Welcome Our New Pastor, Father Alonzo Garcia

Alonzo Garcia (Diocese of Tucson) Alonzo Garcia converted to the Catholic faith at age twelve. He had initially planned to become a medical doctor, and worked as a patient care technician in the ER, pediatrics and a burn center. Finally, he says, “it was obvious that the Lord had other plans for me in my life,” and, to the surprise of his peers, he decided to enter the priesthood. He enjoys theatre and opera, along with tennis and swimming.

A Special Message from Father Garcia:

Dear Parishioners of Holy Family:

I am greatly thankful to be assigned here at Holy Family Parish to be a part of your family. It is with much joy and enthusiasm that I take this opportunity which has been bestowed upon me by Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas, D.D. for his confidence in me to serve my new parish family. I am delighted to be assigned here and together I believe that we can move our parish family forward to be a united and loving parish for all to come and worship.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, the purpose of this letter is to introduce myself to you, the parishioners of Holy Family parish, and secondly, is to give you an idea of how I would like to work with you for the benefit of our parish. I feel that our parish can be a shining example for all to see and emulate. But before I proceed any further, I must not forget the pain you all have endured regarding the death of Fr. Joe Baker. I am sure that it has brought much pain these past couple of months, however, let us not focus on the tragedy of his illness and death, but remember him for who he was and the many accomplishments he made. Know that I share with you in this pain and prayer for the repose of his soul. Moreover, let us in that same spirit give God thanks for his life and use our collective energies to move our parish forward so that it can continue to be a place of peace, reverence, tranquility, and a place to call home for all who come here to worship.

My name is Fr. Alonzo M. Garcia, and I have been ordained for 1 year and 10 months. I attended St. John's Seminary College and St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, California for my years of study and formation. After my ordination to the priesthood, I served as the parochial vicar at St. Augustine Cathedral for 1 year and 9 months and I enjoyed myself in the service of the people of God tremendously there. I will admit that I have mixed emotions, but with most things, there is a dying to the familiar and an embracing of the unknown and the new. However, I am eager- to become member of your family and serve you to the best of my abilities.

Our vision of the parish should be simple and really is nothing more than the realization that we are all God's children and are called to work together in making our parish the center of our lives and the lives of our families. I think it is fitting that we are called Holy Family, if you think about it; many of our families in the modern world are suffering many tragedies, with war, violence, drugs, and with financial and spiritual instability, our families are in need of healing, and it is up to us to be place of invitation to those who are in need of our support, prayers, and counsel to see them through these rather painful and difficult tunes, and with the help of God, we can achieve this and more. We are all called to serve one another, let us take this to heart.

As we continue to work in making our parish family a place of love and reverence, know that I will need your help in addressing the various pastoral needs of our parish family. We must work together to achieve our goals. As a result of these pastoral needs, we may have to seek out new ways of ministering to each other and the parish at large. Please pray for me as I begin this endeavor with you and that we can receive God's choicest blessings upon our parish and our families. Please be assured of my prayers for you and your loved ones.

Your faithful servant in Christ,

Fr. Alonzo M. Garcia

CLICK HERE to read the Official Appointment of Pastor Alonzo from Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas