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The Holy Year: 

The Corporal Works of Mercy

Father Langes Silva, (standing, in white), judicial vicar of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, participates in the ecumenical Blessing of the Hands ceremony at the Huntsman Cancer Institute on May 13. The ceremony brings clergy of different faiths in the Salt Lake community to bless those who work at the hospital. It acknowledges “that the work we do is sacred and also very challenging,” said John Cooper, the institute’s chaplain. “Nurses and doctors and care providers – everyone who works here gets touched to the depth of their soul at some point by what they do, so this is a time to make some sacred space and to acknowledge the challenges and the hard work that they do.” Shown in the foreground are Geygen Sene and Thupten Pinpoche of the Urgyen Samten Ling Gonpa Tibetan temple in Salt Lake City.  

As in past years, the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City joined Utah’s ecumenical community at the National Day of Prayer Community Leadership Breakfast held May 5 at the Red Lion Hotel in Salt Lake City. Father Langes Silva, the diocesan judicial vicar, offered the morning prayer at the event. Representing the diocese at the breakfast were (from left) Dominican Father Peter Hannah, associate pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Newman Center; Anne Boyer, president of the Diocesan Pastoral Council; Susan Dennin, diocesan director of communications; Fr. Silva; Ruth Dillon, director of liturgy; Jean Hill, government liaison; and Susan Northway, director of religious education.  

Bryan and Christine Romero were among those who visited the St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall in Salt Lake City on May 7 for the Empty Bowls annual fundraiser. The bowls are made and donated by artists from Clay Arts Utah. Those participating in the event purchase the bowls for $20; all proceeds from the event go to the dining hall, said Dennis Kelsch, Catholic Community Services Director of Homeless Services. For the past two years, larger bowls also have been available for a higher price. The fundraiser helps pay salaries and purchase supplies for the dining hall; all food is donated. “Last year we took in more than we’ve ever taken in before [during Empty Bowls], so hopefully we can match or surpass last year,” Kelsch said during the event, adding that the number of people at the event seemed about the same  for the two years.

Molly Dumas, Juan Diego Catholic High School public information officer and advancement director, will retire June 30.

Dumas was “a tireless advocate for all Catholic schools in the Diocese of Salt Lake for over 30 years,” said Dr. Galey Colosimo, Juan Diego principal. “As advancement director, Molly assisted in shaping the image of the school well before the first shovel of dirt was turned to erect the building. She has continued in this endeavor, helping the school market, recruit and raise funds for program development. Molly’s creativity and hard work branded Juan Diego as a powerful educational institution among all parochial and private schools in Utah. We thank her for her years of service and fidelity to the mission of Catholic education.”