Discalced Carmelites Depart Santa Cruz Parish After 112 Years in Arizona

By Carissa Krautscheid 
 
It was with sadness that the Discalced Carmelites announced their departure from Santa Cruz Parish in Tucson. Six friars arrived here in 1911, the year before Arizona became a state. “They were offered asylum in the Diocese of Tucson because of the persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico,” explained Father Stephen Watson, OCD, pastor of Santa Cruz Parish. “Bishop Henry Granjon was happy to entrust them with parishes. During the 1920s, there were as many as 24 Discalced Carmelite friars serving the people in the Diocese of Tucson.” 
 
During their 112 years of service in the Diocese of Tucson, the Discalced Carmelites have served at parishes in Tucson, Morenci, Florence, Marana, and Kearny. 
 
Santa Cruz Parish was one of the first parishes the Carmelites served at and it is the last in the Diocese. “On February 9, 1919, the Discalced Carmelite friars took possession of the parish of Santa Cruz,” said Fr. Watson. “Bishop Granjon built the church at his own expense. In gratitude for all the services done in his diocese in districts almost abandoned of spiritual assistance, he gave the parish to the Discalced Carmelites. From its foundation, Santa Cruz Parish was considered the center of Carmelite action; its parochial and missionary activity radiated to all the Carmelite houses in the Diocese of Tucson.” 
 
“Santa Cruz Church has become an important part of our history,” said Fr. Adam Gregory Gonzales, OCD, in a letter to the parish. Father Gonzales is the Provincial Superior of the Discalced Carmelite friars. “The history and people of Santa Cruz will always be part of the history, heart, and prayers of our Province.” 
 
After more than a year of serious prayer and discernment The Order cited its lack of personnel, aging friars, and numerous ministries as the reasons for its decision. The Discalced Carmelites of the California-Arizona Province will be reassigned to consolidated locations. “This will allow us to strengthen our province in terms of our community life,” said Fr. Gonzales. “It also gives us the hope of possible future ministerial outreach to Santa Cruz on special occasions. It is our wish to maintain our relationship with you, as you are an important and treasured part of our history.” 
 
The friars will remain at Santa Cruz Parish through July 31, 2023. At that time, the “Diocese of Tucson will take over the pastoral care of the parish,” explained Bishop Edward Weisenburger. “The parish, school, and all its programming will remain undisturbed.” 
 
Bishop Weisenburger has assigned a new pastor to ensure a seamless transition of priestly leadership. Fr. Marcos Velasquez will become the pastor and Fr. Simon Muema, S.D.S., will be the new parochial vicar. 
 
The parishioners of Santa Cruz Church are deeply saddened by the departure of the Discalced Carmelites, who have ministered to the people of South Tucson for the past 104 years. “It really did break our hearts,” shared Carolina Villascuesa, who has been a parishioner at Santa Cruz for 20 years. “We are grateful for the time we had, and we pray that one day they will return, because they are an integral part of our families. We have to ask for divine intervention and accept divine will.” 
 
The Discalced Carmelites have influenced the culture of Santa Cruz Parish and School. “South Tucson has been preserved from today’s individual, egotistical, and self-indulgent cultures and predominately remained a parish community concerned for the necessities of one another. Our many Discalced Carmelite friars have continually exhibited a beautiful and reverent love of God, the Holy Mass, and the poor that our youth and families have strived to imitate.” 
 
All six of Villascuesa’s adult children were raised at Santa Cruz Parish and received formation from the Discalced Carmelite friars. Each of their families are faithful Catholics. 
 
“For the last 104 years, we at Santa Cruz have enjoyed the influence, impact, and example of the Discalced Carmelites,” said Villascuesa. “My hope and prayer is that we each continue to imitate and multiply their example of meeting, loving, and serving so that we too can spread Our Lady of Carmel’s Flame of Love, which is Jesus Himself.” 
 
The Diocese of Tucson joins Santa Cruz Parish and School in offering sincere and lasting gratitude to the Discalced Carmelite friars for their generations of service to the people of South Tucson and the many other parishes they have served over the past 112 years. 
 
“With the handing over of Santa Cruz Parish to the care of the Diocesan clergy in July of this year,” said Fr. Watson, “the end of an era has come for the Diocese and for the Discalced Carmelites Province of California-Arizona. The statues of the Discalced Carmelite saints in beautiful Santa Cruz Church will remind the parishioners of the friars of St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross who served the people of Tucson. The Carmelites hope that the parishioners will always be devoted to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and wear her Brown Scapular. The Carmelites have left a rich spiritual legacy that will continue to sustain the faith of the people of Santa Cruz Parish. Quoting the words of their holy foundress, St. Teresa of Avila, they say: ‘Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, he who has God lacks nothing, God alone suffices.’”