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December 16, 2025My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
San Miguel High School is a Cristo Rey School meaning that each of the students works one day a week in an entry level clerical position in a company in the community. These young adults have been wonderful interns and are highly valued by their employers. In turn the company contributes to the cost of tuition in this excellent Catholic school. It is a way to make Catholic education affordable for many families.
Last week I had the opportunity to bless the new courtyard in the center of the San Miguel Campus. Mr. Jim Click, who was instrumental in garnering support from the community for this building of the school, led the way again to make a dull dirt courtyard into a lovely space with trees, plants, shade covers, and even a resident tortoise so the students can make use of this large space in the middle of the campus. I am sure it will be well used by the students for years to come.
And there's more good news for San Miguel. Last week they were the recipients of an Angel Charity Award in the amount of $568,000, to replace their vans and vehicles that help transport students to the school and to their work assignment. Angel Charity has done so many wonderful things in our community. This is just another example of how they help enhance programs in Pima County.
The Guadalupe procession and Mass at St. Joseph Parish in Tucson was a delight. This year, the weather coo
perated beautifully. Not every year has it been such a lovely evening. I remember once it was cold, damp and rainy, not very pleasant. Hundreds of people show up for the procession beginning from a local park to St. Joseph Church. The procession includes a number of sacred floats with images of Our Lady of Guadalupe carried by parishioners. During the Mass, parishioners reenact the story of the appearance of Our Lady to Juan Diego. It is such a familiar story but to see it reenacted is very moving.
I was joined in the celebration by the pastor, Rev. Robert Rodriquez and Fr. Lupe who came to us from San Juan de Los Lagos in Mexico. He has been a wonderful addition to our priests but regretfully he will need to return to his Diocese. We will miss him. Deacons Al Gallardo and Teodoro Perez also marched and attended the Mass in the full Church after the procession.
A number of traditional Native American dancers entered the Church after the procession to begin the Mass. They were accompanied by drums and conches along with native dancers bedecked in traditional costumes and headdresses. Young and old you could see the pride they felt in participating in the ceremonies commemorating the Solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The dancers concluded with shouts of “Viva, Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Viva Cristo Rey!”
The diocesan building committee gave approval for St. Anthony of Padua to go ahead with plans to build a new Church after the devastating fire that totaled the facility. The cost to build the new Church could run as high as $19 million dollars. The parish expects to receive approximately $10.5 million dollars from the insurance company but even with that they expect to launch a capital campaign to raise the difference. Their plans include not only the building of the Church but also meeting areas which will be phased in after the first phase is completed.
The Casa Grande area is growing quickly so the new Church is a little more expensive than originally thought. The cost of building a new Church has escalated exponentially. This is why it is so difficult to build a new Church today. We are considering whether or not to build new Churches in Marana, Rio Rico, Sahuarita, in San Luis, and perhaps in Vail but costs continue to escalate making it very difficult to raise the needed monies. I am grateful to the pastors and their teams for their hard work in striving to realize the funds needed.
The Committee als
o listened to a proposal to build a senior housing complex on the grounds of Infant Jesus of Prague in Kearny. There would be no cost to the parish and in time the organization will make an annual contribution to the parish for use of the grounds. This facility would be a real blessing for the people in the area since there are no other facilities in the area. People now have to move to Globe for senior housing, memory or nursing care opportunities. The Committee will further look at the feasibility.
The Pastoral Center completed a video Christmas Blessing in English and Spanish produced by our Communications Department that will be sent out to Bishops, priests, and members of the Diocese wishing them a joy filled Christmas and many blessings in 2026. We asked at this festive and sacred time that we pray for peace, for an end of violence, for the sanctity of all life, for the dignity of all and for all of our cherished friends.
Tomorrow, December 17, all are invited to our annual Cathedral Concert Series Christmas Concert directed by our Cathedr
al Musician, Carlos Zapién. There is no need for a reservation, all are welcome. There is no charge for the event although donations are appreciated. This Christmas Concert has become an annual event for many. The Cathedral is a beautiful environment for this Christmas treat. This year the Tucson Girl’s Choir will be performing.
Carlos always is conducting a Christmas Concert in several of our parishes including for the Yuma community, St. Pius, and Santa Catalina.
On Saturday, I will join Bishop Jose Luis Cerra Luna, the Bishop of Nogales, Sonora, for the annual Bi-national Posada in Ambos Nogales. We will gather in Nogales, Arizona and process into Mexico following Mary and Joseph in their search for a room in the inn. It is always a moving experience as we come into greater awareness of the struggles the Holy Family faced, not unlike the struggle many experience today. If you would like to attend please visit: https://www.kinoborderinitiative.org/binational-posada/
Christmas parties continued last Sunday with a gathering for the Department Directors in the Pastoral Center. It began with the Mass at 12:00 in the Cathedral which I celebrated followed by a delicious lunch. I am so grateful to our Department Directors for their leadership in the areas in which the Pastoral Center is involved serving our parishes and schools. It was a festive gathering and lots of fun.
On Monday, December 22, I will gather with our seminarians and their families for our annual seminarian Christmas Mass and party. Mass will take place in Our Lady’s Chapel at 5:30 pm. Our seminarians will be taking the various parts of the Mass, serving and reading. We will then join in a dinner in the Bishop Kicanas Pastoral Center and present gifts to our ten seminarians who are discerning a call to serve as a priest in our Diocese.
Our ten current seminarians are: Deacon Charles Nagore from Our Lady of Fatima at St. John’s Seminary in California who will be ordained a priest in 2026 , Josue Limon from St. Augustine Cathedral in Discipleship at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago, Julian Osborn from St. Thomas the Apostle in Discipleship at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon, Dylan Martin from Our Lady of Grace in Maricopa in his Propaedeutic year at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon, Stephen Grummett from St. Francis in Yuma in his Propaedeutic Year in Chicago, Matthew David from Our Lady of Grace Parish, Ethan Salerno from St. Andrew the Apostle in Sierra Vista in his Propaedeutic Year at Mt. Angel Seminary, Oregon, Roberto Cortes-Peral from San Felipe de Jesus in Nogales in his Propaedeutic year in Chicago, Diego Robles -Quintana in his Propaedeutic year at Mt. Angel Seminary, and Arturo Romo who will be attending Mt. Angel Seminary next year.
Gratitude to Fr. Alan Valencia, our Vocations Director and our Associate Vocation Directors: Revs. Luis Pablo Ochoa-Escarrega, Richard Rivera, Roberto Villablanca, Abundio Colazo-Lopez and Jesus Gomez for their work in fostering vocations. Thanks also to Sophia Herrera, administrative assistant in Vocations for helping to plan and organize our Christmas gathering.
It will be an honor to welcome Fr. Silas Bogati to our Diocese on Tuesday. He is the Diocesan Administrator of Nepal. St. Andrew the Apostle in Sierra Vista has been a great support to the Diocese and is his home away from home. Msgr. Greg Adolf is a strong supporter and friend of his young diocese that struggles with many issues. I first met Fr. Silas when I was on the Board of Catholic Relief Services. I had a chance to see the great work Fr. Silas was doing in his Diocese especially through his leadership on Caritas Nepal. I remember visiting him at some of the schools they sponsor and his beautiful parish Church in Kathmandu. I also had a chance to visit the areas devastated by an earthquake that destroyed so many homes and left people homeless. Like us their Diocese is awaiting the appointment of a new bishop soon.
Sr. Carolyn Nicolai, F.S.P. served in our Diocese for many years. She died this past week from complications due to a fall. She was a very talented woman who along with Fr. Angelo Mastria O.Carm served the elderly in many care homes in our Diocese. We pray for the repose of Sr. Caroline. A celebration of life service will take place Friday, January 2 at 10 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church , 1802 N. Camino Pio Decimo in Tucson. All are welcome to attend as we gather to honor and remember Sr. Carolyn.
We were all shocked at the Hanukkah gathering in Sydney this past week. Antisemitism continues to raise its ugly head again. We pray for those killed and injured in this senseless act. Our prayers go out to the Jewish community there and in our own community. In this holy season to all faiths we pray for an end to violence that takes the lives of so many innocent people.
Yours in Christ,
Most. Rev. Gerald Kicanas