Just outside Sedona, Arizona, we find the beautiful Spanish style Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
With its high vaulted ceilings, kneeling rails and prayer alcoves, this is a church to visit if you’re in the Sedona area.
In 1887, the first Catholic Parish in the Verde Valley was founded. This church was Holy Family in Jerome and served the people of Jerome, Clarkdale, Clemenceau and Cottonwood.
As the Catholic family grew new churches were established: St. Cecilia Mission in Clarkdale in 1924 and Immaculate Conception Parish in Cottonwood 6 years later in 1930. As times changed and the mines were closed, Immaculate Conception became the primary Church in the valley with St. Cecilia serving as its Mission. The current church was dedicated on December 8, 2009, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. On December 8, 2010.
Again, God brought Connie and I at the right time to the right Church. The day we visited to celebrate Holy Mass, was also the day Immaculate Conception had relics of St. Padre Pio on display for veneration. Wow! Talk about a grace and blessing. St. Padres Pio is a mercy priest of our times, often hearing Confessions for 14 hours a day. St. Padre Pio could read souls and their sins. He carried the Stigmata, the first priest ever recorded with this. His love of the Eucharist and Mass is duly noted on videos.
Relics for veneration included, cotton-gauze with St. Pio’s blood, St. Pio’s crusts of the wounds and a lock of St. Pio’s hair. My crucifix adds the relic blessings of another modern day saint of mercy.
