In 1964, 25 Catholic families began gathering for Sunday Mass at the Carefree Inn. At that time, the mission in Carefree, Arizona was part of the Diocese of Tucson and a mission of our Lady of Perpetual Help in Scottsdale. After 8 years, and gaining another 45 families, Our Lady of Joy was established as a parish on November 14, 1972.
In 1974 Father John Voigt became the pastor and the first building was constructed. Carefree and Cave Creek grew slowly but steadily in those years, and by 1985 320 families were registered at Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church. The original church could seat about 450 people for each mass, and in 1995 the church was built out to its present size and configuration.
Monsignor Moyer, the third pastor of the parish, urged the Parish Council to renovate the old parish hall and create a preschool. It was predicted by the year 2000 the parish would reach 2,000 registered families. The number at the close of the last century was nearly 3,000! Our Lady of Joy Catholic Parish is a beautiful blend of young families, empty nesters, and retirees with mostly year-round residents. Our Lady of Joy Mission Statement is “to build a community of missionary disciples through the sacraments, prayer, acts of charity and evangelization and catechesis based on the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.”
The current pastor is Father Jess Ty.
CREATE FUTURE LEADERS
Many families at Our Lady of Joy send their children to the preschool there and then to the nearby Catholic elementary school, Annunciation Catholic School. With strong school choice programs in Arizona, many families choose Catholic education and receive financial assistance through tax credit scholarship programs.
There are approximately 5.8 million students attending private schools, including Catholic schools, in the U.S. to receive an optimal education experience. By directing a portion of your Arizona state taxes to Catholic Education Arizona for the Private Education Tax Credit, you can help to support Catholic education. To learn more about how to contribute through Individual and Corporate Tax Credits and how they work, contact Catholic Education Arizona today at 602-218-6542 or visit www.ceaz.org.
