Bishop Wester to join celebration of Maronite parish
MURRAY — Saint Jude Maronite Parish in Murray will celebrate its 35th anniversary with a week of events that will include a Mass concelebrated by the Chorbishop Michael Kail, who will be representing the Most Rev. Robert Shaheen, Bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, based in St. Louis, Mo.
Bishop Shaheen was expected at the event but is unable to attend because of an unexpected change in his schedule, said Chorbishop William J. Leser, the parish’s temporary administrator.
Chorbishop Kail is pastor of St. Maron Maronite Church in Youngstown, Ohio.
The Maronite Rite is an Eastern Catholic Church that is in full communion with the Holy See. Established in the 5th century, its liturgy is celebrated in Syriac. The Maronite diocese that includes Utah encompasses 34 states.
St. Jude Parish was established in 1980, with Chorbishop John Trad as the first pastor. Many of the parishioners are of Lebanese heritage.
"The first priest arrived with only one Maronite vestment, a chalice, and a homemade copy of the Quorbono (the Maronite liturgy)," according to Chorbishop Leser.
Chorbishop Trad lived with Father James Kenny, then pastor of Saint Ann Catholic Church in Salt Lake City, which also was used by the Maronites to celebrate their liturgy. Soon, however, the Maronites purchased what was then the Saint Vincent de Paul Church at 4900 Wasatch St. in Murray, as well as the rectory across the street.
The generosity between rites continues: the Maronite church now is used regularly for a Spanish Mass celebrated by the Diocese of Salt Lake City.
In the 35 years since its establishment, St. Jude Parish has had six pastors. The most recent pastor, Monsignor Bill Bonczewski, who left last fall for an appointment in West Virginia, will return for the anniversary celebration.
The celebration will begin with a Triduum starting on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Each night will include confession, devotion to Saint Jude and a nightly blessing with and veneration of the relic of St. Jude. On Thursday, the last night of the Triduum, there will be anointing of the sick, the elderly and the infirm.
On Oct. 28, the Feast Day of St. Jude Thaddeus, Chorbishop Kail will concelebrate the Divine Liturgy. In addition, the parish will unveil and bless its new Maronite icon of St. Jude.
The icon "was painted by a nun in Lebanon," Chorbishop Leser said. "It’s going to go over the altar shrine of St. Jude in the church."
The image that currently is over the shrine will be re-hung in the hallway leading to the church’s social hall, he said.
Also concelebrating the Divine Liturgy will be Chorbishop Leser; Monsignor Colin F. Bircumshaw, Diocese of Salt Lake City vicar general; Msgr. Bonczewski; Father Lourduraj Gally, pastor of Saint Patrick Parish in Salt Lake City; and Dominican Father Carl Schlichte, pastor of Saint Catherine of Siena Parish/Newman Center in Salt Lake City.
On Saturday, St. Jude Parish will hold a traditional Lebanese dinner and dance.
"Anybody who wants can come," Chorbishop Leser said. "We’re having the same dinner served as was served … when this place was getting going. Exactly the same dinner."
The parish will conclude its 35th anniversary celebration with a Divine Liturgy on Sunday.
The schedule for the anniversary celebration is as follows:
Tuesday-Thursday, Oct. 25-27: Nightly Triduum devotion to St. Jude with blessing with and veneration of the Relic of St. Jude, 6:30 p.m., St. Jude Maronite Catholic Church, 4893 S. Wasatch St. in Murray.
Friday, Oct. 28: Divine Liturgy with Chorbishop Michael Kail as the main celebrant, 6:30 p.m.
Solemn Pontifical Hispanic Feast Day Mass with the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, as the main celebrant; concelebrants will be Chorbishop Leser and Father Eleazar Silva, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, 8:30 p.m.
Both celebrations will be at St. Jude Maronite Catholic Church, 4893 S. Wasatch St. in Murray.
Saturday, Oct. 29: ‘Haffli’ (dinner-dance) with social hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by entertainment by St. Jude Dance Troupe and the Anton Family Band (Lebanese music.) Also, ‘Cloud Nine’ will spin records of American music dancing and listening, and the evening will include a silent auction. The haffli will be held at Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church’s Holy Family Hall, 1375 E. Spring Lane in Salt Lake City.
Sunday, Oct. 30: Divine Liturgy with Chorbishop Michael Kail as the main celebrant and Chorbishop William Leser as the concelebrant, 10:30 a.m. at St. Jude Maronite Catholic Church.
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