Diocese Mourns the Loss of Monsignor Edward Ryle and Father Kevin Hunt Diaz
“Msgr. Ed Ryle was a major influence in ecumenical relations and worked tirelessly for social justice and improvements in healthcare for the needy, both on the local and national level. He had a special heart for serving the poor.”
—Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted <Read Full Press Release>
(Dec 29) Rev. Kevin Hunt Diaz, 51, died on December 28, 2005, in his rectory at St. Joseph Mission in Mayer, AZ. He had struggled with poor health for many years. During the past three years he had been hospitalized frequently and underwent several surgeries. He was a priest for 21 years.
Kevin Hunt Diaz was born on March 3, 1954, in Pontiac, Michigan. He was the eldest of four children born to Ernest and Therese Hunt. In 1972 he entered Sacred heart Seminary for the Archdiocese of Detroit and graduated four years later with a B.A. in History as well as minors in Theology, Philosophy and Latin. In May of 1980 he received his Master of Divinity from St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, PA.
Fr. Kevin applied to and was accepted by the Diocese of Phoenix and served as a deacon intern at Ss. Simon and Jude Parish in preparation for his ordination as a priest by Bishop Thomas J. O’Brien on June 2, 1984. He served as an associate pastor at various parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix – Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Glendale, St. Gregory and St. James. In 1996 he was named pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Flagstaff. The parishes in Flagstaff were consolidated and in 1997 Fr. Kevin was assigned to St. Germaine Parish in Prescott Valley to serve as the administrator of the mission attached to that parish, St. Joseph Mission in Mayer.
Fr. Kevin had an abiding interest in Franciscan spirituality although he did not feel called to be a Franciscan priest. He had a great devotion to a simplicity of life, a great love for animals, and genuine compassion for the poor and God’s little ones. The arrival of the Poor Clare sisters in the Diocese of Phoenix brought Fr. Kevin great joy.
Fr. Kevin was preceded in death by his father Ernest Hunt as well as his brother Andrew. He is survived by his mother Theresa and his brothers Bruce and Robin. A rosary and visitation begins at 9:30 a.m., Wed., January 4th with an 11 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Joseph mission in Mayer. In lieu of flowers, Fr. Kevin expressed a wish that donations be made to the Poor Clare Sisters in Black Canyon City.
(Dec 27) The Diocese of Phoenix in cooperation with Saint Meinrad Seminary is sponsoring a day of discernment on the priesthood for men between the ages of 18 – 33 on Saturday December 31st at Mt. Claret Center in Phoenix. For more information call Fr. Don Kline at 602.354.2004.
Bishop Olmsted will Deliver Christmas Mass to Inmates
Composite Photo of the Bishop Blessing
the Prison Ministry at Rosary Sunday on Oct 2
(Dec 23) On Christmas Day, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted will celebrate mass with inmates and Correctional Officers at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Perryville.
Olmsted will deliver mass at 9 a.m. at the Santa Cruz Unit for a limited number of inmates who have been invited to participate.
“It’s a difficult time for the inmates,” Bishop Olmsted said. “I want to be with them and show them God loves them, and he’s with them.”
Incorporating religion into prison life is part of Arizona Department of Corrections Director Dora Schriro’s Parallel Universe. Schriro feels that the presence of religion promotes and encourages offenders to develop a sense of hope and a redemptive and productive lifestyle.
“This is an enormous privilege for not only inmates but for the chosen staff to work the mass,” ASPC-Perryville Chaplain Maria Powers said. “Staff and inmates alike have expressed to me how excited they are about the opportunity to observe their beliefs on such an important day.”
The mass will be closed to the public.
OLHP Helps Firefighters Collect Clothes, Toys for Christmas
(Dec 22) Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Glendale took part in the Glendale Firefighters Toy and Clothing Drive. The students collected over 118,000 pennies to buy over $1200.00 in Fry's gift cards for needy families in Glendale. They also collected pillows, blankets, toys and clothing. The firefighters came to the school with their truck and presented the school with a certificate of appreciation. Families will also be going to the Glendale Adult Center to sort, bag and deliver the goodies.
Spend Christmas Eve with the Diocese of Phoenix
Watch the live telecast of the Celebration of Christmas Eve Mass, Saturday at 11:00 p.m. on KTVK Channel 3
You can also listen to the Mass live at 11:00 p.m. on KTAR 620 AM Radio
The Mass will be rebroadcast on Christmas Day at 9:00 a.m on KSAZ Fox Channel 10
Ss. Simon & Jude Sends Two Teams to Finals
for Aerospace Challenge
(Dec 13) Glendale, Ariz. – On December fifth, Ss Simon and Jude School sent five teams of seventh and eighth graders to ASU West to compete in the seventh Annual Honeywell Fiesta Bowl Aerospace Challenge presented by The Arizona Republic. The teams were made up of three to five students who designed a model for “the next generation” of space stations. Of the 99 elementary schools participating, two eighth grade teams from Ss Simon and Jude were chosen to go to the finals on December 29.
The teams have been working since September to design a space station for 100 people to live in for two years. Each team was required to prepare a detailed research paper, a scale drawing and model representing their space station. The entries were judged by engineers from Honeywell.
Of all the entries, five teams were chosen to advance to the final competition at the Challenger Space Center. Each team will present a ten-minute oral presentation explaining the functionality of its space station to a panel of engineers, scientists, and possibly a few astronauts. The projects will be judged on design and team presentation. The Winning team will win a trip to NASA in Houston, Texas.
This is the seventh year that SS. Simon and Jude School has participated in the Aerospace Challenge. Each year at least one team has advanced to the finals, winning the competition in 2001 and 2004.
The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe
(Dec 12) Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patron of the Diocese of Phoenix. We take today to reflect on what She has done for us.
In the days of the Spanish conquistadors, the Missionaries who came over to the Americas to convert the native Mexicans to Christianity had very little success. For whatever reason, perhaps they did not understand the missionaries; the natives Mexicans didn't embrace the Christian faith.
Then in the year 1531, it all changed. The mother of Jesus appeared to a native, Juan Diego. “My dearest son, I am the eternal Virgin Mary, Mother of the true God, Author of Life, Creator of all and Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth...and it is my desire that a church be built here in this place for me, where, as your most merciful Mother and that of all your people, I may show my loving clemency and the compassion that I bear to the Indians, and to those who love and seek me...”
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