Deacon Silvio Mayo recalled as 'a devoted and selfless servant of the Church'
SALT LAKE CITY — Deacon Silvio Mayo, former chancellor of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, died Aug. 3 following a long illness.
Ordained on Dec. 26, 1976 in the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s first class of deacons in the restored diaconate following the Second Vatican Council, he was the first deacon in the United States to be appointed chancellor of a diocese, a position at the time that typically was held by a priest.
“Being a deacon and chancellor gave great meaning to his life,” said Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general emeritus of the diocese, who was the homilist at the Aug. 10 funeral Mass at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. “He was born to be a deacon. He loved serving at the altar and being a part of the parish family. His homilies were down to earth and inspiring. … He loved being able to assist the other deacons and priests.”
Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided at the Mass. Msgr. Joseph M. Mayo, Deacon Mayo’s son, was the main celebrant. Concelebrating were Msgr. Colin F. Bircumshaw, vicar general; Msgr. Fitzgerald; the Very Rev. Martin Diaz, rector of the cathedral; and numerous priests of the diocese. The Deacon of the Mass was Lynn Johnson; numerous deacons of the diocese assisted. Among those who attended were the Very Rev. Frederick Lawson, Dean Emeritus, and the Rev. Canon Caryl Marsh from the Episcopal Cathedral Church of Saint Mark; religious sisters of the diocese;and members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and the Knights of Columbus.
In his homily, Msgr. Fitzgerald quoted from a letter to Deacon Mayo written by the Most Rev. William K. Weigand, seventh Bishop of Salt Lake City, which said in part, “I want you to know that I am very thrilled to be able to appoint you chancellor. Your dedication to the Church as well as your loyalty and total commitment to the diocese is well proven. …”
The corporal and spiritual works of mercy were important to the deacon, who often visited the sick and reached out to comfort families whose loved ones had died, Msgr. Fitzgerald said.
In a text, Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, who was Bishop of Salt Lake City from 2007 to 2016, recalled Deacon Mayo as “a devoted and selfless servant of the Church. Not only was he among the first to be ordained after the restoration of the permanent diaconate, but his entire life was characterized by generous service of others. He was a good friend and I will miss him. We had a lot of laughs together and a lot of wonderful memories that we built up over the years.”
Silvio Mayo was born Dec. 21, 1924, to John and Antionette Giardino Mayo in Columbia, Utah. Following graduation from Judge Memorial Catholic High School in 1942, he married Mary Lourdes Gonzales in December of 1943 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Salt Lake City.
The couple had three children: Robert (Kathy) Mayo, Joanne M. Mayo and Msgr. Joseph M. Mayo; two grandchildren Paul (Tina) and David; and great-grandchildren Evan and Raquel.
For 27 years Deacon Mayo was employed at the JCPenney Company, Western Accounting Division, and for 28 years he served as chancellor of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, a Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and recipient of the Vatican Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award.
Deacon Mayo served a variety of diocesan and parish ministries and appreciated his relationship with the bishops, Cathedral parishioners and supervision of Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery. His Italian heritage was his delight and his family and friends special blessings.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Albert and Joe; a sister, Antionette; and a son, Robert Mayo.
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