Most Holy Trinity Catholic School Serving the Sunnyslope Community since 1952!

One of Arizona’s most successful Catholic schools, Most Holy Trinity Catholic School, has an interesting story.  This K-8 school, which now has 211 students and a thriving on-campus SOLT community, can actually trace its history back to a vacant meat market and flourishing citrus grove.

Beginning

In the spring of 1942, twenty-three people gather in an empty meat market on 7^th street and Dunlap to celebrate mass, as they did on a regular basis. But when the store owner sold the building, they had to move to a private home for worship. Eventually, the group increased in number, and they had to build a small chapel, which they called Mission of Our Lady on the Wayside.

Parish

On November 1, 1951, the mission, established as Most Holy Trinity Parish, was shepherded by Reverend Neil P. McHugh. He had dreams of building a church, school, and rectory. In October of 1952, he purchased a nine-and-a-half acre citrus grove and made profits from its grapefruit. His hard work paid off – in 1953, Father McHugh was able to build an $85,000 facility with four classrooms and an office which would become Most Holy Trinity Catholic School.

Staff

The same year that facility was built, Sister Dorothy Strang was assigned to a parish in Sunnyslope from Illinois. She, along with Sr. Angelina, Sr. Paula Marie, and Sr. Ann Timothy helped open the school’s doors in September 1953 to 129 students in grades one through six. Grades seven and eight were added by 1955.

The sisters reached out specifically to underserved migrant workers to provide their families an education to which they otherwise may not have had access.

Today

Most Holy Trinity still carries on the tradition left by the sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. In 2008, the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, or SOLT, were invited to serve the parish and schools. In 2010, three sisters arrived and their presence on campus is accredited as an integral part of the spiritual and academic education of the students. SOLT priests and sisters continue to serve at Most Holy Trinity, grounding the community in strong faith formation and the charisms of the SOLT community.  Principal Margaret McCleary has been leading MHT school for 9 years.

Catholic Education Arizona’s mission aligns with the sisters – we want to make it possible for Arizona families to be able to afford to send their children to Catholic schools. Find out how your directed Private Education Tax Credit can change a student and family’s life today, one scholarship at a time. Visit www.ceaz.org for more information!