St. Frances Cabrini - Our Lady of Lavang Catholic Church

Parish History

The St. Frances Cabrini church and education buildings were originally built in 1959 as a 'Chapel of Ease' and extra classrooms for Saints Peter and Paul Parish. Father James T. Weber was appointed the first pastor of the independent parish in 1961 and lived in a room in the Education Building until the rectory was built in 1966. Parish volunteers built the ramada in 1974 and the Parish Hall went up in 1982 after a successful fund drive. Father Weber retired in 1987 as Monsignor Weber, and Monsignor Robert 'Father Bob' Fuller took over as second pastor. The 1992 remodel produced the present configuration of the sanctuary, with a prominent crucifix above the altar and the stained-glass windows designed by artist Maureen McGuire. Father Bob retired in 2018 after publishing three volumes of 'Homilies from the Heart,' and Fr. Jens-Peter (Jay) Jensen, Jr., was named the third pastor in June 2018.

Cabrini–Lavang Amalgamation (2021)

On October 25, 2021, Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger of the Diocese of Tucson signed the formal canonical decree combining the parishes of St. Frances Cabrini and Our Lady of Lavang. The merger took effect December 6, 2021, bringing the Vietnamese-language community — originally worshipping at 800 S. Tucson Blvd. — under the St. Frances Cabrini campus at 3201 E. Presidio Road and giving the parish its present bilingual, bicultural identity under Pastor Fr. Dominic Hao Pham, C.Ss.R.

• Decree signed by Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger, October 25, 2021
• Canonical merger effective December 6, 2021
• Our Lady of Lavang community merged into St. Frances Cabrini
• Father Bob Fuller–era Small Faith Communities continued under the new bilingual parish

Clergy and Staff

The parish is led by Fr. Dominic Hao Pham, C.Ss.R. (Redemptorist), who assumed the pastorate after the 2021 amalgamation. Fr. Albert Schifano presides at the English-language Masses, and Deacon Charles (Charlie) Gallegos serves as Pastoral Associate for RCIA/OCIA and Marriage Preparation.

• Pastor — Fr. Dominic Hao Pham, C.Ss.R. (Cha chính xứ: Đaminh Phạm Ngọc Hảo)
• English Mass Presider — Fr. Albert Schifano
• Deacon / Adult Spiritual Formation — Rev. Mr. Charles (Charlie) Gallegos
• Director of Religious Education — Binh Ly ([email protected])
• Choir Directors — Vivyan Vu (Thánh Tâm) and Angeline Vu (Đức Mẹ Lavang / Life Teens)
• Liturgy Scheduler — Joyce Evans (520-780-0693)
• Bulletin Editor — Eileen Godollei (with Donna Madden, Susan Marsala, Donna Jacob)

Sacraments

Parish staff and Deacon Charles Gallegos help families navigate every major sacrament — infant baptism (parents should call before the baby is born), adult baptism through OCIA/RCIA, First Reconciliation and First Eucharist through Family Religious Education, Confirmation for both youth and adults, and Marriage Preparation. Pastoral visits to the sick, hospitalized, homebound, or those in assisted-living facilities are coordinated through the parish office.

• Baptism — infant and adult
• Confirmation — youth preparation and adult sessions via Deacon Gallegos
• First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — through Religious Education
• Marriage Preparation — Deacon Charles Gallegos
• Anointing of the Sick and pastoral visits to hospital/homebound

Faith Formation & Religious Education

Family Religious Education uses Mother Cabrini's motto, 'I can do all things in God who strengthens me' (Philippians 4:13). The school-year Sunday schedule runs religious classes 10:30–11:30 AM, break 11:30 AM–12:00 PM, Bilingual Youth Mass 12:15–1:15 PM (only on class days), and Vietnamese language classes 1:30–2:00 PM. Registration is held in August in Room 5 of the Education Building.

• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — Ages 3–6
• Religious Education Classes — Ages 7–13
• Youth Ministry — Grades 9–12 (Life Teen); sessions most Sundays 9:30–10:30 AM
• Vietnamese Language Classes — Sundays 1:30–2:00 PM after Youth Mass
• Director of Religious Education: Binh Ly ([email protected])

Music Ministry

The parish's music program draws on both Cabrini and Lavang traditions. The Sunday 8:30 AM Vietnamese Mass is provided by longtime Our Lady of Lavang musicians. The Sunday 10:30 AM English Mass is led by an ensemble of former full-choir and folk-group members. The program was interrupted during the global pandemic and has since grown back into the multi-choir ministry it is today, with two named Vietnamese choirs serving different Masses.

• Ca Đoàn Thánh Tâm — directed by Vivyan Vu
• Ca Đoàn Đức Mẹ Lavang (Life Teens) — directed by Angeline Vu
• Past music leaders honored on the parish site: Michelle Perrier (10:30 AM choir), Karen Brady (cantor/guitar), Frank and Renee Cassidy (folk group)
• New musicians and choir members welcomed — contact the parish office

Outreach — Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Cabrini Conference

Inspired by Gospel values, the Cabrini Conference leads women and men to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those in need, regardless of race, origin, religion, or gender. All assistance — spiritual direction, food, rent, utilities, clothing, furniture, and referrals — is delivered through home visits, never through the office. To request help, call 520-881-3075, 9:00–11:00 AM, Monday through Friday.

• Home visits to the needy within parish boundaries (not office handouts)
• Food barrels the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month (canned tuna, stews, soups, fruit, peanut butter, cereal, pasta, hygiene items, brown paper grocery bags)
• Fry's Community Rewards — organization #80310 'St. Vincent De Paul Society Cabrini Conference'
• Donation pickup and thrift-store partnership: 820 S. Sixth Avenue; 5426 East Pima at Craycroft
• Conference meetings bi-weekly on Mondays at 11:30 AM; criminal background check required through the Diocese of Tucson for home visitors

Community & Other Ministries

Beyond Mass and St. Vincent de Paul, the parish runs several smaller outreach and fellowship ministries. Care and Share coordinates receptions after funerals, the Craft and Sewing Group produces goods for the Reachout Women's Center, and the parish still keeps Father Bob Fuller's signature Small Faith Communities (groups of eight to ten parishioners meeting monthly in homes) very much alive.

• Care and Share Ministry — funeral receptions
• Craft and Sewing Group — quilts, knit, crochet for the Reachout Women's Center
• Pastoral Visits to the Sick — call parish office before hospitalization or move to assisted living
• Small Faith Communities — 8–10 parishioners, monthly meetings in homes
• Café Justo / Just Coffee — fair-trade organic coffee from Chiapas
• Third Sunday Coffee and Donuts fellowship