Roche, Assistant Dean and Ellen Fisher, Assistant Director, CUA Tucson is growing each year. Later on Wednesday I will celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit with the Catholic University of America Tucson Branch beginning at 5:00 pm at St. Augustine Cathedral followed by a reception at the Tucson Convention Center. Those attending will include students, families, alumni, partners, and community members along with university administrators.
Enrollment has steadily increased from 14 students in the Fall of 2020 when it began to 95 in the Fall of 2025. There are 53 women students and 42 male students. The vast majority, 84 percent, are first generation college students, CUA Tucson has also experienced an increasing number of Tucson instructors. The university offers a certificate or associates in Paralegal Studies, two bachelor’s degrees in management or interdisciplinary studies and two master’s degrees in science management or interdisciplinary.
On Wednesday I will participate in a prayer service at the Presidio in Tubac which is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Anza expedition to California. The Anza California Expedition left from in front of St. Ann Church in Tubac. The previous day the resident priest at Tumacacori, Fr. Pedro Font said Mass. Fr. Font wrote a diary where you can find his thoughts at this website. Fr. Font records that it was 11:00 am when the group of 240+ and nearly 1,000 animals left from in front of the Tubac church to head for California. Fr. Font said Mass on Sunday, October 22, 1775, for the success of the journey of the expedition. He exhorted everyone to have perseverance and patience in the trials of so long a journey. After Fr. Font’s remarks the Alabado was sung then Juan Bautista De Anza yelled out!! Vayan Subiendo!! Mount Up! And they moved out.
Juan Bautista de Anza was a military officer who led the journey from Tubac to establish a presence in San Francisco area. The Anza Trail, part of which is preserved, is the path he took with the 240+ military and religious who traveled the route to the San Francisco Bay Area.
They plan to have people playing the roles of the various characters and as happened 250 years ago someone will yell "Vayan Subiendo" and people will mount up on their horses.
The Anza Society will be providing a lunch.
This Friday I will celebrate the annual White Mass for doctors in Our Lady’s Chapel beginning at 6:30 pm. Thanks to Dr. Adam Turnock and Dr. Ana Sanguineti for organizing the Liturgy. We are all grateful for the service of our Medical Professionals who care for us in so many ways. It is always a joy to celebrate with them.On Saturday I will travel to St. Anthony’s Parish in Casa Grande as they celebrate the 75th anniversary of the school. Much has happened in the school in these 75 years. Imagine the number of adults now who graduated from the school and are now contributing to their community by what they learned at St. Anthony School. The Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 pm followed by a fiesta at the school which is located in another location very close to the parish. They plan to have games and rides along with inflatables and food trucks, and dancing. It will conclude with an auction of donated items and some things kids have made.
Congratulations to Susan Borzych, the principal and Fr. Ariel Lustan, pastor and all the faculty, staff, parents and teachers. When the school began there were Adrian Dominicans staffing the school. Sr. Georgina Maria Bowers was the first principal. Choicest blessings to all the community of St. Anthony parish and school.
This Saturday evening the Southern Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will hold its Colores de Alma Gala which honors the artistic essence and vibrant soul of the Hispanic culture. The Gala will be held at Casino del Sol at which I will be honored along with Senator Mark Kelly as Public Servants of the year.
The Hispanic Chamber brings together diverse voices from around the community creating a powerful network of businesses uplifting our community and region. The chamber fosters a future where culture, commerce and community are fostered and thrive. They strive to build a stronger and more connected region. Mr. Rob Elias serves as President/CEO and Anissa Trujillo as Chief of Staff.
It was a delight yesterday to welcome Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, Diocese of Makurdi in Nigeria who was visiting his two priests who are serving in the Diocese, Fr. John Ikponko (Sacred Heart in Parker) and Fr. Cosmas Jooli (Our Lady of Grace in Maricopa). I first met Bishop Anagbe when I visited Nigeria in 2015. He was the newly appointed Bishop of the Diocese. Bishop Anagbe is a Claretian priest who has been an outspoken voice for an end to the violence perpetuated by Boko Haram that has led to the death of some priests as well as the displacement and harm caused to many in Nigeria. Recently Cardinal John Onaiyekan challenged the government of Nigeria to take a strong stand against the violence which is far too rampant in the country. He called for dialogue and efforts to bring reconciliation.
I am grateful to Bishop Anagbe for assisting us with the ministry of some of his priests. We are awaiting two additional priests from the Diocese of Makurdi. The Diocese of Makurdi is blest with many priests and many seminarians and I am grateful for their assistance to us.
As always, I thank you for support and prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Most. Rev. Gerald Kicanas