About St. Luke · Douglas, Arizona
St. Luke Catholic Church is an English-language parish of the Diocese of Tucson located at 1211 E. 15th Street in Douglas, Arizona. Founded in 1950, it is one of three linked parishes — together with Immaculate Conception (Pirtleville) and St. Bernard (Douglas) — that form the Catholic Community of Douglas-Pirtleville under a single joint parish pastoral council. The parish celebrates a full schedule of daily, Vigil, and Sunday Masses (including a Spanish Sunday Mass), welcomes confessions on Saturday afternoons, and is the home church of the adjoining Loretto Catholic School.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Luke the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Virgilio 'Jojo' Tabo, Jr.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tucson
Why belong here
St. Luke offers a full schedule of daily and weekly Masses — including a beloved Sunday Spanish Mass — along with regular Saturday confessions, a thriving parish school in Loretto Catholic School next door, and the warm, bilingual rhythms of a borderland community. As the principal English-speaking parish of the tri-parish Catholic Community of Douglas-Pirtleville, it pairs traditional liturgical life with active ministries, online giving, and a parish-pastoral-council structure that lets parishioners share responsibility for the mission of Christ in southeast Arizona.
Mass times at St. Luke
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm, in the Church or by appointment (also listed by some sources as 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm)
- By request/appointment during office hours
About St. Luke Parish
St. Luke is the principal English-language parish of the Catholic Community of Douglas-Pirtleville in the Diocese of Tucson. Together with Immaculate Conception Church in Pirtleville and St. Bernard Church in Douglas (with its mission in McNeal), the three parishes share a single joint parish pastoral council and a common pastoral vision grounded in communion with the Bishop of Tucson and the Holy Father. The parish office is staffed Monday through Friday mornings (closed Thursdays) and can be reached at (520) 364-4411.
- Pastor: Rev. Virgilio 'Jojo' Tabo, Jr.
- Associate Pastor: Rev. Marco Basulto
- Address: 1211 E. 15th St., Douglas, AZ 85607
- Phone: (520) 364-4411
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Manager: Marsha John
- Secretary: Alma Luna
History of St. Luke
St. Luke traces its origin to a 1948 mission chapel of Immaculate Conception Church, when a WWII Army chapel from the Bisbee-Douglas Air Base was moved to the corner of Fifteenth Street and Bonita Avenue in Douglas and dedicated as Our Lady's Chapel. Bishop Daniel J. Gercke erected St. Luke as an independent parish on October 11, 1950. The first pastor, Rev. Michael McGovern, established the rectory, built the Parish Hall, and started a building fund. Under later pastors — including Rev. Phillip Poirier, whose popular weekly bingo games grew the building fund — and under Rev. Andrew L. Strednak (pastor from June 14, 1967), the present octagonal church was built: groundbreaking January 11, 1971; first Mass August 7, 1971; and dedication November 7, 1971 by Bishop Francis J. Green. A new rectory followed in November 1974. Successors Rev. Raymond Ritari and Rev. Jude Dioka now serve the parish as retired, with Rev. Virgilio 'Jojo' Tabo, Jr. the current pastor of the tri-parish community.
- Mission chapel established: 1948
- Parish erected: October 11, 1950
- First pastor: Rev. Michael McGovern
- Current church groundbreaking: January 11, 1971
- Current church dedicated: November 7, 1971 by Most Rev. Francis J. Green
- New rectory completed: November 1974; dedicated April 20, 1975
- Patronal identity: St. Luke the Evangelist
Architecture & Interior of the Church
The present St. Luke Church, dedicated in 1971, is octagonal in plan and built of off-white slump block with a desert beige asphalt roof. The main worship space seats 455; a side chapel seats 50 and is used for weekday Masses and individual devotions. The interior is finished with a copper-sulphate floor with carpeted aisles and notable faceted stained-glass windows depicting the symbols of the Twelve Apostles. Italian-imported, hand-carved statuary in kiln-dried linden wood includes a large crucifix behind the altar, a life-size Christ to its east, a statue of the Blessed Mother opposite, and a statue of St. Luke on the north wall of the entrance, all tinted in delicate shades for a three-dimensional effect.
- Octagonal plan, off-white slump block
- Seating: 455 main / 50 side chapel
- Stained-glass windows: symbols of the Twelve Apostles
- Statuary imported from Italy, kiln-dried linden wood
- Dedicated by Bishop Francis J. Green, November 7, 1971
Clergy & Deacons
The parish is served by a pastor, an associate pastor, retired priests in residence, and a sizeable diaconate of active and inactive deacons. Together with the priests of Immaculate Conception and St. Bernard, they form the pastoral leadership of the Catholic Community of Douglas-Pirtleville.
- Pastor: Rev. Virgilio 'Jojo' Tabo, Jr.
- Associate Pastor: Rev. Marco Basulto
- Retired in residence: Rev. Raymond Ritari; Rev. Jude Dioka
- Active Deacons: Mario Castillo; Victor Alvidrez
- Inactive Deacons: Raul Cantua, Edward Gomez, Luciano Gonzales Jr., Armando Moulinet, Gabriel Saspe, Guadalupe 'Rocky' Yanez
Our Mission & Pastoral Council
St. Luke, Immaculate Conception, St. Bernard and its mission together recognize their incorporation into the mystical Body of Christ and form one joint parish pastoral council 'whereby through mutual works and assistance, the mission of Christ in our parishes will be more effectively promoted and performed.' The council pledges communion with the Holy Father, the Bishop of Tucson, and the pastor, and seeks to reflect the apostolic mandate of Christ and the will of the Church.
- Joint parish pastoral council across the three parishes and St. Bernard's mission
- Communion with the Holy Father and the Bishop of Tucson
- Parish-led direction under the pastor
Online Giving
St. Luke offers a secure online giving option that channels weekly stewardship into the parish's mission. In the words of Fr. Jojo: 'What we place in the collection basket is larger than life… Any act of kindness is most appreciated especially in times of adversity. Your charitable contribution is tax-deductible.' Online donations are offered in the spirit of Communion, Participation and Mission.
- Secure online giving via the parish website
- Tax-deductible charitable contributions
- Pastor's invitation: 'Channeling your weekly giving here online is deeply appreciated.'
Loretto Catholic School (Parish School)
The parish's K–8 school, Loretto Catholic School, sits directly adjacent to St. Luke at 1200 E. 14th Street, Douglas (phone 520-364-5754, lorettoschool.org). Founded in the early 1920s and originally called Loretto Academy, the school has long been intra-parochial, serving Douglas, Pirtleville, and even Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico. The school community gathers for a Tuesday 8:15 am Mass during the school year, and its current motto — 'Educating for Life with the mind and heart of Christ' — captures its Catholic identity.
- Address: 1200 E. 14th St., Douglas, AZ 85607
- Phone: (520) 364-5754
- Website: lorettoschool.org
- Motto: 'Educating for Life with the mind and heart of Christ'
- School Mass: Tuesday 8:15 am (Aug–May)
Catholic Community of Douglas-Pirtleville
St. Luke does not stand alone. The Catholic Community of Douglas-Pirtleville is a federation of three parishes (St. Luke, Immaculate Conception, and St. Bernard) with one mission (Our Lady of La Salette in McNeal), one pastor, one pastoral council, and one bulletin. The wider community offers additional weekend Masses — Sunday 12:00 pm English and 6:00 pm Spanish at Immaculate Conception; Sunday 9:30 am bilingual at St. Bernard — and additional confession times (Friday 6:00–7:00 pm at Immaculate Conception).
- Parishes: St. Luke (Douglas), Immaculate Conception (Pirtleville), St. Bernard (Douglas)
- Mission: Our Lady of La Salette, McNeal
- Sunday 9:30 am Bilingual Mass at St. Bernard
- Friday confessions at Immaculate Conception: 6:00–7:00 pm
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Luke at 1211 E. 15th St., Douglas, AZ 85607 (phone 520-364-4411, email [email protected]). The parish office is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (closed Thursdays). Driving directions are posted on the website at douglascatholic.org/directions.
- Mailing address: 1211 E. 15th St., Douglas, AZ 85607
- Office phone: (520) 364-4411
- Office email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 9:00 am–5:00 pm (closed Thursday)
- Directions: douglascatholic.org/directions
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael McGovern1950–1958
First pastor; purchased rectory house across the street, built the Parish Hall, and began the building fund. Transferred to Phoenix on February 16, 1958.
- Rev. John F. Burns
Successor pastor.
- Rev. Phillip Poirier
Grew the building fund through the popular weekly bingo games, laying the financial groundwork for a new church.
- Rev. Francis S. Murphy
Successor pastor.
- Rev. Thomas L. Lambert
Successor pastor.
- Rev. Andrew L. Strednak1967–
Took over the parish on June 14, 1967; purchased adjoining lots, broke ground for the new church on January 11, 1971; oversaw construction and dedication of the present church on November 7, 1971 by Bishop Francis J. Green.
- Rev. Virgilio 'Jojo' Tabo, Jr.current
Current pastor of the Catholic Community of Douglas-Pirtleville (St. Luke, Immaculate Conception, and St. Bernard).