Date

• CONSTRUCTION STARTED ON SANTA CRUZ CHURCH AND ON "ACADEMIA DE LA SANTA CRUZ."

• HIS EXCELLENCY HENRY GRANJON, BISHOP OF TUCSON, MADE A DRAWING OF HOW HE WANTED THE BUILDINGS. HE COPIED THE INTERIOR PATIO FROM ONE HE HAD SEEN IN AVILA, SPAIN.

• THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WAS UNDERTAKEN BY THE WELL-KNOWN TUCSON CONTRACTOR, MANUEL G. FLORES.

• BISHOP GRANJON BUILT THE CHURCH AND SCHOOL AT HIS EXPENSE TO GET THE CARMELITE FATHERS FROM SPAIN TO TAKE UP WORK AMONG THE SPANISH SPEAKING PEOPLE OF THE TUCSON DIOCESE.

• FATHER JUSTINO EQUILATO WAS APPOINTED THE FIRST PASTOR OF SANTA CRUZ CHURCH, WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL 1931 AND AGAIN BETWEEN 1934 AND 1939.  THE FIRST ASSISTANT PASTOR WAS FATHER JOSE SALVADOR.  BOTH MEN HAD FLED RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN MAZATLAN, MEXICO.

• MOST OF THE BUILDINGS WERE COMPLETED; HOWEVER THAT MONTH THE CITY OF TUCSON ORDERED ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS, INCLUDING CHURCHES, THEATRES AND SCHOOLS CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE SPANISH FLU, WHICH HAD PROVOKED A NATIONAL HEALTH CRISIS.

• BISHOP GRANJON, AFTER HEARING OF THE SURRENDER OF GERMANY AT THE END OF WORLD WAR I, RAN TO SANTA CRUZ CHURCH, CLIMBED THE STEPS OF THE TOWER AND RANG THE BELLS FOR THE FIRST TIME ANNOUNCING THE ARMISTICE TO THE ENTIRE CITY.

• OFFICIAL DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH.  BISHOP GRANJON OFFICIATED AT THE PONTIFICAL MASS.  MUSIC BY COMPOSER MERCADANTE WAS PLAYED.
• THE FOLLOWING EXCERPTS ARE  FROM A CATALONIAN PRIEST'S ACCOUNT OF HIS ORDER IN ARIZONA: ....."SANTA CRUZ CHURCH WAS DESIGNED BY THE BISHOP OF TUCSON, HENRI GRANJON........HIS EXCELLENCY.....HAD JUST FINISHED HOLY FAMILY CHURCH AT THE NORTH PART OF TUCSON WHEN HE DECIDED TO BUILD ANOTHER ONE AT THE SOUTHSIDE TO SERVE THE MEXICAN PEOPLE.  THE PLACE SELECTED WAS STILL AWAY FROM THE CITY, A PLACE WELL-KNOWN TO THE BISHOP BECAUSE HE LIKED TO GO THERE IN HIS FREE TIME TO HUNT RABBITS.......AND SO ON NOVEMBER 13, 1916 THE WORK BEGAN.........BISHOP GRANJON STARTED GATHERING MATERIALS AND PAYING $10 FOR EACH LOAD OF 2,000 ADOBE BRICKS TO TWO INDIANS FROM MISSION SAN XAVIER......HE MADE A DRAWING OF HOW HE WANTED THE BUILDINGS.....HE WANTED A BIG ORCHARD.....
• SANTA CRUZ CHURCH WAS AND STILL IS THE LARGEST BUILDING UTILIZING UNSTABILIZED ADOBE AS THE PRIMARY CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL IN ARIZONA, THE CLOSEST COMPETITOR IS TUMACACORI MISSION, THE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE 60 MILES SOUTH OF TUCSON.
• READ THE SOLEMN INAUGURATION HERE
• READ THE "EL TUCSONENSE" NEWS ARTICLE HERE

• FIRST BAPTISM CONDUCTED

• SANTA CRUZ CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED AS A PARISH

• BROTHER ANGEL FORT CAME TO SANTA CRUZ CHURCH FROM SPAIN AND REMAINED UNTIL 1934.

• A SPECIAL SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM WAS HELD IN THE CHURCH HALL IN HONOR OF BISHOP GRANJON.
• SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL IS STAFFED BY THE IMMACULATE HEART SISTERS THAT FLED RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN MEXICO.  IN THE EARLY DAYS, ALL INSTRUCTION WAS IN SPANISH.

• A DYNAMITE BOMB WAS SET OFF AT 1:00 AM CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE RECTORY AND CHURCH.  THE BOMB'S FORCE WAS SO GREAT THAT IT WAS HEARD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.  MIRACULOUSLY, NONE OF THE PRIESTS, WHO WERE SLEEPING AT THE TIME, WERE INJURED.  NO ONE WAS EVER PROSECUTED FOR THIS EVIL DEED.
• READ A PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND ABOUT THE POLITICAL CONFLICT HERE

• ROOMS WERE ADDED TO THE TOP OF THE RECTORY OFFICE  FACING SIXTH AVENUE.

• THE "CENTRO DE JOVENES" WAS BUILT WITH BROTHER ANGEL FORT IN CHARGE, WHO ORGANIZED THE YOUTH FROM SANTA CRUZ AND OTHER PARISHES IN TUCSON.

• SANTA CRUZ WAS APPOINTED THE MOTHER HOUSE OF THE CARMELITES OF ARIZONA

• THE "CENTRO PARROQUIAL" FOR THE YOUTH OF THE PARISH WAS INAUGURATED.

• BROTHER ANGEL BRINQUE WAS ASSIGNED TO SANTA CRUZ CHURCH UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1993. BROTHER ANGEL'S TOTAL DEDICATION TO THE PEOPLE OF SANTA CRUZ WON HIM THE ADMIRATION OF ALL WHO CAME TO KNOW HIM DURING HIS LONG TENURE AT THE CHURCH.  BROTHER ANGEL LIVED A TOTALLY CHRISTIAN LIFE, BUT HAD HIS LIGHT SIDE AS WELL: AN AVID BASEBALL ENTHUSIAST, HE OFTEN DURING HIS LEISURE TIMES WOULD LISTEN TO A DODGER'S GAME ON THE RADIO.  HIS PASSING HAS TRULY LEFT A VOID AT SANTA CRUZ.
• READ MORE ABOUT BROTHER ANGEL BRINQUE HERE

• FATHER JOSE DOMINGO BECAME PASTOR

• FATHER JUSTINO EQUILATA RETURNED AS PASTOR

• THE SCHOOL TUITION WAS $3 PER MONTH-----A FAIR WAGE WAS CONSIDERED $3 PER DAY.

• FATHER ESTANISLEO CARALT SERVED AS PASTOR.  HE HAD COME TO SANTA CRUZ FROM SPAIN AND REMAINED AS AN ASSISTANT UNTIL HIS DEATH IN MAY, 1988.

• FATHER ELISEO COSTA BECAME PASTOR

• A NEW FOUR ROOM SCHOOL BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED AT A COST OF $55,000.00

• BISHOP FRANCIS GREENE CELEBRATED A JUBILEE MASS AT SANTA CRUZ CHURCH IN OBSERVANCE OF THE GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY OF THE CARMELITES IN THE DIOCESE OF TUCSON.

• FOUR ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS WERE ADDED TO THE SCHOOL.  THERE WERE FOUR SCHOOL BUSES THAT SERVED STUDENTS IN THE TUCSON AREA.

• A CONVENT CONSISTING OF 15 ROOMS WAS BUILT FOR THE SISTERS AT A COST OF $45,000.00   THE SISTERS HAD LIVED ON PROPERTIES CLOSE TO THE PARISH.

• SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL WAS STAFFED BY THE SISTERS OF THE HOLY CROSS.  EACH SISTER RECEIVED A SALARY OF $600.00 A YEAR.

• FATHER PATRICK PERJES BECAME PASTOR.

• FATHER KEVIN MCARDLE, A NATIVE OF IRELAND, BECAME PASTOR. 

• ENROLLMENT AT SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL WAS 360, TUITION WAS $45.00 A YEAR.

• SISTER BRIGETTA WAS PRINCIPAL AND EIGHT GRADE TEACHER.
• ENROLLMENT WAS 367 WITH 22 ON THE WAITING LIST.
• EACH CLASS HAD 45-50 STUDENTS.
• JOSEPH CASTILLO WAS PRESIDENT OF THE SANTA CRUZ PTA IN 1964 AND FRANK ROBLES WAS PRESIDENT IN 1968.

• FATHER DOMINIC O'CALLAGHAN, ALSO A NAITVE OF IRELAND, BECAME PASTOR.
• FATHER CYPRIAN KILLACHEY WAS ASSISTANT FROM 1969 TO 1977.

• SISTER CHARLEEN WAS PRINCIPAL AND FIRST GRADE TEACHER WITH 49 STUDENTS.
• SISTER JEAN MARIE HAD 47 STUDENTS IN THE SECOND GRADE.
• MRS. LOPEZ WAS PRESIDENT OF THE MOTHER'S CLUB.

• SISTER JANE SHELDON WAS PRINCIPAL. 
• ENROLLMENT WAS 288 AND TUITION WAS $112.00 PER YEAR.
• THERE WERE FIVE SISTERS AND FOUR LAY TEACHERS.

• SISTER JAVITA MARIA WAS PRINCIPAL,
• ENROLLMENT WAS 327, TUITION WAS $122.00 PER YEAR.

• SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADES WERE DISCONTINUED AT SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL BECAUSE OF LIMITED FINANCES.

• SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL WAS STAFFED BY THE ADRIAN DOMINICAN SISTERS.

• FATHER GERALD WINTERS BECAME PASTOR.

• FATHER MATTHEW MCKEOGH BECAME PASTOR.

• FATHER GILBERT LEVARIO, A FORMER STUDENT FROM SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL, SAYS HIS FIRST MASS AT SANTA CRUZ CHURCH.
• HE BECAME ASSISTANT PASTOR FROM 1983-1984.

• FATHER CYPRIAN KILLACHEY BECAME PASTOR.

• MIKE GUSTAVONSON WAS PRINCIPAL AT SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL.
• SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADES WERE ADDED.

• FATHER STEPHEN F. WATSON BECAME PASTOR.

• JUDY STANTON WAS PRINCIPAL OF SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL.

• SANTA CRUZ CHURCH WAS PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
• VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING INSTRUCTORS AND STUDENTS FROM PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BUILT A RAMADA ON THE LOWER PLAYGROUND.

• FATHER CYPRIAN KILLACHEY RETURNS AS PASTOR.

• DONNA GARY, A TEACHER AT SANTA CRUZ IN THE PRIMARY GRADES, BECAME PRINCIPAL.

• FATHER GILBERT LEVARIO BECAME PASTOR.

• SISTER LEONETTE BECAME PRINCIPAL OF SANTA CRUZ SCHOOL

• FR. EDUARDO AND FATHER LUCAS, ARE TO BE CANONIZED AS MARTYRS IN ROME. DUE TO THE UNFORTUNATE PASSING OF POPE JOHN PAUL II, THIS HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD.

2005

• FATHER FERNANDO PINTO BECAME PASTOR.

• 27 MALE PARISHIONERS AND 3 DISCALCED CARMELITE FRIARS CHARTER A KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL.  CLICK HERE

• FR. EDUARDO OF THE CHILD JESUS AND FR. LUCAS OF ST. JOSEPH ARE BEATIFIED AS MARTYRS AT THE STEPS OF ST. PETER'S BASILICA, VATICAN CITY, ROME, ITALY.  CLICK HERE

Mid-October 2007

•  REMODELING CONSTRUCTION OF THE CARMELITE HALL IS COMPLETED

July 2008 

• FR. BERNARD PERKINS BECAME PASTOR.