. . . That our Father Samuel Jandeh has been transferred to St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Tucson and will be leaving us in June?

We have been so blessed by the presence and ministry of Father Samuel these past two years! He actually came to us for a ‘sabbatical year’ which was extended while his Community, the Via Christi Fathers, were meeting for their General Chapter in Nigeria. Father Samuel was, at that time, re-appointed to a six-year term as Provincial for the 23 Via Christi Fathers, serving in the United States (in Phoenix, Las Cruces, San Francisco, Spokane, Milwaukee – with 10 of the Fathers here in the Diocese of Tucson!) Because more Via Christi Fathers have been requested by Bishops and will be sent to the U.S., it was decided that Father Samuel should be relocated to a parish in Tucson, more ‘central’ for his ministry as Provincial. St. Thomas the Apostle Parish was in great need of a second Priest, and so our Bishop Weisenburger determined that assigning Father Samuel to St. Thomas the Apostle would best meet the pressing needs of that Parish and the Via Christi Fathers! Bishop also has asked Father Samuel to serve on the Bishop’s consultation group which meets twice-monthly. He will be very, very busy! Father Samuel’s official appointment as Associate Pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle begins on 3 June! We will have our ‘hail-and-farewell’ Ice Cream Social Reception for Father Samuel on Sunday, 9 June from 5:00 – 7:00 PM! In sounding out Father Samuel as to what form a tangible expression of our thanks might take, he very humbly asked for our continued prayers and support for the Via Christi Community, and when pressed further, humbly suggested that we could perhaps contribute to the completion of construction of St. Joseph’s Church in his home village of Korinya, Nigeria! The St. Joseph Project will total $25,000 – of which $3,000 has already been pledged! This is a very do-able “Mission Project/Thank You” for us at St. Andrew’s/Good Shepherd and a very tangible and enduring acknowledgement of the great gift that Father Samuel has been to us! Prayerfully consider your gift to this “Mission Project/Thank You!” – which we will present to Father Samuel on the 9th of June!!!

Several of you have asked whether Father Samuel will be “replaced” with another Priest here at St. Andrew’s/Good Shepherd. Very Providentially Father Bob Gonzalez is now among us, and actively serving in his retirement! God is good!!!

AND Did you know?. . . 

That on Wednesday the 15th we welcomed a delegation from Segno, Italy, the birthplace of Padre Eusebio KINO, the “Apostle of Arizona”?

The delegation included members of the Chini Family – Padre Kino’s own family, who still live and work on the ancestral farms where Padre Kino grew up in the 1600’s! The group of eleven was led by Giuliana Cova, the Mayoress of Predalia, and included Alberto Chini, who heads the Kino Foundation in Italy! The delegation arrived in Tucson on the 13th and were given official welcoming receptions at the Diocesan Pastoral Center and the Mexican Consulate. They toured Tucson and San Xavier del Bac Mission, founded by Padre Kino in 1692, and other sites, and participated in a symposium arranged in their honor at the Tohono O’odham Reservation. On Wednesday, the delegation arrived at St. Andrew’s, where they were warmly greeted by our Priests, Seminarian Carlos Nagore, and Father Robert Gonzalez and Anysia Romo, who speak Italian and acted as translators during their visit to Sierra Vista. They were delighted to be shown “Kino Hall”, the statue of Padre Kino on the south façade of the church, and the mural of Padre Kino greeting Chief Coro at the San Pedro River in 1695 – on the north wall of the Knights of Columbus “Columbian Hall”. Following the tour of the church, they were hosted by Phil and Anita Garcia to a wonderful buffet luncheon at their restaurant “La Casita”. Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa joined the group for lunch, welcoming Mayor Cova and her delegation to our Community. During lunch Deacon Lauro Teran entertained the group with his guitar and beautiful vocalizations, and the group joined in singing several songs! Following their visit to Sierra Vista, the delegation headed to Bisbee. On Thursday, they left for Magdalena de Kino in Sonora, for official receptions and exchange of sister-cities documents. From Magdalena de Kino the group traveled to Mexico City and from there back to Italy! The visitors were accompanied by Father Claudio Murrieta from Nogales, Sonora, the Vice-Promoter of Padre Kino’s Cause for Canonization! Pope Francis declared Padre Kino “Venerable” in July 2020. Part of the reason for the visit was to assess the local respect and continuing influence of Padre Kino as part of the Cause for Sainthood!