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December 2, 2025My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
This past weekend we began a new Liturgical Year entering the season of Advent, a time of waiting and expectation. We await the coming of the Lord more deeply into our lives. We marvel at the coming of God into our midst. God born among us, like us in all things but sin. He knows our struggles, our joys, our suffering. Our God understands, He knows our needs.
I pray this Advent will provide us with some time away from the busyness of our lives to contemplate and marvel at the knowledge that God came among us as we await His return. Advent is an invitation to seek to live as Christ lived, to love as Christ loved.
During this season we are invited to listen to the voice of our sisters and brothers who came to our country seeking escape from violence, danger, and want to find a decent way of life among us. During Advent in our parish bulletins you can read about the plight of a sister or brother in our community. We are encouraged to welcome, protect, promote and help to integrate our migrant community among us.
While some who enter our country come with malicious intent, be that drug peddling, human trafficking or committing violence or harm on others need to be removed, the vast majority of migrants seek what all of us seek, protection for their families, the opportunity to care for their family and provide a decent way of life. Our immigration policies need revision so that people who will contribute to our society can have legal ways to enter our country.
During Advent look for ways to celebrate the dignity of every human person, doing acts of kindness and protecting all human life from conception to natural death.
From Wednesday until Saturday I will be in Chicago for the meeting of the Board of Governors of Catholic Extension. I serve as the Vice Chancellor of the Board. Cardinal Blase Cupich is the Chancellor.Our Diocese benefits greatly from the generosity of Catholic Extension which financially helps mission dioceses, like ours, to carry out its pastoral working. Catholic Extension provides funds for seminary education, assistance to priests serving in rural parishes, helping communities seeking to build a new or larger church. They have benefitted our Diocese greatly.
While in Chicago I will also attend a Christmas dinner sponsored by Cardinal Cupich for all Chicago priests who are now bishops, either auxiliary bishops in Chicago or diocesan bishops. It is a wonderful evening to engage with bishops from Chicago, some of whom I have taught when I was Rector at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago.
This week I am meeting with some of our recently ordained, those ordained five years or less. The primary purpose is to establish bonds of friendship among them and to help in their transition from seminary to active ministry. Like marriage, the first years of priesthood are critical in adjusting to this new ministry of service to others.
The group meets three times a year for two nights and three days. The December gathering offers an opportunity for us to discuss together Pope Leo’s first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te. It was also an opportunity for these recently ordained priests to enhance their understanding of Canon Law especially as they now experience first hand situations that are covered in Canon Law. Rev. Lester Mendonsa, our Judicial Vicar is offering the course update along with Zach Ferell who works in the Tribunal.
An important part of the sessions is the opportunity for the recently ordained to share with one another a review of life reflecting on what has been going well and what some of their struggles they are experiencing.
Fr. Mike Bucciarelli, who helps organize these gatherings, always plans an evening out on the second evening for fun and enjoyment.
This week we will celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. Even though the feast falls on a Monday, it is still a Holy Day of Obligation, when as Catholics we attend Mass. The Immaculate Conception is our national feast day since our nation is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.
On December 8, I will celebrate Mass at Salpointe Catholic High School. I enjoy very much visiting our Catholic Schools to celebrate Mass and visit some of the classes. It is an opportunity to pray with our students and hear some of the concerns or questions they may have.
Gratitude to Jennifer Harris, the Salpointe President and Ardemis Martin the Principal as well as the faculty and staff for their dedicated service at Salpointe. They do us proud.
Each year the Patronato of San Xavier host a marvelous Christmas Concert at the Mission which is always a delightful evening. I plan to attend the concert. Mr. Miles Green serves as the Chair of the Patronato de San Xavier. He and his Board have done amazing work in renovating and caring for the Mission.
Their work on this Historic landmark has enhanced the Church and buildings that were first erected by Fr. Kino, the great Jesuit missionary, known as the Priest on Horseback and later developed by the Franciscan missionaries who still serve this Historic Mission, the White Dove of the Desert. The concert in its beautiful setting of the Mission is a marvelous way to welcome in the Christmas season. Tickets remain available for the concert on Tuesday, December 9 at 7:45 p.m.
Another beautiful Advent event in the Diocese is our annual Cathedral Concert event held in St. Augustine Cathedral. This Christmas Concert includes the Girls’ Chorus of Tucson along with our Cathedral Music Director, Mr. Carlos Zapien. The concert will be held on December 17 beginning at 6:30 pm in St. Augustine Cathedral. No tickets or registration are necessary but it is generally filled to capacity so come early to enjoy this special evening of music and song to commemorate Advent and the Christmas season.
Many of our parishes will be hosting Advent Penance Services in the next few weeks. These provide an opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Advent. Usually priests from the Vicariate help one another out so that there are sufficient confessors for the number of penitents seeking forgiveness. The services are very well attended. I am grateful to our priests who make themselves available to help administer the Sacrament. Check your parish bulletins for days and times of your local Advent Penance Service.
Deacon Carl Sadlier, formerly incardinated into the Diocese of Phoenix, has now been incardinated into the Diocese of Tucson for service at Most Holy Nativity in Rio Rico, Arizona. He and his wife moved into our Diocese some years ago and they intend to stay residents in our Diocese. Hence Carl’s desire to excardinate from the Diocese of Phoenix to be incardinated into the Diocese of Tucson. Welcome! When a diocesan priest or deacon is ordained, they are incardinated into a Diocese, which means they intend to exercise their ministry primarily in that area. The diocese makes a commitment to that priest or deacon offering a stable place where they will exercise their ministry most often. One can only be incardinated into one Diocese which then has responsibility for that priest or deacon.Arcoíris is a youth program that began in Hermosillo, Mexico and has now been incorporated into a number of our parishes in our Diocese. Fr. Manu Franco, Fr. Emilio Chapa, Fr. Luis Pablo Ochoa-Escarrega, Fr. Manuel Fragoso, Fr. Alan Valencia, Fr. Eduardo Romo along with some of the Movements’ lay leaders: Veronica Coronado, Eva Mendez-Counts, Maria Coronado, Silvia Lopez, Andra Llamas and several others from the movement will meet this Saturday, December 6 from 3:30-6:00 to discuss how to strengthen this Ecclesial Movement and correct some of the confusions and discrepancies that are happening in some of the locations hosting Arcoíris.
The Diocese of Tucson does not have one youth program but leaves up to the parish what program they wish to make use of in their community. Fr Manu Franco O.Carm is our Diocesan Youth Director who has responsibility to coordinate the various youth programs offered by our parishes.
This week there are two events happening in the Diocese that are worth noting. The Annual Mass in Honor of Farmworkers in San Luis Thursday, December 4 at 3 a.m. and a Conference on the Apostolic Exhortation "Dilexi Te" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 4 at Our Lady of Fatima parish in Tucson. You can find more information on our events page.
Last week, it was a joy to see the newly renovated Church of St. Joseph in Hayden, Arizona. I could see the pride people there hold for their parish as I blest the Church and the adjacent Chapel where they celebrate morning Mass. A number of parishioners helped out in the work that had to be done.
Fr. Emmanuel Adams, VC, has done a marvelous job getting the young people involved. Their Confirmation class read at the Mass, and served as ushers.
Regretfully Fr. Adams will be leaving for a while to return to his home country in Nigeria as he awaits a green card to return to our community. It was obvious that Fr. Adams has made a wonderful impression on the people. He will be missed. The community blest him at the end of Mass. He will be leaving on December 21 and hopefully return in a year or so.
As always I thank you for your support and prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Most. Rev. Gerald Kicanas