St. John the Evangelist Parish: Reopening Basketball Court

Tucson, Az. – St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is pleased to announce the re-opening of its main outdoor basketball court, following the completion of construction of a new solar electric structure. The court is used by St. John the Evangelist Catholic School during the school day, and then is opened to the public following the school’s athletics practices and on weekends.

“We want to thank the community and those who use the court for their patience during the past 7 weeks as we had construction going on. This is a parish park that God has blessed us with to be able to provide for public use outside of school hours,” said Monsignor Raul Trevizo, the pastor of St. John church.

The new structure will have protective padding on the pillars that were installed along the edge of the basketball court to support the solar structure. The pads will help ensure safety for all those playing at the court and feature biblical scriptures with words of spiritual and physical encouragement.

 

The student body from St. John school attended a reopening ceremony the morning of April 7, 2022, with a special blessing offered by Monsignor Trevizo. Students representing each grade level assisted with unveiling the column pads and reading the selected bibles verses.

“I pray these verses of scripture will be an inspiration to all who come to the courts, that their hearts are touched through these words and that our young people are reminded of how much love that God has for all of us, especially right now as we prepare for the start of Holy Week,” said Trevizo.

In addition to the solar energy that will be generated for the church when the system comes online, the new solar structure will provide much needed shade cover for student athletes and community members who visit the court. This will be especially helpful for those outdoors during the warmer months from spring to fall.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is among the largest parishes within the Diocese of Tucson. Located in southern Tucson on Ajo Way at 12th Avenue, the parish serves a mix of both English and Spanish-speaking families. Its major ministries include: a parish Religious Education program serving approximately 250 school-aged children, youth, and adults; St. John the Evangelist Catholic School with an enrollment of approximately 400 students per year in kindergarten through 8th grade; Casa San Juan Migrant Center providing food, medical and legal assistance; and a variety of lay ministries.