IN REMEMBRANCE: Hugh “Ricardo” Elford, C.Ss.R.
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September 29, 2023Beloved Fr. Hugh “Ricardo” Elford, C.Ss.R. died prior to a surgical procedure at Tucson Medical Center in Tucson on September 19. A humble man with a ready smile, Fr. Ricardo was a crusader for social justice who touched countless lives and left an impressive legacy of service to migrant and Native American communities in the barrio of Tucson and along the Mexican border.
Hugh Richard Elford was born on May 21, 1938 in Seattle. His family belonged to the close-knit Sacred Heart Parish community, where he was inspired at an early age to follow the Redemptorists. After graduating from Sacred Heart Elementary School, he attended Holy Redeemer College in Oakland. He and his classmates – notably Raymond Maiser, Enrique Lopez and Pat O’Brien – became lifelong friends and proceeded to novitiate at Mount St. Clement’s in DeSoto, MO.
Their tight circle of friends expanded to include Ed Morgan, Mike Shea, Tom Danielsen and Ray Dompke, among others. The classmates professed first vows on August 2, 1959, and continued their studies at the Redemptorists’ Immaculate Conception Seminary in Oconomowoc.
A diligent student, he especially excelled in the Spanish language and participated in Fr. Jimmy O’Connell’s summer ministry to migrant workers in the Midwest and Western states. He was ordained to the priesthood by Auxiliary Bishop Roman Atkielski, DD of Milwaukee on July 2, 1964.
The Second Vatican Council was underway, and Fr. Ricardo embraced the changes designed to renew the Church. He completed Tirocinium at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Parish in St. Louis in 1965-1966 and spent almost a year in youth ministry at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Whittier before he joined Fr. John Kane at Picture Rocks Retreat House (now the Redemptorist Renewal Center) in Tucson in 1967.
He was charged with presenting a weekly Justice & Peace forum, a commitment he honored throughout his life. Fr. Ricardo initially provided sacramental ministry to the Yaqui Indian tribe, which has communities on both sides of the border between Arizona and Mexico. Within two years, he was appointed to the Redemptorists’ Mexican American Inner City Apostolate, an experimental community of confreres living in the Tucson barrio that quickly evolved into a true social ministry commitment. Although the Inner City Apostolate was disbanded in 1972, Fr. Ricardo’s ministry in the barrio continued for five more decades.
Bishop Francis Green, DD of the Diocese of Tucson appointed him Vicar for the Spanish- Speaking in 1975, a position he accepted in hopes that it would enhance his ministry to migrants and the poor. Fr. Ricardo soon became a pillar of the barrio community, serving as the primary contact for help with various life issues that ranged from basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter to specialized concerns requiring attorneys, psychologists and medical professionals.
He was equally well known by law and border enforcement officials, who relied upon him to assist those seeking asylum or dealing with deportation orders. He believed in ecumenical Christian unity and shared ministry with lay people, especially concerning social justice issues. He cultivated an incredible network of friends and associates during his five decades of ministry.
Fr. Ricardo also became involved in the national Sanctuary Movement for refugees fleeing persecution in Central America during the 1980s. Exercising caution and prudence, he provided assistance behind the scenes and participated in organized protests and prayer vigils without neglecting his ongoing ministry.
A practical thinker, Fr. Ricardo was focused on serving those on the periphery of social and economic structures. The apparent need for medical services in the barrio prompted Fr. Ricardo and his friend, Dr. Evan Kligman, an ordained Interfaith Contemplative Minister, to found Clinica Amistad in 2003.
Considered the heart and soul of the clinic, Fr. Ricardo was a source of comfort and support to patients, colleagues and volunteers, alike. Thanks to a dedicated group of volunteer professionals, the clinic continues to provide entirely free integrative healthcare to the poor and uninsured in Tucson.
For nearly 20 years, Fr. Ricardo raised awareness of the plight of migrants with participants in the Redemptorist Renewal Center’s sabbatical program. He hoped to develop greater cultural understanding by leading groups of priests and nuns to border towns to introduce them to the various organizations involved in migrant ministries.
As his health declined, a wide network of friends and associates stepped up to drive Fr. Ricardo to the barrio and border towns so that he could continue his ministry. Perhaps the greatest tribute he could receive is the commitment of so many others to continue his work of advocacy and ministry. Fr. Ricardo was a truly a legend in his own time: an authentic man of peace; a man of justice.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am at the Cathedral of St. Augustine in Tucson on Saturday, October 7. Burial will follow at Holy Hope Cemetery. Participate in the Mass at: https://diocesetucson.org/live-1
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
(Br. Bill Cloughley & Fr. Dick Mevissen also contributed to this story.)