Santa Cruz Church

This historical church still operates today in the Tucson area bringing the liturgy and word of Christ to Catholics in the area. Their mission statement is clearly state, "We the members of Santa Cruz Parish, diverse in culture and traditions, united in the Body of Christ and nurtured in the Carmelite Spirituality, follow Christ through faithful witness and discipleship in family and community." This has long been the tradition of the church, from the time Bishop Henri Granjon designed the Santa Cruz church building plans. He was not an architect but he created a sketch of a beautiful church based on what he felt in his heart. The church building was complete near the end of World War I. It is a Spanish Colonial revival style building and stands on a platform of land that enables it to withstand earthquakes. The nave of the church is 120-feet long and 30-feet high. The bell tower stands 90-feet tall. The dome was added years later to the building in the 1940's. Santa Cruz School is now an important part of the parish and offers students an opportunity to learn while also loving God, themselves, and others. Tuition is based on the families ability to pay and the school offers a generous financial aid program. Other programs within the church include Knights of Columbus, Fiesta de Familia, St. Vincent de Paul, and Holy Family Pro-Life Committees.