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September 23, 2025My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
The Catholic Foundation Cornerstone Gala on Friday, September 12 was a remarkable evening that gathered more than 800 people to honor two incredible, faith-filled women: Sr. Lois Paha, O.P. and Sr. Charlotte Anne Swift, O.P. The evening raised more than $400,000 to help needy parishes to address crucial facility improvement issues.
The videos introducing each of the sisters were very moving and touched all those attending, seeing what these two women have accomplished in their ministries over a lifetime. Quite astounding.
Clearly Sr. Charlotte and Sr. Lois are well loved and appreciated in the Diocese of Tucson and so deserving of this recognition and honor.
Donal Drayne and his Cornerstone Gala committee and Elizabeth Bollinger and her staff hit a grand slam. Two endowments were established in the sisters’ honor, one for Adult Faith Formation in honor of Sr. Lois and another for Santa Cruz School for Sr. Charlotte assuring the causes dear to their hearts will remain funded.
I will be in Chicago all week taking part in the Catholic Extension Mission Dioceses’ conference which is held every three years. Mission Dioceses are those who do not raise sufficient funds for their pastoral programs.
Catholic Extension began in the early 1900’s founded by Fr. Francis Clement Kelley in Lapeer, Michigan, who realized the need for church facilities in remote areas of our country. In 1910 Catholic Extension was made a papal society by Pope Pius X, giving Catholic Extension canonical existence.
Catholic Extension grew along the country’s railroad lines. Priests would visit frontier areas offering Mass on the back of a train. Fr. Kelley had a burning desire to make the sacraments available to Catholics in remote, rural areas.
Catholic Extension provides funds to help with the building of churches and makes grants to dioceses for pastoral needs from seminarian formation to youth ministry to Hispanic ministry, developing leaders and many other important initiatives.
Rev. Jack Wall is the President of Catholic Extension. Jack is a classmate of mine from Chicago. We grew up together as freshmen in high school through to ordination. Cardinal Blase Cupich is the Chancellor of Catholic Extension, and I serve as the Vice-Chancellor.
The Mission Bishops’ Conference will include presentations by the head of the Dicastery of Clergy, Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, Cardinal Wilton Gregory Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, D.C. and Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago.
There will be about 80 bishops from Mission Dioceses attending the conference. It is an occasion for fraternity, prayer, learning and discussion of pertinent pastoral challenges. At the meeting Catholic Extension will offer some new pastoral opportunities for mission dioceses to access.
At the conference this year’s Lumen Christi Award will be granted. Each year Catholic Extension chooses one person whose ministry shines forth as exceptional. You will remember our own Jean Fedigan received this honor several years ago for her founding of the Sr. Jose Women’s Shelter. Each mission diocese gets to nominate one person, a priest, deacon, religious or lay person. I had the privilege of being one of this year’s judges to name the finalists. It is amazing the incredible ministries that are happening all around the country within our mission dioceses. They are powerful stories of good works happening, hope and light even in the toughest of times.
I look forward to meeting at the end of this week with Elena Dwyer, Executive Director of Catholic Community Services (CCS) and Donna Zazworsky, Chair of the Board of CCS for an update on the great work CCS is doing in our community to care for the littlest and weakest among us. These have been challenging times for CCS with administrative cutbacks that have affected their work. Despite the difficulties, CCS continues to respond to the challenging needs of families, the homeless, mental illness, those with disabilities and many others within our community. Gratitude to the staff of CCS who continue to do their life-saving work despite the funding issues faced by agencies like CCS.
CCS hosted an Above and Beyond tribute to some of their staff for extended years of service as well as recognizing staff distinguished for their service on behalf of CCS. It was a joy to see the pride in the faces of those honored for their dedicated commitment to the various programs of CCS. It is such a joy-filled evening when staff are recognized for what they do.
It was such a joy to see Arlene Robles honored for her lifelong service at Pio Decimo where she was loved by the children and impacted greatly on their lives. We wish her well as she begins retirement after 46 years serving the families of Pio Decimo.
The other recognitions were:
Milestone Anniversary Recognition Awards
20 years Saladin Salas – Vocational
20 years Carlos Bolanos –Vocational
25 years Gloria Hamelitz – Pio Decimo
30 years Guillermina Xajap – Preschool
Above and Beyond Employee Awards
Samuel Gibbs - Pio
Lydia Chavaria - Adams
Nicolas Arias - Yuma
Christina Rocha – Yuma
Kelly Kessay – Kinship
Patsy Klein – Ministries
Each year we celebrate the role of our women and men religious serving in our Diocese. On Saturday, September 27 we will hold our Religious Convocation that will begin with Mass followed by lunch and a presentation by our own Msgr. Greg Adolf who is such a marvelous speaker. There is also an occasion for the religious working in our diocese to ask questions of the bishop and to learn about some of our Diocesan ministries and priorities. It is always a delightful gathering. Thanks to Sr. Jeanne Bartholomeaux for organizing the day which she has done for so many years.
Thanks to the Deacon Charles and Margaret Gallegos Family Youth Ministry Endowment, there will be a concert performance featuring pianist Eric Genuis at St. Francis Cabrini Parish on Sunday, September 28, 2025, beginning at 3:00 pm. catholic foundation
Deacon Gallegos has served as a deacon at the parish since the days of Msgr. Robert Fuller. Tickets are $30 each and will support their youth endowment held by the Catholic Foundation. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Catholic Foundation
The Catholic Church has always been close to and involved with the arts through history. Many masterpieces have been written for Masses, Requiems and other religious celebrations. Artists have depicted religious figures and occasions in paintings and sculptures that now grace most museums.
Each year we also host a Cathedral Concert Series at St. Augustine Cathedral.
This year’s program is as follows:
Mark your calendar! Don’t miss these exciting evenings.
We are grateful to the Catholic Foundation, Kasser Enterprises, Mr and Mrs. Robert Johnston, The Chouinard Family Foundation, St. Thomas Parish, St. Andrew’s in Sierra Vista, St. Mark’s in Oro Valley, Our Lady of the Valley in Green Valley who sponsor this series.
All concerts are free. A free will offering is possible and appreciated.
I am grateful to the Concert committee including: Carlos Zapien, our Cathedral Director of Music, Sr. Lois Paha O.P. from Pastoral Services, Elizabeth Bollinger, Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation, Rev. Alan Valencia, Rector of St. Augustine Cathedral who plan the series.
Fr. Alan Valencia and I will be participating in a St. Andrew’s dinner at St. Augustine rectory with potential discerners, considering a vocation to priesthood or religious life. These dinners are an opportunity for those with an interest in learning more about these vocations to gather for more information and better understanding of what is involved and how to pursue a vocation.
Vocations are a response to a call by God mediated by each of us who identify possible candidates for priesthood or religious life followed by a personal invitation to consider learning more about it and then accompanying those considering in their further discernment.
If you know someone you consider to be a fitting candidate to serve as a priest or religious, let Fr. Alan [email protected] know so they can be invited to a St. Andrew dinner or one of our other vocation discernment programs.
Last week I celebrated the 50th anniversary of the founding of Most Holy Trinity Parish in 1975 by Bishop Green. Fr. Richard Calmus was the first pastor. It was on Easter Sunday 1979 when the groundbreaking for the new church and multi-purpose room took place which was completed in 1980. Fr. Richard Costigan and Fr. Ronald Gagnon also served until 2001 when the Salvatorian Fathers took the parish. Fr. Bill Remmel was their first Salvatorian pastor followed by Fr. Tom Tureman and now Fr. Michael Burns.
The parishioners were delighted with the celebration which included the blessing of their new religious education center that was dedicated in honor of Deacon Ken Moreland who did so much for the parish and served as the Vicar for Deacons. Ken’s wife Linda who is also deeply involved at Most Holy Trinity was thrilled and moved at the parish’s decision to name the new building after Deacon Ken.They hosted a marvelous dinner afterward.
This Sunday much attention was focused on Arizona as leaders from throughout the country attended a memorial service honoring Charlie Kirk, a political commentator assassinated in Utah on September 10. Our hearts and prayers are with his family. Regardless of political views we must always respect human life. We all have the ability to love, doing so would make our world a little brighter. Join me in praying for peace in our local communities and beyond.
As always I thank you for your support and prayers,
Yours in Christ,Most Rev. Gerald Kicanas
Apostolic Administrator, Diocese of Tucson