Name of Church St. Augustine Cathedral
Address 192 S. Stone Ave., Tucson AZ 85701
Phone number 520-623-6351
Website www.augustinecathedral.org
Mass times Saturday vigil, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m. (Spanish), 10 a.m., noon, 5:30 p.m. (Spanish). Weekdays, 7 a.m. & noon. Saturday, 7 a.m. (Spanish). Holy days, 7 a.m., noon, 5:30 p.m. (Spanish).
Confessions Saturdays, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Names of priests Father Gonzalo Villegas, rector. Father Emilio Chapa, parochial vicar.
School No.
Special groups and activities Youth Group, Adult Bible Study, Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society, LEAP (young adult group)
Music Cantors and choirs (including a children’s choir), depends on the Mass.
Fellow parishioners English-speaking with a large Hispanic population.
Parking It has a pretty big lot in the back, as well as parking across the street.
Acoustics Great.
Cry room No.
Parish bulletin Available online.
Additional observations The Cathedral of St. Augustine is a beautiful old church in downtown Tucson. The parish was established in 1866; the church was completed in 1868, and rebuilt in 1897. In 1928, its brick structure was transformed into its present Mexican baroque form. With the exception of the towers and façade, the current church was rebuilt in 1968. The façade features the coat of arms of Pope Pius XI, who was pope at the time it was constructed.
A central feature of its interior is a 17-foot tall, 2,000 lb. Pamplona crucifix, which was carved in Spain more than 600 years ago. Other interior features include stained glass windows featuring symbols of the Apostles, paintings of Old Testament heroes such as Daniel, David, Isaiah and Ezekiel, a portion of the church dedicated to images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and a Good Shepherd mosaic over one of the side altars. The high ceilings give it a wide open feeling, and, as it is the diocesan cathedral, you’ll see the bishop’s chair there.
One of its nicest features is its newly completed vestibule area, which features a wall to ceiling mural with 18 saints and holy people who served the poor (including St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Teresa). The cathedral has been undergoing a renovation, murals of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and blessing children have been recently added.
My uncle is a Chaplain in the U.S. Army and received this shocking notice from the Archdiocese of Military Services today, April 4. I cannot believe my eyes, and he can’t also.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04/04/2013
AMS Calls on U.S. Defense Department to Review Army Reserve Training Material for Anti-Religious Content
Concern raised by brief citing Catholicism as example of “religious extremism”
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS) issued the following statement today on the mischaracterization of “Catholicism” as an example of “religious extremism” in a U.S. Army Reserve training brief:
Statement
The Archdiocese for the Military Services and Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty recently became aware of a U.S. Army Reserve Equal Opportunity training brief that expressly listed “Catholicism,” “Evangelical Christianity” and other religious groups as examples of “religious extremism” alongside groups such as “Al Qaeda”, “Hamas” and the “KKK.”
The Archdiocese is astounded that Catholics were listed alongside groups that are, by their very mission and nature, violent and extremist.
According to an investigation and reply from the Army Chief of Chaplains office, the training in question appears to have been an isolated incident not condoned by the Department of the Army. The Archdiocese and the Chaplain Alliance explained that the Army can and should take steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
The Archdiocese calls upon the Department of Defense to review these materials and to ensure that tax-payer funds are never again used to present blatantly anti-religious material to the men and women in uniform.
Okay, I was really, really sure this was some April Fools Joke, but no. I checked the web site of the Archbiocese of Military Service and found this very statement under the heading ‘news releases.’ What is our country coming to when Catholics are listed in the same way as the Klu Klux Klan, Al Qaida, etc.???
The person in the army who originated this bigotry needs to be relieved of their command.
The 600-year old Crucifix in Tucson Cathedral does indeed seem worth a visit.
No Masses in the Extraordinary Form in that church?
Where is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord kept in Kicanas’s Cathedral?
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Yes, but where is the TLM?