...That our parishioners have been active in promoting the Cause for Sainthood, for the “Apostle of Arizona and Sonora,” Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino, S.J.?

On 11 July 2020, Pope Francis advanced the cause of Kino's sainthood by recognizing his life of heroic virtue, and declaring him ‘Venerable’. Padre Kino has ‘popularly canonized’ by the people of Arizona, Sonora, and the O’odahm Reservations, since his death in 1711. He is honored for the exploration and mapping of this vast desert region, the introduction of European livestock and horticulture, but above all, for being a tremendous ‘bridge-builder’ between peoples and cultures, and a tireless worker for peace, among Native Americans, and the Spanish settlers. His name appears in many places across this border region, including Kino Chapel at Fort Huachuca, and our own “Kino Hall”! A statue of this incredible missionary-explorer graces the south façade of our church, as well as on Kino Boulevard in Tucson, and in the Hall of Statuary in our Nation’s Capitol! A mural at our Knights of Columbus’ “Columbian Hall” depicts Padre Kino and his great friend, Sobaípuris Chief Coro meeting at the San Pedro River in 1692. Several years ago some of our parishioners participated in a very special event – the opening of Padre Kino’s mausoleum in Magdalena, Sonora, for the purpose of placing a roll of ribbon on his remains. That ribbon became a ‘third class relic’ (sometimes called a ‘touch relic’) of Venerable Padre Kino! We had a great crew working with our Sister Doris Jurgenson assembling these prayer cards - cutting the ribbon into small squares and glueing them to the cards for distribution, inviting those who use these cards to invoke the intercession of Venerable Padre Kino, and promote his Cause for Canonization! We are – again - seeking the help of a few folks, who would be willing to meet for an hour a week, to ‘assemble’ the holy cards. The assembly will be done here at St. Andrew’s, as the ‘relic-ribbon’ cannot be taken home to assemble. If you are interested in assisting us with this very beautiful project, please give the Parish Office a call (458-2925) and we will designate a time and place to meet and begin this unique work, in October!

A HUGE ‘thank you’ to all who participated in last Sunday’s “Parish Ministry Fair” and Parish Picnic! The attendance was tremendous, the food delicious, the music great, the ‘ministry tables’ beautiful and inviting, the barbeque wonderful (thank you, especially, to the Knights of Columbus (Chairman Dale Hammond) and the Benton Family Cooks!), and the joyful energy which was tangible! It was a super expression of our Parish’s great gift for ‘hospitality’ – shared by the neighbors and others who dropped in to eat and enjoy the company of God’s People! It was a special blessing to

have our Bishop here with us and for him to experience our Parish at its energetic best!!