THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE

DIOCESE OF PHOENIX

The practice of the Catholic Faith in Arizona can be traced to the 1530s when Spanish explorers under the leadership of Spanish military officers in the company of Francisco Coronado and others, entered what is now Arizona. In 1539, a military chaplain of sorts, Fray Marcos de Niza, and others likely offered the first Mass in the territory in what is now Santa Cruz county in southern Arizona. The Spanish influence continued to grow and flourish, and soon Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries were dispatched to establish mission outposts in the Spanish territory known as Pimeria Alta.

In the late 1600s, Fr. Eusebio Kino, S.J ., asserted himself as the unrivaled leader in the territory , erecting a series of missions in the Santa Cruz Valley and throughout the southern reaches of the territory. San Xavier del Bac, on the outskirts of Tucson, is still a functioning church, and the ruins of many of Fr. Kino's missions can still be visited; most notably Tumacacori and Guevavi. Fr. Kino, himself, braving hostile Indians, harsh climate, and lukewarm support from his countrymen, was a tireless teacher and evangelist among the native peoples. He is honored in the statuary hall of our nation's Capitol as a premier Arizonan, and his tomb in Magdalena, Sonora, is to this day a pilgrimage site for souls seeking his intercession.

The building of a presidio in Tucson in the 1770s saw the further development of the Faith into the nineteenth century. Soon a "barrio" community dedicated to San Augustin grew up in what is known colloquially as the "Old Pueblo," eventually becoming a cathedral parish in 1863. St. Augustine's Cathedral still houses the "cathedra," or chair, of the bishops of Tucson. In 1863, the United States designated the newly-acquired land from the 1848 Mexican Cession and the 1853 Gadsden Purchase as the "Arizona Territory." This territory, encompassing all of modern-day Arizona, was established as a Vicariate Apostolic in 1868 by Pope Pius IX. The Most Rev. John Baptiste Salpointe was appointed the first bishop/administrator of the region, soon thereafter succeeding to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Fe. In 1897, Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Tucson, appointing the Most Rev. Peter Bourgade as the first bishop. Bishop Bourgade, for whom Bourgade Catholic High School in Phoenix is named, also succeeded to the Metropolitan See of Santa Fe in 1899. In 1900, the Most Rev. Henry Regis Granjon was named the second bishop of Tucson, guiding the growth of the young diocese until his death overseas in 1922.

The Most Rev. Daniel James Gercke was, in 1923, appointed third bishop of Tucson, serving the Church in Arizona until his retirement in 1960. Bishop Gercke was honored by His Holiness, Pope John XXIII, with the personal title of "Archbishop'. upon stepping down from the chair of Tucson. Many older priests who serve in our diocese today will share fond reminiscences and interesting stories of "Danny Gercke" and his long and fruitful leadership in Tucson!

Succeeding Archbishop Gercke and privileged to attend the Second Vatican Council was Tucson's fourth bishop, the Most Rev. Francis J. Green.  Bishop Green had, for many years, served as pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish, Tucson, and as vicar general of the diocese. In 1953, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Tucson, assisting Archbishop Gercke in the administration of the diocese. Bishop Green's long service in the diocese saw the sweeping ecclesial developments of an ecumenical council (Vatican II), and how a geographically immense and growing diocese struggled to accommodate the challenges. Bishop Green retired in 1981, and entered eternity in 1996.

In December, 1969, Pope Paul VI established the Diocese of Phoenix, comprising the central and northwestern sectors of the state of Arizona. The new diocese was formed from territories of both the diocese of Tucson, as well as the diocese of Gallup, New Mexico. For many years, the diocese of Tucson had been part of the metropolitan province of Los Angeles, California, but with the formation of the new diocese in Phoenix, the entire state of Arizona would now be part of the metropolitan province of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Most Rev. Edward A. McCarthy, an auxiliary bishop of Cincinnati, Ohio, was named the first bishop of Phoenix. Bishop McCarthy has long been remembered for his gentle, personable pastoral style; he was, in many ways, a "natural" to lead a newly-established diocese. In 1976, Bishop McCarthy was called away to shepherd the Archdiocese of Miami, Florida, from where he retired in 1995.

In July, 1976, the Most Rev. James Steven Rausch, then-general secretary for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, was installed second bishop of Phoenix. Bishop Rausch set about preparing the diocese for the monumental growth which would take place, particularly in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Opening a number of new parishes, preparing for new parish communities of the future and restructuring the diocesan curia marked Bishop Rausch' s tenure. In May, 1981, while preparing for a leisure trip to northern Arizona, Bishop Rausch died suddenly and was buried from Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral. Clergy, religious and faithful packed the Cathedral while untold thousands watched the funeral liturgy on television.

Serving Bishop Rausch as chancellor and vicar-general was the one-time secretary to Bishop McCarthy, Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. 0' Brien. Ordained for the diocese of Tucson in May, 1961, Fr . O'Brien served in parishes in Douglas and in Phoenix prior to joining Bishop McCarthy's staff. It was during his tenure as pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Phoenix, that Msgr. O'Brien was appointed third bishop of Phoenix by His Holiness, John Paul II. Consecrated a bishop by the Pope himself at St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, on 6 January 1982, Bishop O'Brien was installed on 18 January 1982. Further increase in the number of parish communities, institution of diocesan planning processes, vast development of lay ministry and leadership, able Financial administration, and the organization of a twice-monthly diocesan [ and national award-winning] tabloid, The Catholic Sun, in 1985, have been hallmarks of Bishop O'Brien's leadership.

Shortly after Bishop O'Brien's retirement, a 56-year-old native of Oketo, Kansas, Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmstead was installed as the fourth bishop of Phoenix on December 20, 2003.  Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted studied for the priesthood in Denver and Rome and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., in 1973.

Following his July 2, 1973, ordination, Bishop Olmsted was assistant pastor at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln from 1973 to 1976 and studied canon law from 1976 to 1979, graduating summa cum laude from the Gregorian University in Rome.

He then served in the Vatican Secretariat of State and as spiritual director of the North American College in Rome from 1979 to 1988 and as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church and promoter of justice at the Lincoln diocesan tribunal from 1989 to 1993.

Bishop Olmsted went to the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, in 1993 as dean of formation and was appointed president and rector of the college in 1997. The Josephinum is the only pontifical seminary outside Italy.

He speaks and writes Italian and Spanish.

Bishop Olmsted is a member of the U.S. bishops' Administrative Committee and the Committee on Consecrated Life; he is a consultor to the Committee on Priestly Formation. He is also on the board of directors of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

With over 500,000 [registered] Catholics, and a population base of over three million and still growing, the great potential in our diocese promises a bright and exciting future!