About St. Jude Thaddeus (Sunsites) · Pearce, Arizona
St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the Sunsites and Pearce communities in the high desert of Cochise County, southeastern Arizona. Established in 1969, the parish is part of the Diocese of Tucson and is dedicated to St. Jude Thaddeus, the Apostle venerated as the patron saint of hopeless causes. Along with its mission church of St. Francis of Assisi in Elfrida, the parish sustains a remarkably generous liturgical schedule for a remote rural community, offering weekday Mass Wednesday through Friday, a Saturday Vigil, and Sunday morning Mass. The parish currently sits under the pastoral care of Fr. John Paul Shea, assigned in July 2023.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- St. Jude Thaddeus (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Fr. John Paul Shea
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tucson
Why belong here
St. Jude Thaddeus brings the full rhythm of Catholic life to one of Arizona's most remote stretches: a Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, weekday Mass three mornings a week, and a pastor who also shepherds the sister mission of St. Francis of Assisi in Elfrida. For Catholics — and those returning to the faith — in the Pearce, Sunsites, Elfrida, and surrounding Sulphur Springs Valley communities, it offers a stable, devoted parish home under the patronage of St. Jude, the Apostle invoked in impossible causes. Visitors and seasonal residents are warmly welcomed at the church on Highway 191.
Mass times at St. Jude Thaddeus (Sunsites)
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Jude Thaddeus Parish
St. Jude Thaddeus is a small Roman Catholic parish in Pearce, Arizona, dedicated to St. Jude Thaddeus the Apostle — the patron of hopeless and difficult causes. Situated in the Sulphur Springs Valley of Cochise County, the parish serves the communities of Sunsites, Pearce, Elfrida, and the surrounding high-desert region as part of the Diocese of Tucson. Despite its rural setting, the parish maintains a regular weekly schedule of weekday and weekend Masses, and it also ministers to the smaller mission community of St. Francis of Assisi in Elfrida.
- Parish name: St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church (Sunsites)
- Type: Parish, Church
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Patron: St. Jude Thaddeus, the Apostle
- Parent diocese: Diocese of Tucson
- Founded: 1969
Parish History
The parish was established in 1969, the same era that saw rapid growth in the Sunsites retirement and Pearce areas of Cochise County. From the beginning, St. Jude Thaddeus was intended to serve a wide rural swath, and it soon took responsibility for Catholic life in the small community of Elfrida to the south through what is now the mission of St. Francis of Assisi. Over the decades the parish has been shepherded by priests assigned by the Bishop of Tucson, including Msgr. John Oliver (1995–2000) and, since July 2023, Fr. John Paul Shea.
- Founded: 1969
- Earlier documented pastor: Msgr. John Oliver (1995–2000)
- Current pastor: Fr. John Paul Shea (assigned July 2023)
Pastor & Pastoral Care
The parish is currently pastored by Fr. John Paul Shea, who was assigned by the Diocese of Tucson effective July 2023. Fr. Shea is responsible not only for St. Jude Thaddeus in Pearce-Sunsites but also for the mission church of St. Francis of Assisi in Elfrida, ensuring Catholic sacramental life for a broad rural area of Cochise County. Parishioners seeking the sacraments, sick calls, or pastoral counsel may reach the parish office by phone at (520) 826-3869.
- Pastor: Fr. John Paul Shea
- Assignment began: July 2023
- Covers: St. Jude Thaddeus, Pearce-Sunsites, and the mission of St. Francis of Assisi, Elfrida
Mission Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Elfrida
In addition to the main parish in Pearce, St. Jude Thaddeus oversees the smaller mission community of St. Francis of Assisi in Elfrida, a community to the south in the Sulphur Springs Valley. The pastor of St. Jude Thaddeus also serves as pastor for this mission, extending the parish's reach to Catholics in Elfrida and the surrounding ranch country.
- Mission name: Church of St. Francis of Assisi
- Location: Elfrida, Arizona
Visit & Location
The church stands along U.S. Highway 191 at Mile Post 51, north of Eastland Road, in the Pearce/Sunsites area of Cochise County. This is a quiet stretch of the Sulphur Springs Valley between the historic mining town of Pearce and the retirement community of Sunsites. Visitors and travelers are encouraged to call ahead to confirm schedule details, particularly during seasonal changes or unforeseen circumstances.
- Street address: US Hwy. 191, Mile Post 51, Pearce, AZ 85606
- Landmark: between Mile Post 50 and Mile Post 51, north of Eastland Road
- Parish phone: (520) 826-3869
- Parish email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. John Oliver1995–2000
Retired diocesan priest of Tucson; had earlier served parishes in Yuma, Nogales, Payson, Patagonia, Douglas, Mesa, and Tucson before being assigned to St. Jude Parish, Pearce-Sunsites.
- Fr. John Paul Shea2023–present
Assigned by Bishop Edward Weisenburger effective July 2023; also covers the mission church of St. Francis of Assisi in Elfrida.