Cathedral celebrates patron

Friday, Aug. 01, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — Legend, myth and movies have created a deceitful popular image of Mary Magdalene, patroness of the Cathedral of the Madeleine: Many people identify her as the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, and as the woman  who was to be stoned for adultery. However, the Gospels never name these women, and there is no evidence that either was Mary Magdalene. 

The Gospels do describe Mary of Magdala – the town where she lived – as having seven demons driven from her by Jesus, and place her at the foot of his cross. She was the first to see the resurrected Christ; he called her by name and commanded her to tell the other disciples that he had risen; it is this “Apostle to the Apostles” whom the cathedral celebrated with three events for her July 22 feast day.

“Her discipleship was clearly remarkable,” said Dr. Gregory Glenn, the cathedral’s director of music and liturgy, who lectured on “Pope Francis and Mary Magdalene: The Joy of the Gospel” on July 20.

Even though she disappears from the Biblical record after the Ascension, modern Catholics can learn from her, Glenn said. “We can respond to the words of Jesus, who in that garden the morning of the resurrection told his devoted follower and friend ‘Go and tell,’” the type of evangelization that Pope Francis encourages in his apostolic exhortation.

Salt Lake City’s cathedral is the only one in the United States to be under the patronage of St. Mary Magdalene. In keeping with her muddled history, there is no record of why she was chosen as the patroness of the Cathedral of the Madeleine (the French pronunciation of her name.) Diocesan archivist Gary Topping states that it likely was because hers is the closest feast day of a major saint to July 24, when Utah commemorates the entry of the first Mormon immigrants into the Salt Lake Valley.

For Catholics, celebrating patronal saints is a way to recognize that through the centuries ordinary people have been blessed by God to be examples and witnesses, said Father Martin Diaz, pastor of the Cathedral of the Madeleine. 

On July 22, Fr. Diaz celebrated the Solemnity of St. Mary Magdalene in the cathedral with a Mass concelebrated by Father José Barrera, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Madeleine; Father Eleazar Silva, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish; and Father Oscar Hernandez, who is temporarily assigned to the cathedral. Assisting were Deacon Lynn Johnson, Deacon Armando Solórzano and Deacon David Trujillo.

 In his homily, Fr. Diaz said that from the human perspective it would have made more sense if Peter, James or John had been the first to see the risen Jesus, but “we forget that it’s the Lord who chooses; it’s the Lord who takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary;” a lesson that can be drawn from this is that “God can choose us, also,” for wonderful things. 

After Fr. Diaz gave a homily in English, Fr. Barrera spoke in Spanish, reflecting on the life of St. Mary Magdalene and urging those present to consider their answers to the questions Jesus asked her: “Why are you crying?” and “Who are you looking for?”

“The memory of St. Mary Magdalene is one of true and possible love when everything seems lost,” Fr. Barrera said. “She trusted God beyond anyone or anything, and God gave her the mission to announce the joy of Easter, of the resurrection.”